IIASA and partners received the award for pioneering the use of citizen science and AI to address national data gaps on marine litter in Ghana, the first country to integrate such data into its official statistics and to monitor and use it for monitoring and reporting on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The Group on Earth Observations and the Earth Observations for Sustainable Development Goals (EO4SDG) Initiative announced the winners of the 2025 GEO SDG Awards at the GEO Global Forum 2025. Among the recipients was IIASA and its partners, honored with the GEO Participating Organization Award for its innovative and impactful use of citizen science and Earth observations to advance sustainable development. Launched in 2019, this annual award is presented to those making an impact on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Set by the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, these 17 goals provide a universal set of priorities to use as a blueprint of action for people, the planet, and prosperity. Earth observations, geospatial data, and the information they provide play insightful roles in monitoring targets, tracking progress, as well as helping nations and stakeholders make informed decisions toward achieving the SDGs. The annual GEO SDG Awards celebrates progress toward managing or achieving an "SDG Target" and/or producing an "SDG Indicator'' through Earth observations.
© Source: Dilek Fraisl (L-R) Konstantinos Topouzelis (University of the Aegean), Dilek Fraisl (IIASA), Maryam Rabiee (SDSN TReNDS), and Omar Seidu (Ghana Statistical Service)
Working alongside the Ghana Statistical Service, the University of the Aegean, the Ghana Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), SciDrones, and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), IIASA has been at the forefront of pioneering innovative uses of citizen science data. Building on the success of the first stage of the project, which enabled Ghana to become the first country to integrate citizen science data on marine plastic litter into its official statistics and report it to the UN SDG global database, the partnership is also contributing to shaping Ghana's integrated coastal and marine management policy. In this second stage, the project explored the feasibility of combining citizen science, drones, and AI to create a litter density map along Ghana's coastline. This experience also offers valuable lessons on how citizen science data can support scientific progress and shape national policies while contributing to global SDG progress.
"Citizen science is more than just plugging data gaps; it is a powerful bridge between the public, the world of science, and policy. It not only raises awareness and inspires action to tackle challenges, but also fosters a democratic approach to policymaking, where the voice of the people becomes integral to shaping our collective future," says Dilek Fraisl, IIASA scientist and project coordinator. "Receiving the 2025 GEO SDG Award affirms the growing recognition of this approach and its vital role in achieving truly inclusive sustainable development."
The awards include sectoral and special award categories. Sectoral awards focus on the type of organization and the nature of their work. Special awards recognize specific key tenets and objectives the awards are intended to highlight including innovation, statistical-geospatial integration, testimonial/story and collaboration.
Adapted from a press release by EO4SDG.
About GEO: the Group on Earth Observations is a unique global network of international experts designed to build connections, identify gaps, share best practices and reduce duplication of effort in sustainable development and sound environmental management.
About EO4SDG: EO4SDG serves a fundamental role to advance global knowledge about effective ways that Earth observations and geospatial information can support the SDGs.
Website: https://eo4sdg.org - Instagram: @eo4sdg
