Commentary
Urban Wetlands: EO-based Tools to Support Wetland Restoration in Rwanda
Authors Nicki McGoh, Gregor Herda, Javier García Robles
With the support of
This article details how the European Space Agency’s Global Development Assistance Urban Sustainability program is supporting the World Bank’s Second Rwanda Urban Development Project by developing an Earth Observation (EO)-based Urban Wetland and Restoration Monitoring System. This tool helps Rwanda’s authorities track changes in urban wetlands, which are critical for reducing flood risks in Kigali and other cities.
Using satellite data and deep learning, the system maps wetland habitats and monitors water extent and flooding patterns over time. It enables evidence-based urban planning, better flood preparedness, and evaluation of wetland restoration efforts. The tools rely on free, high-resolution imagery from the Copernicus Sentinel missions, making them cost-effective for ongoing monitoring. As urbanization accelerates, preserving wetlands is essential to mitigate flooding. Rwanda is exploring integrating these EO tools into a national geospatial hub to expand sustainable urban planning and hazard management.
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