Deadline Extended for the Group on Earth Observations Sustainable Development Goals (GEO SDG) Awards 2020

Blog / July 1, 2020

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The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a universal set of priorities to use as a blueprint of action for people, the planet, and prosperity. Earth observations, geospatial data, and the information they provide play insightful roles in monitoring targets, tracking progress, as well as helping nations and stakeholders make informed decisions toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Group on Earth Observations Sustainable Development Goals (GEO SDG) Awards 2020 recognizes the productivity, innovation, novelty, and exemplary efforts in the use of Earth observations to support sustainable development. Launched last year, this annual award is presented to those making an impact on the 17 global goals put forth by the United Nations, as indicated by progress toward achieving a SDG Target and/or producing, or reporting on, a SDG Indicator.

Call for Nominations for the GEO SDG Awards

All GEO Members and all organizations within a specific sectoral category are eligible to nominate themselves or others for the GEO SDG Awards. The call for nominations is open now until July 17, 2020.

We welcome nominations from: GEO Member Countries, GEO Participating Organizations, SDG custodian agencies, GEO Work Programme elements, academic institutions, and a newly added category, GEO Associates, which encompass commercial, non-governmental, not-for-profit, and civil society organizations.

There will be Sectoral and Special Awards presented in several categories. Sectoral Awards will focus on the type of organization and the nature of their work. Special categories recognize specific key tenets and objectives the Awards are intended to highlight. Nominees will identify one Sectoral category for their nomination, and they will be considered according to one Sectoral category. All nominees will also be considered (as an entire group) for all Special categories.

View all the photos from GEO Week 2019 Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner in Australia here.

Evaluation and Selection

The EO4SDG Initiative Team, in consultation with the GEO Secretariat, will identify a diverse set of representatives to serve on the Evaluation Panel including subject matter experts, SDG specialists, Earth observations and geospatial experts. The Evaluation Panel will review the nominations and select Finalists for each of the Sectoral Categories and Finalists for each of the Special Categories. Subsequently, the Evaluation Panel will select 0-2 Finalists from each Sectoral category and 0-3 from each Special Category to receive an award.

Selection Criteria

Sectoral Category:

Sectoral Awards focus on the type of organization and nature of the work. Sectoral categories include GEO Member Countries, GEO Participating Organizations, SDG Custodian Agencies, GEO Work Programme Elements, academic institutions, and GEO Associates, encompassing commercial, non-governmental, not-for-profit, and civil society organizations. Nominees will identify one Sectoral category for their nomination, and they will be considered according to one Sectoral category.

The following are the criteria used to evaluate the nominations for the Sectoral Categories:

• Merit: Quality, effectiveness, and soundness of the Earth observation-based endeavor
• Relevance: Aligns with objectives of SDGs and GEO’s vision and strategic objectives
• Innovation: Creative and innovative use of Earth observations
• Achievement: Clear results and distinct accomplishments (i.e., not a work-in-progress or expectations of future results)
• Impact: Value and level of positive social, economic, and/or environmental benefits
• Exemplariness: A commendable example and strong representation of the use of Earth observations for the SDGs that is worth showcasing; an endeavor which might motivate others

Special Category:

Special categories recognize key tenets and objectives the Awards are intended to highlight. All nominees will be considered (as an entire group) for all Special categories.

Special Categories include: (1) Innovation, (2) Testimonial/ Story, (3) Statistical-Geospatial Integration, and (4) Collaboration. The following are the criteria used to evaluate the nominations for these categories:

Innovation

• Exceptional ingenuity and originality in the use of Earth observations to drive progress on, and help track and monitor one or more SDG targets and indicators
• Soundness of the technique and demonstrated potential for scalability and replicability

Testimonial/Story

• An inspirational story that clearly and accurately describes the impact of Earth observations and is delivered in a manner that is authentic, creative, and original
• Specificity and clarity regarding the connection between Earth observation uses and SDG target(s)/ indicator(s)

Statistical-Geospatial Integration

• Soundness of the technique and demonstrated potential for scalability and replicability
• Specificity and clarity regarding the connection between Earth observation uses and SDG target(s)/ indicator(s)

Collaboration

• Effective and impactful engagement among two or more sectoral categories through sharing of ideas, resources, expertise, Earth observation data, methods, and tools in support of SDG target(s) / indicator(s)
• Potential for scalability and replicability

Submit your Nomination

The Earth Observations for Sustainable Development Goals (EO4SDG) Initiative invites you to submit nominations for consideration. Download and complete the Nominations Form here.

Email completed Nomination Forms to: awards@eo4sdg.org

Additionally, you can refer to the Suggestions for Nominators document for considerations in

developing a nomination, or the Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.

Please direct additional questions on this page to awards@eo4sdg.org.

Key Dates

The awards take place once per year, with nominations opening this year on May 22, 2020. Below are some key dates.

• Nominations Open: May 28, 2020
• Nominations Close: July 17, 2020
• Notifications Sent to Nominees: September 2020

Award Announcement: November 5-6, 2020 [during GEO Week 2020]