reporter
Name Affiliation Title Sayako Kishimoto Global Environment Department
summary
Date: November 14, 2025
Organizers: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), University Space Research Association (USRA), American Geophysical Union (AGU), Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan (RESTEC)
Venue (Pavilion Name)：Bluzon Side Event Room 3
speaker
Name Affiliation Title Elsayed R. Talat USRA President and CEO Teruyuki Ito Director, Global Environment Division, JICA Rodrigo Antonio Agostinho Mendoza President and CEO, IBAMA Brazil Silvia Cristina Rodriguez Valadares Director, Peru Climate Change Agency Takamichi Ogasawara Archeda, Inc. Senior Manager David Bell, Executive Director, USRA Jean Pierre Ometo, Principal Researcher, INPE Stuart Brockhurst DL, Assistant Vice President and Head of Green Futures, University of Exeter Yukimi Shimura, Senior Managing Director, Mitsubishi UFJ Bank
Background and Objectives
The role of Earth Observation (EO) will be demonstrated, and opportunities for co-creation of sustainable and viable solutions using AI will be discussed, with examples from the Amazon Rainforest for policy development and action.
Contents
At the beginning of the session, JICA explained the environmental challenges facing humanity and the importance of oxygen supply and carbon storage in the Amazon, introduced the value and potential of Earth Observation (EO) and past and future cooperation projects in Brazil, and stressed that collaboration among stakeholders is essential for solving global environmental problems.
In Session 1, each participant presented a case study on the application of forest policy and environmental assessment. Ms. Silvia of Peru’s Department of Climate Change explained that the country holds about one-third of the world’s peatlands and that land use change accounts for 43% of emissions, and that satellite technology and digitization are enhancing wide-area monitoring. Mr. Rodrigo of IBAMA, Brazil, reported that with the cooperation of JICA, it is now possible to detect deforestation with satellite images, and that they will promote forest restoration monitoring in the future; Mr. Ogasawara of Archeda introduced the use of satellite data with the AI platform “Insight” to promote wide-area monitoring and nature conservation. David from USRA emphasized the need for international collaboration to support cities by integrating multiple satellite data and using AI to analyze flood, fire, and land cover classifications.
Session 2 discussed the use of satellite data and AI to address climate change. Moderator Oda of USRA pointed out that satellite observations are important but not the only way and the need to integrate multiple observation methods. Mr. Stuart of the University of Exeter showed the progress of ocean observations and emphasized that emission reductions are the only way to protect marine resources; EO data shows that most ocean acidification is caused by anthropogenic emissions and that ocean heat waves are a serious risk leading to Antarctic greenhouse gas emissions, etc. He also mentioned the importance of EO applications in the Amazon. Mr. Shimura of MUFG Bank described the combination of satellite and AI as an effective solution, and while the bank is promoting investment and ecosystem building as a financial institution, he also mentioned the difficulty of business integration and the lack of understanding at the management level as issues to be addressed. David from USRA introduced user classification and an integrated decision support system based on a single AI-based model to promote the use of satellite data.
During the Q&A session, the use of PACE satellites for water quality monitoring and the use of AI and ecosystem analysis through the linkage of aircraft, drones, and satellites could open the way for visualization and evaluation of ecosystems.
Photo 1: Opening Remark by Director Ito
Photo 2: IBAMA President presenting project results
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