- Introduction
- The basic eligibility criteria
- Project submission
- Application form
- Application feedback
- Description of the methodological component of the project
- Description of the action component of the project
- Examples of Planet Action Climate Change Domains
Introduction
We are happy to support any project that plans to address a specific local issue about climate change, whether it originates from a NGO, local governmental organization, association, university, public laboratory or agency, or individuals.
When a project is registered with Planet Action, it receives in-kind support (a grant) from the Planet Action partners & contributors, according to the project needs and to the Planet Action resources in the year when the project is submitted. As for satellite images, project teams currently can request SPOT images and FORMOSAT-2 images.
Please review carefully the eligibility criteria below, before submitting a project.
The basic eligibility criteria
To be eligible, the project you propose must meet all of the following basic criteria:
- Assess climate change related issues AND propose a course of action;
- Deal with one of the 5 Planet Action focus areas:
· Human dimensions & habitations
· Drought, desertification & water resources
· Vegetation, biodiversity & ecosystems
· Oceans
· Ice & snow cover ;
- Be supported by a university, private or public lab that assess scientific interest;
- Have its objectives & team validated by the Planet Action committee;
- Have a local partner in the country where the project takes place.
The project includes specific public education, awareness or communication activities. It provides project report and materials at least twice a year.
Finally, it has no commercial purpose and no religious or ideological content or purpose.
Eligibility is determined case-by-case for each project you submit.
Project submission
You may submit more than one project but you must complete a separate project proposal for each submission.
Projects may be submitted by any non-profit groups, public or private universities or institutions, governmental or non governmental bodies, associations or individuals. Projects proposed by private corporations and commercial businesses are not eligible while they may be supported by such organizations.
Applications are usually replied within four weeks but be patient as it may sometimes take a little while longer. Would your project not be found eligible for Planet Action support after application, you will be advised by e-mail of the reason why. You may resubmit your project at any time, after correcting the defective criteria.
Application form
The only way to submit a project proposal is to fill an application form. The form is made out of 5 tabs that need to be completed before submitting a project. After completing each tab you will have the option of saving and exiting the form to edit it later, or you can click on the next tab and continue filling out the application. Please note, once you have submitted the application you won’t be able to edit it later.
We strongly advise you to provide as many details as possible of your needs:
- If the project needs archived satellite imagery, it is strongly advised to visit the online Spot Image catalogue (Sirius) before completing the application form, in order to verify the existing archive imagery on the area of interest.
- If the project requires new satellite imagery (i.e. images to be acquired in the future), please describe your needs.
- If the project needs GIS piece of software, you are advised to visit the ESRI website (www.esri.com ).
In addition, you can upload a photo that can represent your work on the field. This will help the Planet Action team to understand and communicate on the project.
The application form link can be found on the page “Propose a project” on the top right corners underneath the map.
Application feedback
When a project is accepted for support, you will be advised by e-mail. Details on the practicalities of the support will be dealt with at this stage (e.g. when and how images another supports will be provided).
It may occur that your project cannot be accepted for support from Planet Action. In this occurrence, you will be advised of the reason why and you may always resubmit your project in the same year or later.
Projects that are accepted for support from Planet Action show as “opened” on the Planet Action web site.
Description of the methodological component of the project
Explain the various organizations you will be working with (whether university, laboratory, NGO, local association, etc.).
Describe the planned methodologies and explain how more advanced geographic information and tools will improve the expected results for the proposed project. You will specifically describe how you may currently use scientific resources, support or information in your work and how that will apply in your proposed project. Proposals that specifically include the scientific collection and sharing of field observations, whether natural or social, as well as sharing the results and findings are especially favoured.
Your project proposal should also indicate the deliverables and results you plan to achieve.
Description of the action component of the project
As its name implies, Planet Action is about action more than just research and study on climate change related issues. It is about doing something about them. Because the crisis is so widespread and fast upon us, actions will be encouraged in every way and at every level. As an example, all Planet Action staff, donors and advisors pledge to reduce their personal carbon footprint in any way possible, ranging from offsetting their carbon impact, choosing alternative transportation, walking and biking where possible, to moving towards alternative energy and green building at their homes and workplaces. At Planet Action, we "walk our talk".
