Last updated 10 Oct 2022.
All times are in local time in Accra, Ghana (UTC +0)
Language of the sessions: English with French live intepretation available for the plenary sessions.
The Symposium will take place at the Alisa Hotel North Ridge, Accra, Ghana.
Lunches will be provided to session participants as well as daily mid-morning and mid-afternoon tea breaks.
You can also click on each day below to see the latest detailed agenda or the buttons to access the pdf versions of the different Symposium components:
24 Oct
Pre-event: Training
24 Oct
PM
Symposium Opening
25 Oct AM
Plenary: Fisheries
25 Oct
PM
Plenary: Ecosystem Conservation
26 Oct
AM
Plenary: Coastal Hazards
26 Oct
PM
Copernicus Private Sector
27 Oct
Thematic Workshops
28 Oct
Thematic Workshops
24 Oct
Pre-event: Training
09:00-15:30 | Training Sessions | Venue: Ridge Arena | ||
| 9:00- 9:05 | Welcome from GEO Blue Planet Secretariat | |
| 9:05- 9:10 | Remarks from local organising committee | |
| 9:15- 10:00 | What are Ocean and Coastal Observations and Why are They Important?Nikelene Mclean, Satellite Oceanography and Climatology Division, STAR/NESDIS, NOAA Introduction to Observational Oceanography and ModellingDr. Fifi Adodo, Mercator Ocean International Dr. Rory Scarrott, University College Cork, Horizon Europe-funded DOORS project | |
Parallel Training Sessions | ||
| Venue: Ridge Arena Target audience: General Public | Venue: Prins Hall Target audience: Technical / Academia | |
| 10:00- 10:15 | Tea/coffee break | |
| 10:15- 11:00 | Introduction to Remote Sensing for | Introduction to Open Source EO Tools: Copernicus Marine Service and Jupyter NotebooksFabrice Messal, Mercator Ocean International |
| 11:00- 11:45 | International Collaboration and Sharing: An Overview | Creating powerful maps and apps using the ArcGIS Living Atlas Ocean DataPauline Okeyo, Solution Engineer
|
| 11:45- 13:00 | Lunch | |
| 13:00- 13:45 | Marine and Coastal Data Products for Decision MakingFabrice Messal, Mercator Ocean International | Application of Open-Source Tools for Fisheries, Biodiversity Conservation and Coastal Erosion Applications in West AfricaDr. Ebenezer Nyadjiro, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information |
| 13:45- 14:00 | Break | |
| 14:00- 14:45 | Coastal Observations for | Retrieval, Processing and Analysis of Remotely Sensed Ocean Data: Utilising NASA Resources for Ocean AnalysisDr. Richard Damoah, NASA GESTAR Dr. Anthony Kinyua, Morgan State University |
| 14:45- 15:30 | Coastal and Marine Data for Management and | Sharing Ocean Data through Standards: An Introduction to the Ocean Data and Information System (ODIS)Jeff McKenna, President Emeritus of OSGeo / Gateway Geomatics / ICAN / Ocean Information Hub (OIH) |
24 Oct
PM
Symposium Opening
Opening Ceremony | Venue: Ridge ArenaCo-chairs – Dr. Emily Smail (University of Maryland and NOAA), Dr. Pierre-Yves Le Traon (Mercator Ocean International) and Jose Moutinho (AIR Centre) | |
| 15:00 – 16:00 | Onsite registration & refreshments |
| 16:00 – 16:50 | Opening session: Welcome remarks
|
| 16:50 – 18:00 | Introductory keynote presentations
|
| 18:00 – 20:00 | Welcome reception + opening of the Symposium ForumThe Forum consists of five thematic booths that will serve as informal roundtables and exhibit posters to facilitate discussions among conference participants on the themes of i) Fisheries, ii)Ecosystem Conservation, iii) Coastal Hazards, iv)Cooperation and Co-designand vi)Capacity Development and the cross-cutting theme of stakeholder engagement. |
25 Oct AM
Plenary: Fisheries
09:00-12:00 | Venue: Ridge Arena, Alisa Hotel
Co-Chairs: Nikelene Mclean (NOAA), Dr. Isa Elegbede (TGER/CEESP/IUCN, Switzerland & Lagos State University) &
Dr. Stewart Bernard (South African National Space Agency (SANSA))
USER NEEDS: KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS FROM AFRICAN END-USERS | |||
| 9:00-9:05 | Introduction | Session moderators | |
| 9:05-9:15 | Small scale fishers | Dr. Greg Duggan (Abalobi) | |
| 9:15-9:25 | Commercial fishing | Nana Oyeman Ofori-Ani (Ghana Industrial Trawlers Association) tbc | |
| 9:25-9:35 | Fisheries Economics | Dr. Wisdom Akpalu (Institute of Management and Public Administration , Ghana) | |
