Environment and Water Management

Increasing populations and growing prosperity place pressure on the natural environment and result in problems such as contamination of land and water resources, desertification, overgrazing and shrinking maritime resources. In turn, the depletion of natural resources often leads to scarcity, famine or widespread utilization change. Environmental issues, such as climate change, transcend national boundaries; they impact the whole planet and affect the well-being of nations.

GAF provides best-in-class geo-information solutions and systems that assist with the preservation of the natural environment and the management of the Earth’s natural resources. Our integrated service approach combines information from a range of disciplines, topics, sources and scales, and addresses issues from local to continental level. Our genuinely multi-thematic service approach allows us to offer proven solutions customised to the needs of our clients. Geospatial information enables cost efficient and area-wide observation and monitoring of the environment and natural resources, and allows the efficient detection and monitoring of illegal or informal activities. It also helps to improve the understanding of the dynamics and complexities of the physical interactions between nature and society. Modelling and scenario development makes it possible for us to describe and forecast the future consequences of decisions made today. In short: GAF provides the geospatial data, monitoring information and decision support systems to enable the successful management of the environment and natural resources.

The security and sustainable development of our water resources is one of the key challenges of the 21st century. Floods, droughts, water quality, water-ecosystem and soil-water-climate interactions, and the sustainability of resources are important issues in the field of water resources management and hydrology. The land surface, geology, soils and geomorphology govern important parts of the water cycle. Furthermore, climate variability and climate change also impact strongly on the state of the environment and renewable sources of energy; this is an area in which we can offer outstanding services for the mapping and monitoring of desertification, natural greening, reforestation and large irrigation projects.

Our oceans cover nearly 70% of our planets’ surface - they form a huge resource, which is at risk. Coastal areas are specifically sensitive to human induced impacts, be it pollution or over-exploitation. Monitoring and control systems for focal regions are needed, they allow to properly manage the global fishery resources, to enforce anti-oil spill operations. Platforms that combine near-realtime Earth observation, Automatic Identification System (AIS) data plus ancillary information allow to detect, identify and describe illegal activities, are at the core of such systems.

GAF provides earth observation and geo-information solutions for quantifying the components of the water cycle and other valuable information that is essential in water resources assessment and management. Our technical solutions and capacity building competencies cover also marine law enforcement. We integrate such information into dedicated geographic information- and web-mapping systems, tailored to the needs of decision makers, law enforcement agencies, politicians and the general public. They enable informed decision making and efficient enforcement of the law.

GAF has provided products and services for the environment ever since the company was founded. Our thematic expertise covers a broad range of topics such as conservation and habitat protection, biodiversity mapping and monitoring, infrastructure planning, spatial development and much more. Experience in various ecosystems has been gained in more than 100 countries, spread over 4 continents.

In order to meet your information requirements cost-efficiently and in the best possible way, our product and service portfolio comprises standardised as well as customised solutions ranging from mapping and monitoring tasks to the implementation of large and complex information and decision making systems.

• Mapping and monitoring of natural resources
• On-site field data and calibration information
• Land use inventories
• Inland and coastal water monitoring
• Coastal zone monitoring
• Sustainable management of marine resources
• Oil spill and pollution monitoring
• Illegal fishery detection system
• Change detection and time series analysis
• Risk management and environmental impact analysis
• Hydrological, hydrogeological maps, water point GIS
• Integrated water resources GIS/database
• Trans-boundary water management systems
• Reservoir and recharge estimate studies
• Environmental and natural resource information systems
• Needs assessment, system design, implementation, integration and maintenance
• Environmental modelling and decision support
• Consulting and technical assistance
• Know-how transfer and institutional strengthening
• Integrated resource management and planning

• International and supranational institutions, international donor organisations
• National environment and natural resources ministries
• Multilateral and bilateral donor agencies and financing institutions
• Regional and local administrations
• Local, regional and national water authorities
• Research organisations

• Insurance
• Consulting businesses
• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
• Infrastructure/construction industry
• Mining industry