Geodesy and geomatics in the support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The achievement of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) and related targets is monitored through a set of indicators at the global, regional and national level. Indicators are classified into three levels based on the methodology and availability of data for their calculation. A large number of indicators supporting individual goals and targets are based on geospatial data. Geospatial technologies significantly contribute to the fulfilment of many SDGs. Together with digital technologies, they have a big potential for accelerating human progress, bridging the digital divide, developing knowledge societies and serve as a support structure for all goals and more importantly in measuring, monitoring and reporting progress so far. The development of platforms for remote sensing such as unmanned aerial vehicles and satellites, together with measuring sensors and technologies through cloud computing and artificial intelligence, additionally help in achieving progress towards the achievement of goals. This is evident especially in the fields of energy, agriculture, health, climate change, etc. This paper aims to present the role of geodesy and geomatics in the achievement and monitoring of SDGs through the measuring, processing and use of geospatial data.