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IN the recent announcement of the Budget 2025 , the Malaysian government unveiled a substantial enhancement to the i-Saraan programme.

This improvement entails increasing incentives from 15% to 20%, with a maximum annual contribution of RM500.

The primary objective of this initiative is to promote retirement savings among informal workers and individuals with variable incomes, particularly those engaged in the gig economy.

This strategic move is particularly significant in light of Malaysia’s rapidly ageing society and the financial challenges confronting self-employed and gig economy workers.

The gig economy in Malaysia has witnessed significant expansion over the past decade, attracting a substantial portion of the workforce, including young adults and individuals seeking alternative employment arrangements.

While offering flexibility and independence, this sector presents several challenges, particularly regarding financial security and retirement planning.

Gig workers often lack the benefits and protections associated with traditional employment, such as employer-sponsored retirement plans, health insurance and job security, leading to financial instability and hindered ability to save consistently for the future. Recent data underscores the limited participation of gig workers in Malaysia’s Social Security Organisation (Socso), highlighting the neeed for tailored solutions to support this growing segment of the workforce.

As Malaysia’s population ages, the importance of accumulating sufficient retirement savings cannot be overstated. The anticipated rise in healthcare and long-term care costs underscores the essential need for individuals to possess adequate funds to support themselves during their later years.

Many gig workers may struggle to afford necessities and healthcare in old age without proper savings. The i-Saraan programme, administered by the Employees Provident Fund, aims to address this issue by providing a platform for informal workers to save for retirement. The programme offers a government incentive to match a percentage of the contributions made by participants, thereby encouraging more people to save.

The recent increase in incentives for the i-Saraan programme represents a strategic effort to stimulate participation and savings among gig workers. By raising the matching contribution from 15% to 20%, the government aims to enhance the attractiveness and benefits of the programme.

This enhancement implies that for every RM100 contributed by a participant, the government will add RM20, up to a maximum of RM500 annually.

This increase in incentives is expected to yield several positive impacts: higher incentives are likely to attract more gig workers to join the programme, increased participation will assist more individuals in building a financial cushion for their retirement, and more significant savings will encourage participants to contribute more regularly and consistently.

By accumulating more savings, gig workers can attain heightened financial security in their retirement years, reducing their reliance on government assistance and family support.

Malaysia’s ageing population significantly challenges the country’s social and economic systems. With the anticipated increase in the proportion of elderly citizens, there will be heightened demand for healthcare services, long-term care and social support.

Ensuring that all workforce segments, including gig workers, are financially prepared for retirement is imperative.

The i-Saraan programme, with its enhanced incentives, plays a pivotal role in this context. By encouraging gig workers to save for retirement, it will help alleviate some of the pressures associated with an ageing society. This will promote a culture of financial responsibility and long-term planning among informal workers.

While enhancing the i-Saraan programme represents a positive step, additional measures can be taken to support gig workers further.

Enhancing awareness about the i-Saraan programme and its benefits is crucial, as many gig workers may not know how to participate. Targeted campaigns can help bridge this knowledge gap.

Simplifying the process of enrolling in the i-Saraan programme and making contributions will encourage more gig workers to participate.

In addition to the matching contributions, other incentives such as tax breaks or additional government grants can further motivate gig workers to save.

Developing a broader social protection framework encompassing health insurance, unemployment benefits and other safety nets for gig workers will provide a more holistic approach to their financial security.

The increase in incentives represents a commendable initiative addressing the unique challenges that gig workers face in Malaysia.

By enhancing the i-Saraan programme, the government is taking a proactive stance in supporting the financial well-being of gig workers and addressing the broader societal implications of an ageing population.

The writer is a research fellow at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, Universiti Malaya. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

DONALD Trump’s victory in the 2024 US presidential election has raised global concerns about how his economic policies may impact countries like Malaysia.

With an “America First” approach focused on protecting domestic interests, the Trump administration is expected to reshape international trade, shift investment flows and influence geopolitical relationships.

For Malaysia, this outcome presents not only challenges but also opportunities in key economic sectors, including trade, foreign investment and commodities.

Trump is anticipated to continue protectionist policies that prioritise US jobs and domestic production. His proposal to impose a 10% import tariff on all goods entering the US aims to reduce reliance on foreign products and bolster domestic manufacturing.

