ENVIREF - Environmental monitoring of refugee camps using high resolution satellite images. Final Report

The aim of ENVIREF was to investigate the use of geographic information derived from high-resolution satellite imagery for achieving more efficient and cost-effective planning and management of refugee camps. The project has benefited from close co-operation with majorrelief-organisations, including International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Medecines sans Frontieres (MsF), Oxfam UK, Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA), and Food for the Hungry International (FHI). Focusing on actual needs for geographic information in humanitarian relief work developed products included high-quality space maps of refugee camps, and associated roads, water resources, forest and vegetation. Geographic information is in general a key factor in the decision-making procedures of humanitarian relief-operations. During humanitarian relief operations it is essential to rapidly collect as reliable and up-to-date information as possible for the region of interest. The use of satellite images to support management of refugee camps is an innovative approach. Except for the Mapping Unit at UNHCR, humanitarian relief organisations have little experience with this technology. Due to the lack of experience, personnel working in the field might have difficulties interpreting the images and utilise the detailed information. Thus it is not obvious in this community that the use of satellite imagery can be beneficial, both technically and economically. It has been our challenge to demonstrate that satellite imagery can be a valuable information source for fulfilling certain geographic information needs, especially when existing maps are out of date, unreliable or difficult to obtain.NERSC Technical Report no. 201. Funded by the European Union under contract no. ENV4-CT98-076