A Look at Digital Earth Pacific with Dr. Stuart Minchin

In this episode of Mapping the Conversations, host Valrie Grant speaks with Dr. Stuart Minchin, Director-General of the Pacific Community (SPC), about the impact of geospatial technologies in the Pacific. The discussion spotlights the Digital Earth Pacific initiative, exploring how it harnesses satellite data and technological tools to address pressing issues such as climate change, disaster preparedness, and sustainable development in the Pacific Island nations.

 

Dr. Minchin reflects on his career journey, from his beginnings as a water scientist to leading the Pacific Community. He shares insights into early efforts with Digital Earth Australia and Digital Earth Africa, setting the stage for his approach to Digital Earth Pacific. He highlights a future where Digital Earth Programs serve as the foundation of a Digital Public Infrastructure which is readily accessible.

Listeners will discover how Digital Earth Pacific fosters collaboration among nations and empowers local teams through capacity-building initiatives. Stuart discusses the platform's challenges—including the digital divide that exists in the region, which must be bridged to fully harness the platform’s potential. He, however, emphasizes how Digital Earth Pacific can provide objective data that Pacific nations can use on the global stage to advocate for support, particularly in confronting climate impacts.

Dr. Minchin, a self-proclaimed "spatio-temporal nerd", also discusses the exciting prospects for scaling these digital earth platforms to a planetary level and believes Digital Earth pacific can contribute to that vision especially in the blue economy, given that 98% of the Pacific is water.

Key Takeaways:

• Digital Earth Pacific is a crucial tool for helping Pacific Island nations adapt to climate change and other pressing challenges.
• Collaboration and capacity building are essential to the platform’s success, ensuring that local teams are equipped to utilize these advanced technologies.
• Public-private-philanthropic partnerships are key to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the platform.
• There is immense potential to scale the Digital Earth model globally, particularly in the blue economy.