Additionally, Trump’s plan to impose tariffs as high as 60% on Chinese products could have significant implications for Malaysia, one of the major exporters of electronic products and components to the US. If high tariffs are applied to Chinese goods, Malaysian products incorporating Chinese components could also be impacted, potentially diminishing US demand for Malaysian exports.

While this situation presents risks, it also provides opportunities as companies diversify supply chains away from China. Malaysia benefitted from the “China+1” strategy during Trump’s first term, as exports to the US increased amid US-China trade tensions.

Malaysia’s semiconductor industry, a focus of large investments from multinational companies such as Intel and Infineon, may continue to attract interest as a stable manufacturing base.

Currently, Malaysia holds around 13% of the global market in chip packaging and testing, making it a favourable location for companies seeking to expand operations outside of China. These conditions indicate Malaysia’s potential to further establish itself as a manufacturing hub if it can maintain political stability and investor-friendly economic policies.

The energy sector is also likely to be affected. Trump’s pro-oil stance could lead to increased US production and exports of fossil fuels. Should global oil prices rise, Malaysia, as an oil exporter, stands to benefit from higher national revenue.

However, rising oil prices also carry inflationary risks, as increased energy costs could drive up production costs and consumer prices domestically. While the energy sector may gain, higher energy costs could pressure consumer purchasing power and escalate operational costs for local industries.

To maximise these potential gains, Malaysia will need to balance these impacts on the consumer sector and ensure monetary policies support price stability.

The Malaysian commodity sector, particularly palm oil, faces potential challenges as well. During Trump’s first term, the US imposed import restrictions on Malaysian palm oil companies such as FGV Holdings and Sime Darby Plantation over allegations of forced labour. These restrictions affected Malaysian palm oil exports to the US, reducing revenue and harming the country’s image as a responsible producer.

Should similar policies persist, Malaysia will need to strengthen sustainable labour practices and meet international standards to retain access to global markets and protect its reputation as an ethical producer.

Trump’s policies could bring added uncertainty to Malaysia’s capital markets and the ringgit’s value. With US interest rates currently at 4.75%-5.00%, any influence Trump may exert on the Federal Reserve to raise rates could lead global investors to favour US assets, potentially causing capital outflows from Malaysia.

In 2023, Malaysia saw a 6.8% decline in foreign equity inflows, and the ringgit depreciated by around 8% against the US dollar. This shift reduces liquidity in local capital markets, and foreign investors may approach Malaysian equities with greater caution, especially if Trump’s policies introduce additional tariffs or trade restrictions.

As demand for the US dollar rises, the ringgit may face continued downward pressure. A weaker ringgit could increase import costs, particularly in vital sectors like food and technology, compounding domestic inflationary pressures, which currently stand at 2.8%.

To address these challenges, Malaysia needs a strong risk management strategy to maintain market stability and support the ringgit amid growing uncertainties.

In addition, Trump’s protectionist stance may directly impact Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Malaysia. As a manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia, Malaysia could see reduced FDI if the US pursues an aggressive stance on countries with significant trade surpluses.

Trump’s emphasis on protecting US jobs and domestic economic interests may lead to decreased investment from US companies in Malaysia.

Concurrently, prolonged US-China trade tensions could make investors more cautious about Malaysia, which may be perceived as politically and economically vulnerable. Any decline in FDI could affect job creation, technology growth and Malaysia’s long-term economic stability.

Furthermore, Trump’s victory raises concerns about the future of the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (Ipef). Trump has previously expressed a desire to withdraw from trade agreements like Ipef, which he sees as “another TPP”. If this happens, Malaysia may face challenges in maintaining market access and regional economic integration.

To prepare, Malaysia must diversify its trade partnerships, strengthen local industries and foster growth in resilient sectors. Malaysia’s involvement in Ipef reflects its commitment to regional economic integration, which could help mitigate the negative effects of US protectionist policies.

In summary, Trump’s victory could have significant implications for Malaysia’s economy. Protectionist policies and prolonged trade tensions could disrupt global supply chains, increase market uncertainty and challenge Malaysia’s economic growth.

Malaysia must be prepared with sustainable and adaptable strategies to tackle these challenges while capitalising on emerging opportunities to maintain economic resilience amid an increasingly complex global landscape.

