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Welcome!

Earth Observation Training, Education,

and Capacity Development Network

EUROPE REGION COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

Droughts Meet-Up

Dr. Jaime Gaona, CNR-IRPI

Drought WG Lead

10 April 2025

eotecdev.net @EOTEC DevNet #EOTECDevNet

Image credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery 2024

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EOTEC DevNet:

Promoting collaboration among EO capacity providers

AIMS

Improve collaboration among EO-capacity building providers
Foster exchange of capacity building resources
Reduce duplication

THEMATIC FOCUS

Disaster risk reduction
Climate adaptation and mitigation

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eotecdev.net @EOTEC DevNet @EOTECDevNet

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Dec 2022/

April 2023

2 EOTEC community meetings

CONSULTATION on capacity building on DROUGHTS

25 participants at two meetings

Inaugural global meeting

PARTNERED with UNCCD, IDMP, others

Engaged experts on the DROUGHT TOOLS TRACKER

Active partnership

2 JOINT WEBINARS and SIDE EVENT at WMO Drought Resilience +10 event, more work on tracker

Biannual EOTEC drought WG mtgs

EXPERTS come together by region based on priorities set by each task team

Creating drought working groups�Consultation + collaboration to build partnerships and find our niche

Dec 2022/

April 2023

2024

April/

Oct 2025

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First Regional Meet-ups

Strengthening Drought Resilience Through Earth Observation

Focus: Drought Monitoring Tools and Key Initiatives in the Region

📅 Meeting Schedule

🌍 Africa – April 9, 13:00–14:15 UTC
🌎 Americas – April 9, 16:00–17:15 UTC
🌏 Asia & Oceania – April 23, 04:00–05:15 UTC (new date)
🌍 Europe – April 10, 13:00–14:15 UTC

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Today’s agenda

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Time (UTC)	Agenda item	Presenter/moderator
13:00	Welcome & Introductions	Jaime Gaona & EOTEC DevNet Secretariat
13:15	Spotlight presentation Overview of existing drought monitoring tools and key initiatives in the Europe region	Danila Volpi, Joint Research Centre - European Commission
13:35	Regional Insights & Discussion Open discussion on challenges, gaps, and opportunities in drought monitoring and capacity-building Contributions from participants on ongoing initiatives and training needs	All Moderator: Jaime Gaona
14:00	Drought Tools Tracker: Status and Next Steps Overview of the EOTEC DevNet Drought Tools Tracker Next Steps	EOTEC DevNet Secretariat
14:10	Upcoming Opportunities and Trainings Updates on key meetings and training opportunities	EOTEC DevNet Secretariat
14:10	Next meet-ups and thanks	Jaime Gaona
14:15	Closing

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Meeting Best Practices

Mute your mic unless you are speaking.

Turn your camera on if you like!

Please provide your full name and organization.

Use “raise hand” or chat for questions.

This session will be recorded.

Image credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery 2024

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Spotlight Presentation

Overview of existing drought monitoring tools and key initiatives in the Europe region

Presenter

Danila Volpi, Joint Research Centre - European Commission

Image credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery 2024

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Regional Insights & Discussion

Open discussion on challenges, gaps, and opportunities in drought monitoring and capacity-building�
Contributions from participants on ongoing initiatives and training needs

Image credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery 2024

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Do not edit

How to change the design

What are the main challenges or gaps you see in drought monitoring or early warning in your region?

Presenting with animations, GIFs or speaker notes? Enable our Chrome extension

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Do not edit

How to change the design

Are there any ongoing initiatives or tools you'd like to highlight that others in the region should be aware of?

Presenting with animations, GIFs or speaker notes? Enable our Chrome extension

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Do not edit

How to change the design

What kinds of training or capacity-building support would be most useful for your work or organization?

Presenting with animations, GIFs or speaker notes? Enable our Chrome extension

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Drought Tools Tracker: Status and Next Steps

EOTEC DevNet Secretariat

Image credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery 2024

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The EOTEC DevNet Drought Tools Tracker

Background & Purpose

What It Is: A centralized, collaborative platform designed to help users discover and access existing EO-based tools, resources, and training for drought monitoring, management, and response
What It Does: Maps drought-related initiatives, tools, and capacity-building resources in a searchable, user-friendly format
Why It Matters: Enhances coordination, identifies gaps, and supports evidence-based decision-making
Target Audience: Drought and disaster risk managers, EO experts, and capacity-building practitioners
Community Driven: Developed through the EOTEC DevNet Drought Working Group—open to contributions

Learn more about the Drought Tools Tracker and contribute, visit EOTEC DevNet Tools website.

https://eotecdev.net/tools/

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What the Tracker Includes

Key Features, Content, and Structure

Comprehensive Resource Hub: Centralized access to key global and regional drought initiatives, training resources, with tools organized by drought management stage, drought type, indicators/parameters used, geographic coverage, output formats
Capacity Building Integration: Links tools with relevant training resources to support implementation and user adoption
Global and Regional Relevance: Developed with input from regional Communities of Practice to reflect diverse needs and contexts
Drought Tools Statistics: 20 initiatives, 23 tools, 12 training resources
Future Web-Based Platform: Will enhance access through improved filtering, user-friendly navigation, and continuous content updates

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Next Steps

Expanding and Improving the Drought Tools Tracker

Review & Validation: Continue engaging regional experts to review existing tools and identify gaps
Improve Structure & Accessibility: Refine categories, improve usability, and integrate filtering by user needs
Expand the Database: Invite contributions of additional tools, resources, and training materials
Platform Development: Build a user-friendly, web-based interface to enable easy access and updates
Sustain Collaboration: Use working group sessions to guide updates and ensure the tracker remains relevant and community-driven

Building on the success of the EOTEC Flood Tools Tracker, this matrix will evolve into a user-friendly, searchable web tool.

