This session aims to explore new challenges and opportunities from the use of Digital Earth technologies taking into account the changes that have taken place in the last 20 years and in the same way the future prospects until 2030. What’s changed? What’s new? What’s going to happen?
The term Digital Earth was issued by U.S. Senator Al Gore in his 1992 book Earth in Balance to describe a future technology that would allow anyone to access digital information about the state of the Earth through a single portal. The concept was fleshed out in a speech written for the opening of the California Science Center in early 1998.
Since then, many things have happened both in terms of technological development and in terms of social impact and citizen involvement. The digital transformation of our societies is inevitably influencing what was the original vision of Digital Earth and opens up new opportunities and challenges.
The interdisciplinary nature of Digital Earth, the pervasiveness and speed of digital transformation require new, more appropriate approaches to fully exploit the potential of Digital Earth technologies and in the meantime respect and protect human rights.
