22 May 1989

12th plenary meeting

New techniques, including remote sensing, for identifying, exploring for and assessing natural resources

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 41/65 of 3 December 1986 on principles relating to remote sensing of the Earth from outer space,

Recalling its resolution 1987/9 of 26 May 1987,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on an information referral system on satellite remote-sensing data,

Considering that developing countries need to be apprised of the limitations and opportunities of commercial and non-commercial hardware and software systems for digital processing of remote-sensing data and of procedures for obtaining access to such systems,

Bearing in mind the important role of remote-sensing data in the process of identifying, exploring for and assessing natural resources,

Recognizing the need for developing countries to have access to the information obtained by remote sensing in order to optimize the utilization of their natural resources,

1. Takes note of the two options proposed in the report of the Secretary-General and requests the Secretary-General to submit an updated version of that report to the Committee on Natural Resources at its twelfth session;

2. Calls upon the developed countries to expand the sharing of their technical capacity on remote sensing with the developing countries;

3. Requests the Secretary-General to explore appropriate ways and means by which the developing countries can gain easier and increased access to remote-sensing systems in order to optimize the exploration and exploitation of their natural resources;

4. Calls upon the developed countries to contribute to the efforts of the Secretary-General aimed at identifying approaches and modalities that would facilitate the transfer of new and emerging technologies on remote sensing to the developing countries;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to intensify his efforts, within existing resources, in the dissemination of available remote-sensing software packages in both the commercial and the public sector for the exploration, exploitation, management and development of natural resources through application-oriented workshops, seminars and training courses, to be organized at the regional or the country level in developing countries;

6. Further requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Committee on Natural Resources at its twelfth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution.