GEOSummit 2024: Make better decisions with geodata!
May 15, 2024, by Reik Leiterer, data innovation alliance
On May 15th, the GEOSummit conference took place in Olten as the key event in the geo community. The following is a nice wrap-up from the perspective of the program committee and the GEOSummit office.
We live in a time of complex global challenges. This requires a coordinated and data-based approach. The use of geospatial data to improve decision-making processes has gained significant importance in recent years to identify spatial relationships and patterns. From businesses to government agencies and non-profit organizations, more and more stakeholders are relying on geospatial data to make informed decisions. This includes optimizing public infrastructure, assessing environmental impacts and planning emergency response.
And the relevance of thematic was impressively demonstrated by the interest in this conference: the GEOSummit 2024 was fully booked weeks before the registration deadline – and it became clear that early registration had paid off, as visitors rated the congress and trade fair as very good in the final survey.
The keynote speech by the former NASA research director Thomas Zurbuchen was particularly inspiring. He used specific examples to show how important Earth sciences are and that around 3 billion of NASA’s 8 billion budget was used for Earth observation. In his opinion, the major challenges facing our society can only be solved with sufficient data. For example, up-to-date and precise measurement data is essential for the training and validation of climate models. In the panel discussion with Pol Budmiger, Head of the GEOSummit program committee, he spoke about innovation, talent development and entrepreneurship in his inspiring way, alongside impressive space missions. Making a difference requires not only ideas but also courage, perseverance, tenacity and, in some cases, luck.
With a total of 12 lecture blocks, the event offered a comprehensive look at the diverse opportunities and challenges of integrating geodata into decision-making processes. Current developments in geodata processing and analysis were also discussed, including the role of the latest technologies in the field of satellite data, real-time data and artificial intelligence. Many GIS trends (http://gistrends.ch) were explained using specific examples. These innovations enable a more comprehensive and timely analysis of geodata, which forms the basis for effective decision-making. Artificial intelligence and the processing of rapidly growing volumes of geodata, pose challenges for our industry. But we can only create added value if we deal with these issues at an early stage, educate ourselves in these topics and have the courage to try out new things. If we close our minds to these changes or delay them, we run the risk of being left behind. According to Zurbuchen, we need to combine the strengths of the public and private sectors and make use of the knowledge of new talent, as Switzerland has one of the best education systems in the world. Despite the many benefits of geospatial data, there are also challenges to overcome, including data protection issues and ethical considerations. A balanced and responsible use of geodata in decision-making processes is crucial.
Overall, the participants were inspired by the GEOSummit and would like to see more information and exchange inter alia on the following topics at future webinars and for a GEOSummit 2026:
- Open Data, OSM, OGD – Mobile Mapping
- BIM – Data Literacy
- Kubernetes – Mobility
At the closing event, Pol Budmiger called on the congress participants to get involved in professional associations, educational and training institutions and the GEOSummit as a showcase and communication platform for the geospatial sector: If you want to help shape things, you can make a big difference! If you would like to join forces with colleagues to promote the geospatial industry, please contact info@geosummit.ch.
More than 300 visitors enjoyed networking in the exhibition zone and for many, the closing beer lasted longer than the two hours planned. For sure, many ideas emerged from the discussions which, with a little courage, will lead to real innovations for the geo industries. And may be with this, you could say in future with full conviction: “Better decisions with geodata!”