The writer is a researcher and Islamic Finance consultant.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

TOY manufacturer Mattel have removed thousands of its ‘Wicked’-branded dolls off the shelves after discovering a x-rated printing error on the packaging.

The dolls were made in collaboration with the movie adaptation of the award-winning musical ‘Wicked’, fashioned after the characters.

CNBC reported that the website link printed on the dolls’ packaging lead to a pornographic website instead of the ‘Wicked’ movie adaptation’s official website.

Quoting Mattel’s apology statement, the company stated it was “aware” of a misprint on the doll’s packaging, mainly sold in US, intended to direct consumers to the movie’s landing page.

ALSO READ: M’sian netizens mock local uni for spelling ‘exercise’ as ‘eksesais’ in congratulatory post

“We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this. Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not appropriate for children,” Mattel was quoted as saying.

The company also advised consumers who have already purchased the dolls with the misprint to throw away the packaging or “obsure”, as quoted, the website link.

Following the misprint revelation, several online retailers across the US have pulled the dolls off their shelves as of Monday (Nov 11).

However, it is unclear if the toy manufacturing company will release the dolls with the correct print details or provide stickers to cover the mistakenly printed link.

ALSO READ: ‘Rail My Life’: KTM’s free ride campaign poster leaves netizens amused at mistaken wording

Asia-Pacific will require 19,500 new aircraft by 2043, Airbus announced on Wednesday, November 13 at a regional aviation summit.

More than a dozen sectors of region will be included in development scheme

John McFall becoming the first person with a physical disability to be effectively cleared for future missions by ESA

Solar electricity generation exceeded wind generation in May by 1.65 terawatt hours (TWh), and in June by 9.57 TWh

Mission Polaris Dawn sees two private astronauts step into orbit, paving the way for future space missions to Mars

In this tutorial we will show you how to install Magento 2.x templates using a fullpackage.zip file to the server using the hosting control panel.

The post Magento 2.x. How to install theme using fullpackage appeared first on Template Monster Help.

This week: A Blue Angels Mustang, a new Magnum and a big hello to Augusta, Ga.

Plus: Cadillac Ciel Concept, weekend car events and more.

Over US missile deployment in Japan, Moscow and Beijing will jointly engage in 'double counteraction,' says Zakharova

Toy giant Mattel says it "deeply" regrets an error on the packaging of its "Wicked" movie-themed dolls, which mistakenly links toy buyers to a pornographic website.

The debate over the principles of sound chess play has been an enjoyable conversation that's been going on for centuries. A civilized and essential voice in the debate was Czech-German GM and author Ludek Pachman, born 100 years ago this year.

The finger wag. The enormous smile. The unmistakable voice. Dikembe Mutombo played defense at a level and with a flair that few others in basketball history ever possessed, all among the many reasons why he's immortalized in the Hall of Fame.

So the countdown continues on the presidential election, now just days away and looming large on the calendar. As is his habit, former president Donald Trump is on the road and eager to reach out to voters. He begins his journey at a voter rally in Traverse City, Michigan, on Friday followed by rallies in Novi, Michigan and State College, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.

The White House should not overlook the complex opportunities and challenge of space now and in the future, according to a new "Presidential Transition: Priority Topic Memo" released by Mitre, a nonprofit group established in 1958 and focused on national security, aerospace, artificial intelligence and more.

China's military forces are rapidly building up space warfare capabilities for use in a future conflict, two top American generals said on Wednesday.

China's military carried out a rare flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile that landed in the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday.

Activist investor Elliott Investment Management has taken a more than $5 billion stake in Honeywell International and is calling for the conglomerate to split into two separate companies.

Katie Boulter has overcome a series of mediocre results on the WTA Tour's Asian swing to advance to the Pan Pacific Open semifinals with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Bianca Andreescu on Friday.

U.S. forces in the Pacific are increasing multinational military exercises amid mounting fears among regional states over Chinese aggression, according to the admiral in charge of the Navy's largest fleet.

They have access to the collected astronomical data of the world’s most powerful space telescopes, and they’re stuck at home in quarantine.  Here’s what they’re doing:  Scientists Jenn Kotler, Clara Brasseur, and Scott Fleming have been using their time in isolation to design a radically new way of understanding the dynamics of the cosmos.  Inspired by a blind colleague halfway around the planet, Australian astrophysicist Garry Foran, they’re pioneering a new method to study the motion of the universe, through sound.

