UN World Geospatial Information Congress (UNWGIC)

Context

The PM has inaugurated the second United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress (UNWGIC) in Hyderabad.

The geospatial technology has been driving inclusion and progress in national development projects like SVAMITVA, PM Gati Shakti master plan, JAM Trinity, etc.

The first United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress was held in Deqing, Zhejiang Province, China in 2018.
The United Nation Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) organizes the UNWGIC every four years.
It is hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Government of India.
The objectives are enhancing international collaboration among the Member States and relevant stakeholders in Geospatial information management and capacities.

The theme of UNWGIC 2022 is ‘Geo-Enabling the Global Village: No one should be left behind’.

The move aims to provide high-quality and trustworthy geospatial data to support global and national policy agendas.
It also stresses international cooperation and coordination in the development of human data linked to geography.
It promotes societal development and well-being, addresses environmental and climate challenges, and embraces digital transformation and technological advancement.

Geospatial technology can be used to create intelligent maps and models which help to collect geographically referenced data.
Decisions based on the value and importance of resources, most of which are limited, can become easy through geospatial technology.
Intelligent maps and models can be created using geospatial technology.
It can be used to reveal spatial patterns hidden in large amounts of data that are complex to access collectively through mapping.