John S. Latham is a Visiting Professor at the University of Southampton and President of the International Symposium for Remote Sensing of the Environment (ISRSE). With 28 years at the UN FAO, he led programs in environmental monitoring, geospatial data, and sustainable development, including oversight of SDG indicators on hunger, climate action, and life on land. Latham’s expertise spans agroecology, nature-based solutions, and global land cover standards development. In my former role with UN FAO, as Head of Environmental Programs and Geospatial Data Infrastructure, I had the privilege of collaborating closely with GCC nations to build their capacities for monitoring and reporting on critical SDG indicators, especially for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). I look forward to further supporting these objectives by sharing insights on how Earth Observation (EO) can drive sustainable development and address environmental challenges across the region.
