Meeting Objectives
The countries in Asia are rapidly developing, with significant advancements in their economies, infrastructure, and technology. This development is characterized by increasing urbanization, industrial growth, and improvements in living standards. As a result, these nations are experiencing profound changes in their social, economic, and environmental landscapes. In several Asian countries, there is immense pressure on land conversion—from forests to agricultural areas and from agricultural areas to residential and urban uses—resulting in significant impacts on ecosystem services. The increased Land Cover/Land Use Changes (LCLUC) in the region are affecting the atmosphere, forest resources, biodiversity, and regional climate, including biogeochemical and water cycles, water resources, and ecosystem services. This meeting aims to review the availability, potential, and limitations of various Earth observations and other data sources and methodologies for monitoring and studying LCLUC and its environmental impact. Presentations will focus on synergies among different approaches and provide recommendations on improving the use of Earth observations, ground data, and modeling techniques for better understanding land use sources and sinks.

The purpose of this international meeting is to provide a forum to discuss LCLUC and its impacts in Southeast Asia including the synthesizing of various research themes, projects, and activities in the region. The meeting will be organized around the following themes:

Mapping, monitoring, and Impacts assessment w.r.t. the following:
•    Land use in forests and mountain regions
•    Agriculture and water resources
•    Biomass burning, including land-atmosphere interactions, air quality and pollution
•    Urbanization
•    Land use in the coastal zone

Meeting Host
Philippines Space Agency (PhilSA)