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Energy is recognized as a key enabler for sustainable development, and the transition toward clean and sustainable sources of energy is regarded as one of the greatest challenges in the upcoming decades. Space technology such as Earth observation and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) offer insights into locations of renewable energy infrastructure, forecast environmental impacts of energy use, and support timing and synchronization of energy fields, playing a critical role in developing solutions for universal access to energy, improvements in energy efficiency, and increased share of renewable energy.

Objectives

• Examples of projects aimed at increasing capacity for the utilization of Earth Observation data among utility providers and support of renewable energy powered electricity grids
• Demonstrate the role of space technology as an effective observation-based renewable energy policy planning tool for monitoring global energy needs 
• Highlight potential technical barriers that limit the operational use of Earth observations by decision makers
• Examples of collaboration and coordination between agencies and organizations working on SDG 7

Panelists

• Dr Shonali Pachauri  is a Senior Research Scholar with the Energy (ENE) Program and Acting Program Director of the Transitions to New Technologies (TNT) Program at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria. She has served as Adjunct Professor at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, teaching graduate courses in Fall 2016. She serves on the Science Advisory Panel of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and on the Advisory Group of the International Network on Gender & Energy (ENERGIA). Dr. Pachauri researches the role of technological, institutional and social innovations for inclusive human development, particularly for populations without access to basic infrastructures and services. Her work explores policy pathways for achieving universal access to basic services and technologies and assessing the wider impacts of this for sustainable development. She has published extensively on these topics, both in the form of scientific peer-reviewed articles and policy reports.
• Dr Susmita Dasgupta is a Lead Environmental Economist in the Development Economics Research Group of the World Bank with a specialization in empirical research. Her research focus is on environmental management in developing countries. Dr. Dasgupta has done extensive analysis on health hazards of pollution, poverty/environment nexus, setting priorities in pollution control, deforestation, biodiversity loss, impacts of climate change on coastal zones and climate extremes, adaptation to climate change, cost effective regulations, monitoring and enforcement of regulations. She has conducted research activities in Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Cuba, India, Iran, Lao PDR, Madagascar, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Vietnam and Yemen, and has published numerous articles on issues related to development and environment.
• Ms. Natasha Sadoff is a Principal Research Scientist at Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, Ohio. She leads a portfolio of programs supporting or improving environmental management, governance, or sustainable development on a national and international scale through the implementation of stakeholder needs assessments, user engagement, training and outreach, and capacity building or development. She brings an interdisciplinary, need-driven approach to a diverse range of topics such as energy management, climate change adaptation and resilience, and air quality. In striving to improve relationships and connections between scientists and decision-makers, Ms. Sadoff also convenes multi-directional stakeholder engagement activities such as advisory groups, information-sharing programs, and communities of practice. She works with US government clients and partners such as NASA, the US Environmental Protection Agency, US Department of State, and the US Agency for International Development.
• Dr. Minoo Rathnasabapathy is a Research Engineer within the Space Enabled Research Group at the MIT Media Lab. In this role, she helps coordinate projects in collaboration with international development organizations, national governments and entrepreneurial companies to apply space technology in support of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Previously, Dr. Rathnasabapathy served as the Executive Director of the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), a global non-governmental organization which acts in support of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications, based in Vienna, Austria. Dr. Rathnasabapathy was responsible for leading the operations, business development, strategy, and policy output for SGAC. Dr. Rathnasabapathy earned her PhD in Aerospace Engineering from RMIT University, researching the impact dynamics of novel materials used in aerospace structures. Dr. Rathnasabapathy serves as a Vice President of the Bureau of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), and is a member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Space Technology.