Curious to learn more about their work? Check out this link and this link

Verizon Fios internet went out for four hours early Tuesday along a swathe of the East Coast, with thousands of customers reporting issues online.

Three NASA astronauts whose prolonged space station mission ended with a trip to the hospital last month declined to say Friday which one of them was sick.

Three NASA astronauts whose prolonged space station mission ended with a trip to the hospital last month declined to say Friday which one of them was sick.

The "Environmental research: Experiences on best practices towards Horizon 2020" conference will be held the 30th of May 2013 in Brussels at the Museum of Natural Sciences.  Organizers of the event are the APRE (Agency for the Promotion of European Research), and the ENVIMPACT consortium.

The event will gather European Commission representatives,  researchers, FP7 project's participants, governmental, academic and industrial stakeholders of the Central East European countries with the aim of presenting the current and future tools and trends for dissemination and exploitation of R&D results with a special focus on the thematic areas of research in air pollution, chemical pollution and environmental technologies, especially in the Central-Eastern European (CEE) countries.

The agenda of the conference and the press release are downloadable at the link: http://download.apre.it/envimpact_presskit1.zip

The registration is free, please register at http://www.envimpact.eu/index.cfm?action=article&publication_id=922

ENVIMPACT project has been launched on 1st January 2011. This initiative is funded by the European Commission under FP7, DG Research and Innovation, with the objectives to improve the current communication  and dissemination of environmental research results deriving from Central-Eastern European (CEE) countries.

Research in Nature Climate Change uses data on 50,000 common plants and animals to predict worldwide range losses without urgent action to limit emissions

Climate change could dramatically reduce the geographic ranges of thousands of common plant and animal species during this century, according to research using data made freely available online through GBIF.
The information on the current location of common species of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians was taken from around 170 million individual data records published freely online through GBIF by some 200 different institutions around the world. The records include museum specimens, data from scientific expeditions and the observations of thousands of volunteer ‘citizen scientists’.
One of the co-authors of the study, Jeff Price of the University of East Anglia’s School of Environmental Sciences, United Kingdom, said: "Without free and open access to massive amounts of data such as those made available online through GBIF, no individual researcher is able to contact every country, every museum, every scientist holding the data and pull it all together. So this research would not be possible without GBIF and its global community of researchers and volunteers who make their data freely available."
The lead author of the study, Dr Rachel Warren, also from UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences and the Tyndall Centre, said: "While there has been much research on the effect of climate change on rare and endangered species, little has been known about how an increase in global temperature will affect more common species."Our research predicts that climate change will greatly reduce the diversity of even very common species found in most parts of the world. This loss of global-scale biodiversity would significantly impoverish the biosphere and the ecosystem services it provides. The good news is that our research provides crucial new evidence of how swift action to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gases can prevent the biodiversity loss by reducing the amount of global warming to 2 degrees Celsius rather than 4 degrees. This would also buy time – up to four decades - for plants and animals to adapt to the remaining 2 degrees of climate change."

The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) was initiated by the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) together with a group of editors and publishers of scholarly journals after a meeting in  December 2012 during the ASCB Annual Meeting in San Francisco. The document recognizes the need to improve the ways in which the outputs of scientific research are evaluated.

DORA puts into question the use of Journal Impact Factor as a main tool for assessment, and proposes the consideration of various other factors towards more sophisticated and meaningful approaches. DORA is a worldwide initiative covering all scholarly disciplines.

To read the whole declaration, please follow the link: http://am.ascb.org/dora/

The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.  ESA is an international organisation with 20 Member States.

How is EU BON connected to space research? As a speaker at the EU BON General Meeting, which took place on Crete between 30 March - 3 April 2014, Marc Paganini of the European Space Agency explains the collaboration between ESA and GEO BON, and how EU BON is involved.

In the following interview he continues the topic:

Marc Paganini (left) and Dirk Schmeller (right) at the EU BON General Meeting 2014

1) For most of the general public space and biodiversity research hardly have anything to do with each other, can you explain how the European Space Agency (ESA) and the idea of remote sensing communities make these two meet?

