In 1992, world leaders adopted Agenda 21, the work program of the 1992 U.N. Conference on Environment and Development. This landmark event provided a political foundation and action items to facilitate the global transition toward sustainable development. The international community marked the tenth anniversary of this conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, in August 2002. Down to Earth, a component of the U.S. State Department's "Geographic Information for Sustainable Development" project for the World Summit, focuses on sub-Saharan Africa with examples drawn from case-study regions where the U.S. Agency for International Development and other agencies have broad experience. Although African countries are the geographic focus of the study, the report has broader applicability. Down to Earth summarizes the importance and applicability of geographic data for sustainable development and draws on experiences in African countries to examine how future sources and applications of geographic data could provide reliable support to decision-makers as they work towards sustainable development. The committee emphasizes the potential of new technologies, such as satellite remote-sensing systems and geographic information systems, that have revolutionized data collection and analysis over the last decade.


Table of Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
1 Introduction
2 Agenda 21 Implementation: Progress, Challenges, and the Role of Geographic Information
3 Geographic Information Activities in Africa
4 Facilitating the Use of Geographic Data: Spatial Data and Telecommunications Infrastructures
5 Geographic Data for Sustainable Development I: Framework Data
6 Geographic Data for Sustainable Development II: Other Thematic Data
7 GIS-Based Decision Support Systems in Africa
8 Building Capacity to Apply Geographic Information to Sustainable Development in Africa
9 Lessons Learned and Recommendations
Appendix A: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members
Appendix B: Oral and Written Contributors
Appendix C: FGDC Statement
Appendix D: Acronyms
Appendix E: Glossary