| 9:40-10:00 | Panel Discussion | Above speakers and Dr. Angela Lamptey (University of Ghana) Dr. Rebecca Essamuah (Centre For Maritime Law And Security (CEMLAWS) Africa) | |
| Break 15’ | |||
TOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES | |||
| 10:15-10:20 | Introduction | Session moderators | |
| 10:20-10:35 | Overview presentation on how Earth Observations can be used for Fisheries and Aquaculture | Katie Geddes (University of Miami, ORTA NOAA) | |
| 10:35-10:50 | General presentation of the South African Oceans and Coastal Information Management System (OCIMS) | Dr Marie Smith (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa) | |
| Break 15’ | |||
INSPIRING EXAMPLES | |||
| 11:05-11:10 | Welcome from moderator | ||
| 11:10-11:25 | Earth Observations for Fisheries and Aquaculture site selections | Amine Mohamed Taji (ACRI-EC Space Sciences) | |
| 11:25-11:40 | GMES and Africa Safety at Sea Service | Bennet Atsu- Foli (GMES & Africa / University of Ghana) | |
| 11:40-11:55 | Earth Observations to support Barbados Fisheries | Dr. Shelly-Ann Cox (Blue Shell Productions, Barbados) | |
25 Oct
PM
Plenary: Ecosystem Conservation
14:00-17:00 | Venue: Ridge Arena
Co-Chairs: Dr. Rory Scarrott (University College Cork) and Prof. Isabel Sousa-Pinto (Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON), IPBES)
USER NEEDS: KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS FROM AFRICAN END-USERS | |||
14:00-14:05 | Introduction | Session moderators | |
14:05-14:15 | Perspectives: What are the priority ecosystem conservation challenges in African regional seas | Dr. Zacharie SOHOU (IOC-Africa Vice Chair and Director of the Benin Fisheries & Oceanological Research Institute) | |
14:15-14:25 | Ecosystem conservation as a foundation for sustainable Blue Economies | Gabriel Akoko Juma (ECOP Africa Coordination Unit) | |
14:25-14:45 | Panel discussion to help identify synergies | Session speakers | |
Break 15’ | |||
TOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES | |||
15:00-15:05 | Introduction | Session moderator | |
15:05-15:20 | UNEP-GEMS Ocean: Harnessing multi-stakeholder partnerships to transform data into action | Niccolo Bassan (UNEP-GEMS Ocean & Coasts) | |
15:20-15:35 | WIOMSA: Developing international and inter-disciplinary research capacity in support of regional ecosystem conservation efforts | Dr. Louis Celliers (Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA)) | |
15:35-15:55 | Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters | Garry Kett (All-Atlantic Youth Ambassador, University College Cork), and Sigi Gruber (Active Senior Advisor to the European Commission) | |
Break 15’ | |||
INSPIRING EXAMPLES | |||
16:10-16:15 | Introduction | Session moderator | |
16:15-16:30 | The Sargassum Information hub: Exploiting satellite data to support Sargassum monitoring and forecasting | Dr. Shelly-Ann Cox (Blue Shell Productions, Barbados) | |
16:30-16:45 | MANCOGA – Using data and co-design approach in understanding the role of mangroves in sustaining fisheries | Senyo Adzah (The Development Institute) | |
16:45-17:00 | The issue of microplastics, and the potential role for satellite data | Dr. Ebenezer Nyadjro (Mississippi State University/NOAA) | |
17:00-18:30 | INTERACTIVE POSTER SESSIONFive thematic booths that will serve as informal roundtables and exhibit posters to facilitate discussions among conference participants on the themes of i) Fisheries, ii)Ecosystem Conservation, iii) Coastal Hazards, iv) Cooperation and Co-design and v) Capacity Development and the cross-cutting theme of Stakeholder Engagement | ||
26 Oct
AM
Plenary: Coastal Hazards
09:00 – 12:15 | Venue: Ridge Arena
Co-Chairs: Dr. Fifi Adodo (Mercator Ocean International), Dr. Lisa-Marie Rebelo (Digital Earth Africa) & Tânia Li Chen (AIR Centre)
USER NEEDS KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS FROM AFRICAN END-USERS | |||
9:00-9:05 | Introduction | Session moderator | |
9:05-9:20 | Keynote on coastal zone risks assessment and capacity building needs | Prof. Kwasi Appeaning Addo (Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies- University of Ghana) | |
