THE PLANET ACTION INITIATIVE: 1st CALL FOR PROJECTS 2008
The Planet Action Initiative
Planet Action is a non profit collaborative initiative launched in June 2007 by Spot Image, a world leader in satellite imagery. Since then, ESRI has joined Planet Action as a co-founder and many other organisations have joined and support this initiative in particular UNESCO, CNES (French Space Agency) and NSPO (National Space Organisation Taiwan). Discussions with additional potential partners are on-going.
The Planet Action mission is to provide satellite imagery, geographic information and technology to support local projects acting on climate change related issues.
The Earth Observation and Geographic Information industry can effectively help address climate change issues thanks to:
- extensive Earth observation means and frequent revisit capacities;
- huge image archives (+20 million over 20 years for Spot Image) making it possible to demonstrate climate change impacts along various time series;
- wide experience in analysing and understanding Earth imagery;
- GIS software and extensive users’ networks;
- large networks of scientists, scholars, teachers and researchers.
The Planet Action initiative has two core purposes:
- build capacity to understand and act upon climate change environmental related issues and support projects from the civil society that are engaged in actions;
- educate public about climate change related issues, the benefits of earth observation imagery and GIS, and the role of local NGOs and scientists as they tackle these issues.
Eligibility and selection criteria
Planet Action supports projects involved at least in one of the following 5 domains:
- human dimensions & habitation;
- drought, desertification & water resources;
- vegetation, biodiversity & ecosystems;
- oceans;
- ice & snow cover.
To be eligible for support from Planet Action, projects must:
- assess climate change related issues and propose a course of action;
- deal with at least one of the 5 Planet Action focus areas;
- have a member who resides in the country where the project takes place (at least for the project duration);
- be proposed by a non-profit organisation such as a NGO, a public laboratory or a university (Business organisations do not qualify for direct support);
- confirm that the project has no commercial objective;
- confirm that the project has no religious or ideological content or objective.
The final selection process will consider a combination of additional criteria such as:
- the importance and usefulness of the project for local populations;
- a focus on building awareness, information, training or outreach programmes that will result from the project;.
- the solid methodologies supported by staff members or associated teams with an appropriate background for the work proposed;
Application
Organisations may apply for one or several projects.
In order to apply, organisations must use the online application form found on the Planet Action website (www.planet-action.org – link “propose a project”)
If several projects are proposed, one application form should be used for each project.
Applications may be submitted all year, but projects submitted in the course of the current Call For Projects will be considered in priority. The Call for Project will end June 30, 2008.
Selected projects
Selected projects will be notified via email. The project’s contents will be displayed on the Planet Action website.
The Planet Action team will contact the project manager to determine their needs and establish an action plan for images and communications.
Selected projects may be allocated in-kind support from the Planet Action partners. This support may include:
- free satellite images of various resolutions and coverage of their area of interest. These images may come from archived imagery and/or from acquisition to be programmed, according to the satellite task load and weather conditions over the area of interest at the requested time. A typical Planet Action project will require 1 to 5 satellite images whether from archives or new acquisitions (projects that require archived imagery will be favoured, but projects with new acquisition will also be considered depending on the acquisition resource availability). Spot Image has decided to donate 600 SPOT images for the selected Planet Action projects in 2008, equivalent to 2,2 Million km²;
- Through Planet Action, ESRI will provide access to its Conservation Grants program that provides GIS software, training and books.
Selected project teams shall commit before receiving the grants to:
- comply to the licenses attached to the products granted by Planet Action;
- provide relevant information at least every quarter about the project for publication on the Planet Action public web site (including field photos when available);
- provide a PowerPoint presentation, when selection is notified, describing the project, a final report and a PowerPoint presentation containing results, narrative examples, photos, and spatial data about the project to be uploaded in the Planet Action website;
- allow the Planet Action organization and partners to make use of authorized public contents for communication and outreach purposes;
- mention Planet Action sponsorship in project communication.
Planet Action will organise an annual awards ceremony to showcase the most significant Planet Action projects. The first event is planned for Spring 2009. Additional information will be available on the Planet Action website later this year.
Join us in fighting the climate crisis! Visit the Planet Action website (www.planet-action.org)!
The Planet Action team looks forward to receiving your project applications.
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