Earth Observations for Environmental Sustainability for the Next Decade

This monograph "Earth Observations for Environmental Sustainability for the Next Decade" is a collection of original viewpoints and knowledge advancements regarding the use of Earth observations to address a number of urgent issues of great concern for humanity and covers such topics as land use/land cover (LULC) classification, debris flow assessment, precipitation estimates, drought assessment, hyperspectral image classification, Kuroshio-induced wakes, sea water primary production, weather system (tropical cyclone) interaction, habitat suitability, and biodiversity conservation. Evidence of the rapid degradation of the Earth's natural environment has gained strength in recent years. Sustaining our planet has become the greatest concern faced by humanity. In the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Earth observations are identified as major contributors to nine of these: 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), 12 (Sustainable Consumption and Production), 13 (Climate Action), 14 (Life Below Water), and 15 (Life on Land). Achieving the SDGs by turning knowledge into action is the critical challenge facing scientists and other subject matter experts throughout the world.