Inclusive Design of Earth Observation Decision Support Systems (DSS) for Environmental Governance

Managing human-environmental systems can be complex in nature due to competing interests from multiple stakeholders. Effective management of these complex human-environmental systems requires information relevant to the social, economic, and environmental conflicts that can arise in these systems. Earth Observation (EO) data can enhance understanding of this type of information. This information can then be used to inform Decision Support Systems (DSS) for environmental governance and advance sustainable development. However, EO data is not always incorporated into the workflow for decision-makers for a multitude of reasons including awareness, accessibility and collaboration models.

The Space Enabled Research Group (MIT Media Lab) aims to address these challenges to incorporating EO data in DSS by collaborating with local leaders in a way that produces scientific results in response to locally defined priorities, while honoring and respecting local knowledge. For example, the author has worked on a multi-year project to apply EO data to an environmental governance challenge in collaboration with the enterprise Green Keeper Africa (GKA), based in Benin. GKA addresses the management of an invasive plant species that threatens economic activities on Lake Nokoué. The presentation will highlight findings from this project on how to define principles for building non-exploitative, reciprocal relationships between multiple organizations. Examples of principles relate to presentations, fundraising and data collection. The research also discusses how to examine existing design methods in order to identify an inclusive process for project implementation that aligns with defined collaboration principles.

Due to climate change and population pressure, many regions are facing similar environmental governance challenges as Lake Nokoué. This presentation will also highlight several examples from the Space Enabled portfolio in Brazil, Chile, Ghana, India and Indonesia where we are similarly working with local leaders to build DSS in a way that empowers historically marginalized groups in the face of environmental harm.