9:20-9:30 | Perspectives on Capacity Building Needs of the Ocean Sciences Stakeholders in Africa | Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP) – Dr. Temitope Sogbanmu, (University of Lagos, Nigeria) | |
9:30-9:50 | Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) panel discussion on stakeholder needs | Dr. Raphael Onguene (Douala Institute of Technology, Cameroun) Dr. Sandrine Djakouré (Université Felix Houphouet Boigny, Côte d’Ivoire) Dr. Temitope Sogbanmu, (University of Lagos, Nigeria) Gabriel Akoko Juma (ECOP Africa Coordination Unit, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research) | |
Break 15’ | |||
TOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES | |||
10:05-10:10 | Introduction | Session moderator | |
10:10-10:25 | Copernicus Marine and the coastal zone monitoring & forecasting | Dr. Pierre-Yves Le Traon (Mercator Ocean International, France) | |
10:25-10:40 | Demonstration of Copernicus data access & visualisation services | Fabrice Messal – (Mercator Ocean International, France) | |
10:40-10:55 | Digital Earth Africa coastline monitoring service | Dr. Lisa-Marie Rebelo (Digital Earth Africa) | |
Break 15’ | |||
INSPIRING EXAMPLES | |||
11:10-11:15 | Introduction | Session moderator | |
11:15-11:30 | Examples of addressing coastal hazards challenges using space technology applications: Caribbean/Latin America oil spill project | Dr. Emily Smail & Dr. Xiaofang “Bonnie” Zhu (NOAA, USA) | |
11:30-11:45 | Coastal erosion at regional scale | Dr. Donatus Angnuureng (ACeCOR/ University of Cape Coast, Ghana) | |
11:45-12:00 | Using remote sensing and modelling for coastal detection | Dr. Babette Tchonang (JPL/ NASA) | |
12:00-12:15 | Coastal monitoring and flooding risks mitigation | Anne-laure BECK (ARGANS Ltd.) | |
26 Oct
PM
Copernicus Private Sector
14:00 – 18:00| Venue: Ridge Arena, Alisa Hotel
14:00 – 17:00 | Copernicus private sector opportunities: Atlantic Ocean InteractionsChair: Tania Li Chen (AIR Centre) | |
Introduction | ||
14:00-14:10 | Welcome: Speaker introduction & overview of session | Tania Li Chen (AIR Centre) |
Space for Sustainable Development | ||
14:10-14:30 | Copernicus Marine Services for Africa | Pierre-Yves Le Traon (Mercator Ocean International, Copernicus Marine Service) |
14:30-14:50 | GMES & Africa: Marine and Coastal Areas Management in Africa & Copernicus Partnership | Ignatius Williams (University of Ghana/ GMES & Africa programme) |
Showcasing Sustainable Innovation | ||
14:50-15:30 | SME Pitches Q&A | |
Break – 30 mins | ||
16:00-16:40 | SME Pitches Q&A | |
16:40-17:00 | Closing Remarks | |
17:00-18:00 | Symposium Closing CeremonyClosing remarks Symposium Dr. Emily Smail (GEO Blue Planet Executive Director) and Ignatius Williams (University of Ghana) Closing remarks poster interactive forum Nikelene Mclean (NOAA) and Dr. Fifi Adodo (Mercator Ocean International) | |
18:00 – 20:00| Venue: Restaurant, Alisa Hotel
18:00-20:00 | Sit down dinner/ Social eventAll participants are invited to join us for the social dinner. |
27 Oct
Thematic Workshops
| 09:00-17:00 | Parallel Thematic Workshops | ||
| Venue: Alisa Hotel Opera 1 & 2 | ||
| 09:00-10:30 | Workshop 1: Earth Observations for Fisheries and Aquaculture Site Selection | |
| Tea break 15 mins | ||
| 10:45-12:00 | Workshop 1: Earth Observations for Fisheries and Aquaculture Site Selection continued | |
| 12:00-14:00 | Lunch at Alisa Hotel Restaurant | |
| Venue: Alisa Hotel Opera 1 & 2 | ||
| 14:00-15:30 | Workshop 2: Ocean and Coastal Observations for National Adaptation Plans | |
| Tea Break 15 mins | ||
| 15:45- 17:00 | Workshop 2: Ocean and Coastal Observations for National Adaptation Plans | |
28 Oct
Thematic Workshops
09:00-14:00 | Parallel Thematic Workshops | ||
Venue: Opera 1 | Venue: Opera 2 | |
09:00-10:30 | Workshop 3: Earth Observations for Coastline Changes | Workshop 4: Earth Observations for Sargassum Monitoring |
| Tea break 15 mins | |
10:45-11:45 | Workshop 3: Earth Observations for Coastline Changes Continued | Workshop 5: Earth Observations for Marine Litter Monitoring |
| 11:45-12:30 | Concluding remarks from all Workshops | |
12:30-14:00 | Lunch | |
