Google and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently unveiled a new digital tool that will allow countries to track land use change and calculate emissions reductions from avoiding deforestation more accurately.
The tool known as Collect Earth was presented at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 22) in Marrakesh, Morocco. Collect Earth is the result of a partnership between Google and FAO, and will provide access to large collections of free, high-resolution satellite imagery and cloud computing services.
The tool, which offers countries an accessible yet technically advanced way to track land use change, account for carbon, and develop forest and land use policies, is one of a dozen new initiatives to promote the protection and sustainable management of forests launched at COP 22 as part of the UN’s Forest Action Day, a part of the Global Climate Action Agenda.
Source: http://www.eco-business.com/news/collect-earth-google-and-fao-launch-new-forest-tool/