Sneak Peek of Global Forest Watch 2.0: Transforming Transparency of Forest Management

Event Description

This event will discuss Global Forest Watch 2.0, a new forest monitoring system developed by WRI, Center for Global Development, Google, Imazon, and many other partners. The system that will unite technology, transparency, and human networks to mobilize faster, credible, more effective forest conservation and sustainable forest management. It combines a novel alert system, complementary satellite data and systems, a treasure trove of WRI and partner maps, mobile technology, and a networked world to create never-before-possible transparency.

Global Forest Watch 2.0 will be simple to use (no training required), free for all users, and data will be shareable. It will connect many local partners, with seamless access to their analysis, and include automated near-real-time alert maps showing the location of new clearing every 16 days. Boundaries of parks, indigenous territories, as well as logging, mining, and agro-industry concessions, and forest carbon maps will be included. It is designed to help governments better enforce forest protection laws, to help NGOs identify forest clearing quickly, and to enable companies to demonstrate their supply chains are “deforestation free”, among other things.

Speaker Biographies

Dr. Nigel Sizer

Nigel Sizer is the Director of the Global Forest Initiative at the World Resources Institute (WRI). Previously he served as Vice-President for Asia of RARE, a conservation and community development NGO. In 2008, he served as lead advisor on climate change and energy issues in Asia to former President Bill Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative. Sizer has also worked with UNEP in Nairobi, established The Nature Conservancy’s Asia-Pacific Forest Program, and worked for WRI from 1992 to 2001, when he was instrumental in building WRI’s forest programs and initiatives. He holds Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees in natural sciences and tropical forest ecology from King’s College and the University of Cambridge. He has served on numerous boards, including the boards of The Rainforest Foundation, the Amazon Alliance, the Global Forest Foundation, and the Andean Center for Sustainable Development. He also founded and co-chaired The Forests Dialogue, and helped establish and lead the Asia Forest Partnership.

Dr. Carlos Souza Jr.

Carlos Souza Jr. is a senior Researcher with IMAZON, based in Belem, Brazil. He leads IMAZON’s forest monitoring program. He has a Masters in Soil Sciences with emphasis in Remote Sensing (Pennsylvania State University, EUA) and a Ph.D. in Geography (California University, Santa Barbara, EUA).

Dr. Charles V. Barber

Charles Barber is Forest Division Chief in the Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science, U.S. Department of State, where he leads and coordinates U.S. multilateral and bilateral relations concerning forest policy. At Rio+20, he is leading negotiations on natural resources, ecosystems and biodiversity issues for the U.S. delegation. From 2005 to 2009, he served as focal point for multilateral environmental treaties and institutions at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). From 2002 to 2004, Dr. Barber served as an independent consultant to a variety of multilateral institutions and NGOs. From 1989 to 2001, he was a Senior Research Associate with the World Resources Institute, working on forest, coral reef, protected areas and biodiversity publications and policy advocacy. Dr. Barber has traveled and worked throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including living 11 years in Indonesia and the Philippines. He received his Ph.D. in Jurisprudence and Social Policy, J.D. and M.A. in Asian Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.