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Call for Input

Help Shape the Drought Tools Tracker

Contribute Tools & Resources: Share drought-related EO tools, initiatives, or training materials we may have missed
Review & Suggest Improvements: Help refine the tracker’s structure, categories, and usability
Join the Working Group: Get involved in shaping future updates and discussions
Stay Connected: Scan the QR code or use the link to express interest in contributing and share your contact details

(We’ll follow up directly with contributors)

https://eotecdev.net/eforms/drought-tools-tracker-contributor-form/20/

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Upcoming Opportunities and Trainings

Image credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery 2024

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Engage with us on social media

@EOTEC DevNet #EOTECDevNet

Engagement in-between meetings

Ways to interact online

Connect with global colleagues on our member platform

https://eotecdev.net/connect/

Share an image of the week

https://forms.gle/vBfSfN46wP7ND3936

Volunteer for an ad hoc team, e.g., to help plan a webinar

secretariat@eotecdev.net

Join our

WhatsApp group

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Opportunities and resources

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SAMPLE OF TRAINING AND CONFERENCES
GEO Global Forum, 5-9 May 2025, Rome, Italy (in person).	New Resource! EO College Towards Zero Hunger – Hands-on: Drought Monitoring using Soil Moisture Anomalies, self-paced, open. ESA’s EO for Disasters online course coming soon
ESA-NASA International workshop on AI Foundation Model for Earth Observation, 5-7 May 2025, ESA-ESRIN, Frascati, Italy (in person).	Cap-Net Integrated Drought Management: Monitoring and Early Warning, self-paced, 3rd relaunch until 15/11/2025.
ITU Workshop on “Resilience to Natural Hazards through AI Solutions”, 8 May Frascati, Italy and online (hybrid). Register here.	FAO, WMO & GWP Course on Integrating gender equality and social inclusion in national drought management planning, online, open.
ITU 2nd Meeting of the Global Initiative on Resilience to Natural Hazards through AI Solutions, 9 May Frascati, Italy and online (hybrid). Register here (deadline for contribution April 20).	UN SPIDER Recommended Practices, step-by-step guidelines that help users apply satellite-based technology, online, open.
ESA’s Living Planet Symposium 2025, 23-27 June 2025, Vienna, Austria (registration opens soon).	New Resource! UNDRR - Global Status of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems
Earth Observation Remote Sensing Workshop 2025, ESA Academy Training and Learning Facility in Belgium, from 14-18 July 2025, Register here (deadline for applications April 27).	UNCCD Drought Toolbox - tools, case studies, and other resources in order to support the design of the National Drought Policy Plan.
IGARSS 2025, 3-8 August 2025, Brisbane, Australia (in person).	NASA ARSET - Drought Monitoring, Prediction, and Projection using NASA Earth System Data, conducted in August 2024, all resources freely accessible.

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Opportunities and resources

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PLACES TO FIND TRAINING
World Climate Research Programme catalog: wcrp-academy.org/catalog	EO Africa R+D Facility webinars on youtube: @eoafricardfacility3607
CEOS Training Calendar: training.ceos.org CEOS Earth Observation Handbook 2023: ceos.org/news/eohb-2023/	NASA ARSET: bit.ly/3Fh7ERe NASA’s Transform to Open Science curriculum: https://nasa.github.io/Transform-to-Open-Science/
UN-SPIDER Events Calendar: bit.ly/3LjKHk0	ESA: eo4society.esa.int/training-education/
GEO Events Calendar: https://earthobservations.org/events	EO College: eo-college.org.
EUMETSAT training catalogue: catalog.trainhub.eumetsat.int	UN CC: e-Learn: https://unccelearn.org/
WMO Global Campus: learningevents.wmo.int/#/	WMO-CGMS VLab: wmo-sat.info/vlab/vlab-training-calendar/
Drought portal - Knowledge resources on integrated drought management: https://www.fao.org/in-action/drought-portal/en	Guidances by Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP): https://www.droughtmanagement.info/

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Summary and next steps

Thank you for being part of the EOTEC community of practice.

See you online!

eotecdev.net @EOTEC DevNet #EOTECDevNet

Save the Date: Capacity Building Webinar – June 18

Europe region Flood Working Group: July 10, 15:00 CEST

Europe region Task Team meet-up: September 18, 15:00 CEST

Europe Region Drought Working Group: October 16. 15:00 CEST

Save the Date: AI for Education Webinar – November 12

Image credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery 2024

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THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!