It is widely recognized that in-situ observations available on biological diversity are very scarce for most of the Earth’s ecosystems and are often insufficient for determining precisely the global status and trends of biodiversity worldwide. In most cases, satellite Earth Observations do not provide a direct measurement of biodiversity but, if properly used with ground collection of biodiversity data and species and habitat modeling, remote sensing can become an important and essential component of biodiversity monitoring systems. There are multiple cases where remote sensing is often the only instrument that can offer large scale monitoring, as for example in highly variable ecosystems such as wetlands or in remote areas that can hardly be monitored by field campaigns.

The recent and future evolution of the portfolio of EO satellites offers huge potential for increasing the use of EO products into biodiversity monitoring systems. The lack of data continuity has always been a barrier for the biodiversity community to invest in EO technology.  A commitment from Space Agencies to provide sustained observations on the long term is a strong incentive for the biodiversity community to invest in Space. The Sentinel series of the European Copernicus program, together with the freely available data from other space agencies such as the Landsat family of the US Geological Survey, will bring unprecedented long-term continuity of observations for the biodiversity community. In that context, free and open data policy to taxpayer-funded satellite remote sensing imagery is becoming a "de facto" standard amongst Space Agencies and a unique opportunity for the biodiversity community to use widely EO products to monitor biodiversity trends.

2) How is the ESA involved with the aims of EU BON, where do the two initiatives intersect?

ESA and many other Space Agencies are becoming more and more committed in helping the biodiversity community at large, in improving their capacity to use remote sensing data for monitoring biodiversity trends.

First there is a coordinated action from all Space Agencies through the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) and its involvement in the Group of Earth Observation (GEO). The GEO is a voluntary partnership of governments and international organizations who engaged jointly in developing a comprehensive, coordinated and sustained system of observations of the Earth with the ultimate objective to enhance scientifically-sound decision making. Biodiversity is one of the primary societal benefit areas of GEO and is addressed by the GEO Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON). CEOS is actively involved in GEO BON, principally through the participation to its steering committee of the European, US and German Space Agencies, namely ESA, NASA and DLR. Since EU BON is the principal European contribution to GEO BON, and has, amongst its objectives, the aim to integrate biodiversity data from ground observations to remote sensing information, ESA is directly concerned by the EU BON development in using remote sensing for terrestrial, freshwater and marine realms.

Second, ESA has its own EO application development programs, and funds a wide range of Research & Development projects for biodiversity and ecosystem services. In that context, ESA has established close relationships with the European Environment Agency (EEA) but also with the secretariats and scientific bodies of major Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA) such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Ramsar Convention on wetlands. The findings of the ESA-funded EO projects on biodiversity and ecosystem services are highly relevant to EU BON. It is therefore expected that the ESA and EU BON activities in relation to the use of RS for biodiversity monitoring will offer some convergence of evidence showcases for the whole biodiversity community.

3) How do you see the future of collaboration with EU BON?

The high potential for satellite Earth Observations to support biodiversity monitoring is growing but is yet to be fully realised. The recent efforts of GEO BON, supported by the GEO Plenary and the CBD Conference of the Parties, to define a set of minimum essential observational requirements to monitor biodiversity trends will give considerable impetus for space agencies and for the remote sensing community to focus their work on a small set of well defined EO products that will serve the needs of the biodiversity community at large. In that context ESA is firmly engaged in supporting the development of these emerging Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs). EU BON together with ESA can be pioneers in the early development and demonstration.

A new EU BON acknowledging special issue "Earth Observation for Ecosystems Monitoring in Space and Time: A Special Issue in Remote Sensing" published in the open access journal Remote Sensing provides a collection of  important researchers in the field, as well as the most challenging aspects of the application of remote sensing to study ecosystems. 

Global biodiversity loss is intensifying. But it is hard to assess progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets for 2011–20 set by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Target 5, for instance, aims to halve global deforestation rates by 2020; but reliable indicators for deforestation that can be monitored remotely have not been developed or agreed on. National biodiversity monitoring programmes differ widely, most data sets are inconsistent, and few data are shared openly.

Read more on the topic in the original commentary article.

A joint WP2/3/4/6/7 workshop took place on 23-24 November 2015 in Cambridge, UK. The overall goal of the workshop was to identify synergies and overlapping objectives across WP3/4 and 6/7 and beyond and to thereby identify applications of EU BON’s tools to decision-making, including at the policy level.