In your project proposal, simply outlining how your project will use GIS and Imagery to gain a better understanding of an issue will not be enough. You will need to provide an action plan for how you also intend to use these findings, your abilities, your organization, and the powerful communications capabilities that GIS and Imagery provide, to help and do something about the issue. You will have to list specific actions you propose (or better, undertake) in response to the problems you study, and describe how our technology grants will enable better and/or more efficient actions. Your proposal should ideally include a description of current conditions, how you will discover or produce new knowledge needed, what actions are most likely to be possible and effective, and what is likely to happen if no action takes place.
Examples of Planet Action Climate Change Domains
Vegetation, biodiversity & ecosystems
This domain includes all aspects of climate change as they affect biodiversity, from local plant and animal communities on up to entire ecosystems, or the impact of human activities which increase the climate change issue. You will need to describe how your project addresses the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystems in your project area, what the existing science says about the problem, what if any new science you may provide and what activities your project will do as a result to mitigate those impacts. Some possible examples are:
- Assessing the increased spread of plant diseases due to climate change and adopting changes in vegetation management needed to mitigate those impacts.
- Mapping the impact of changes in the timing of seasons upon natural communities and developing and promulgating new management strategies to allow wildlife to adjust.
- Mapping extent and timing of migration patterns in relation to shifting habitat zones, water sources and seasonal timing and implementing mitigation strategies to ensure survival of migrating species.
- Examining wildlife movement required to allow survival in shifting habitat zones in relation to surrounding settlement areas hostile to wildlife movement, then developing the policy changes or landscape structures needed to help wildlife migrate through settled areas
- Assembling fire cycle patterns in the human-wildland interface and how they are affected by climate change and forest loss and implementing new wildland fire management practices to retain or restore natural forest cycles..
- Studying the impact of floods or other disturbance regimes that natural communities depend upon for regeneration as they become more or less frequent due to climate change and creating artificial management practices that restore disturbance contributions.
- Mapping the extent and management of protected areas in relation to shifting range limits of plants and animals and the surrounding wild or human communities and adopting activities to revise surrounding land use or alter area management.
- Identifying and mapping endemic species in restricted local areas with little ability to move in response to shifting climate zones and initiating activities to ensure their survival or relocation.
Oceans
- Examining the sensitivity of Coral Reefs to climate change and the impacts upon the natural and human communities who may depend upon them and developing reef restoration plans.
- Mapping the shift in fish stocks along coastal regions and their impacts on natural communities and local fishing industries, and mitigation activities to alter local fishing practices.
Ice & snow cover
- Impacts on native wildlife of changes in the timing of sea ice cover and mitigation activities to assist their survival
- Mapping impacts on local watersheds and wildlife as glaciers retreat and water storage in snow packs is reduced or eliminated from mountain ecosystems and developing watershed management activities to mitigate those impacts.
Drought, desertification & water resources
- Clean water problems as natural water sources dry up from climate change and refinement or assistance to appropriate water purification or conservation projects at the village level in response.
- Mapping areas of newly-expanding desert and its impacts on agricultural or pastoral communities, with appropriate spatial technology support to programs or agencies active in supporting indigenous or nomadic pastoralists.
Human dimensions & habitations
- Mapping potential natural disasters related to climate change such as flood or storm and supporting local communities with mitigation activities and/or preparedness planning.
- Studying and mapping coastal wetlands and mangrove communities in relation to storm activity, sea level rise and local communities and supporting coastal habitat restoration or preservation efforts by local NGOs
- Examining international aid programs and policies in relation to long term community sustainability in the face of climate change and the specific activities that must be funded and adopting new program policies as a result.
- Assessing and mapping the differential impacts of climate change effects upon women and/or indigenous peoples and providing spatial support to women's rights NGO's to address these.
- Mapping smallholder farming plots and developing and teaching more efficient practices to reduce slash/burn agriculture.
- Mapping urban sprawl in relation to the ecosystem services provided by disappearing surrounding ecosystems and watersheds and providing mapping support to new legislation for greenbelts or tax incentives related to ecosystem service valuations.
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