The idea for this small, focused workshop emerged as a result of the popularity and outreach achieved by the Aquamaps North-Sea fisheries infographic, developed under WP6. This infographic has demonstrated how the AquaMaps modelling tool can help answer a clear policy or question relevant to decision-making.

Under EU BON, WP3 and WP4 have developed some powerful tools, and more are in the making. The next challenge for EU BON is to use these tools to address policy-relevant issues/questions and to link EU-BON’s modelling capacity to policy needs. Producing cutting-edge innovations is important, but their implementation for policy and decision-making needs is what has real impact.

This is what the Cambridge workshop was about - bringing different players together to identify the right ways to make EU BON innovation policy relevant.

Outcomes of the meeting:

• An improved vision of how to ‘market’ EU BON’s products for end-users;

• A better understanding of the end-users and the barriers that they face in accessing and using biodiversity data tools; and

• Improved collaboration between EU BON Work Packages and a coherent vision for future synergies.

Published just recently, a new open access EU BON article discusses the need for additional research efforts beyond standard biodiversity monitoring to reconstruct the impacts of major anthropogenic pressures and to identify meaningful temporal baselines for biodiversity.

The article, published in Scientific Reports, reports on the temporal baselines that could be drawn from biodiversity monitoring schemes in Europe and compares those with the rise of important anthropogenic pressures.

With most biodiversity monitoring schemes initiated late in the 20th century, well after anthropogenic pressures had already reached half of their current magnitude, the team of scientists found that setting temporal baselines from biodiversity monitoring data would underestimate the full range of impacts of major anthropogenic pressures.

The authors stress that these limitations need to be explicitly acknowledged when designing management strategies and policies as they seriously constrain our ability to identify relevant conservation targets aimed at restoring or reversing biodiversity losses.

Find out more in the original research paper:

Mihoub J B, Henle K, Titeux N, Brotons L, Brummitt N A, Schmeller D S (2017) Setting temporal baselines for biodiversity: the limits of available monitoring data for capturing the full impact of anthropogenic pressures. Scientific Reports. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep41591

Europe’s regions are facing rising sea levels and more extreme weather, such as more frequent and more intense heatwaves, flooding, droughts and storms due to climate change, according to the latest European Environment Agency report published on 25 Jan 2017. The report assesses the latest trends and projections on climate change and its impacts across Europe and finds that better and more flexible adaptation strategies, policies and measures will be crucial to lessen these impacts.

Find a summary of the report's Key Findings, or download the full report.

The ECOPOTENTIAL H2020 project, focusing its activities on blending Earth Observations from remote sensing, field measurements, data analysis and modeling of current and future ecosystem conditions and services, is organizing this workshop in Brussels on the 10th of January 2018, from 9.00 to 17:30. 

The main objective of the workshop is to prospect the state-of-the-art of Remote Sensing as a Sentinel tool to monitor, characterize and understand the state, ongoing changes and effectiveness of conservation and management actions of natural landscapes and to facilitate an open debate among scientists and the involved Institutions. This workshop is part of the multiple events organized by the ECOPOTENTIAL Project on the week of 9th-12th of January 2018, starting on Jan 9th with the opening of the photo-exhibition with the same title, on display at the European Parliament. 

Registration: http://ves.cat/emIm

Agenda: http://www.ecopotential-project.eu/images/ecopotential/img_news/Spaced-workshop-AGENDA-Jan-10-2018.pdf

Event's website: http://www.ecopotential-project.eu/2015-08-19-15-19-05/2015-10-16-13-48-29/205-spaced-using-earth-observations-to-protect-natural-landscapes.html

The European Space Agency in Frascati is organising a "Big data from Space" event to address the barriers that hamper an effective use of large volumes of Earth observation data. The event will focus on issues associated with the organisation and delivery of large volumes of  contemporary and historical Earth observations, either space-based or from ground (including ubiquitous information-sensing mobile devices, aerial sensory technologies, wireless sensor networks).

The ZSL Institute of Zoology is organizing a one day symposim "Space - the final frontier for biodiversity monitoring?" to take place on 29 April 2016. The event will bring together leading experts in biodiversity monitoring and satellite remote sensing to discuss ways to better capitalise on this technology to monitor biological diversity globally.

For more information on participation and logistics, please visit the official event 's page.