Urban Sustainability: Could Earth Observation solve Dhaka's traffic nightmare?
- Urban pressures in Dhaka: Traffic gridlock and flooding cost Bangladesh up to 10% of its GDP annually.
- Smart solutions through EO: Earth Observation (EO) is revolutionising how Dhaka maps traffic, manages floods and plans sustainable mobility.
- Shaping the future: ESA’s GDA Urban Sustainability team, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is driving data-driven urban solutions.
Location
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Institutions
- Urban pressures in Dhaka: Traffic gridlock and flooding cost Bangladesh up to 10% of its GDP annually.
- Smart solutions through EO: Earth Observation (EO) is revolutionising how Dhaka maps traffic, manages floods and plans sustainable mobility.
- Shaping the future: ESA’s GDA Urban Sustainability team, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is driving data-driven urban solutions.
Location
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Institutions
Imagine a city where millions wake up to gridlocked roads and flooded streets. This is everyday life in Dhaka, Bangladesh, home to 24 million people. With its population skyrocketing and infrastructure stretched to breaking point, Dhaka faces a transport crisis that impacts every aspect of daily life.
Monsoon rains flood streets, bringing public transport to a standstill and paralysing the economy. Congestion costs Bangladesh up to 10% of its GDP annually.
ESA’s GDA Urban Sustainability team collaborated with the Asian Development Bank-supported project “Updating of the Revised Strategic Transport Plan for Dhaka.”
Location
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Institutions
Imagine a city where millions wake up to gridlocked roads and flooded streets. This is everyday life in Dhaka, Bangladesh, home to 24 million people. With its population skyrocketing and infrastructure stretched to breaking point, Dhaka faces a transport crisis that impacts every aspect of daily life.
Monsoon rains flood streets, bringing public transport to a standstill and paralysing the economy. Congestion costs Bangladesh up to 10% of its GDP annually.
ESA’s GDA Urban Sustainability team collaborated with the Asian Development Bank-supported project “Updating of the Revised Strategic Transport Plan for Dhaka.”
Location
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Institutions
Practical solutions are essential for a city outpacing its infrastructure. To address this challenge, ESA’s GDA Urban Sustainability team partnered with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to leverage the power of EO. As visualised on the Impact Sphere, the EO-based population density map reveals the growing urban pressures, highlighting the urgency of these solutions.
“Well-planned cities make infrastructure investments viable and promote sustainable growth. Poor planning leads to congestion, emissions, and poor air quality. This is where data-driven insights are crucial”
David Taverner, ESA GDA M&E consortium lead.
Location
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Institutions
Practical solutions are essential for a city outpacing its infrastructure. To address this challenge, ESA’s GDA Urban Sustainability team partnered with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to leverage the power of EO. As visualised on the Impact Sphere, the EO-based population density map reveals the growing urban pressures, highlighting the urgency of these solutions.
“Well-planned cities make infrastructure investments viable and promote sustainable growth. Poor planning leads to congestion, emissions, and poor air quality. This is where data-driven insights are crucial”
David Taverner, ESA GDA M&E consortium lead.
Location
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Institutions
Using EO-derived land use, flood maps and crowd-sourced data, the team is uncovering vital insights about Dhaka’s transport network. These tools help identify:
- Traffic demand and patterns: Where trips start and end, highlighting infrastructure stress points.
- Flood impact analysis: How floods disrupt road accessibility and traffic flow.
The project also introduced macroscopic models to map demand and microscopic models to simulate flood impacts. This comprehensive approach provides actionable data for decision-makers, even in data-scarce environments.
The potential of EO has sparked interest within the ADB Transport Sector Group. ESA’s GDA team conducted a workshop for 50 ADB experts, fostering awareness of the capabilities of EO. As a result, the ADB is exploring EO applications for other projects, including a new railway line with Bangladesh Railways.
Location
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Institutions
Using EO-derived land use, flood maps and crowd-sourced data, the team is uncovering vital insights about Dhaka’s transport network. These tools help identify:
- Traffic demand and patterns: Where trips start and end, highlighting infrastructure stress points.
- Flood impact analysis: How floods disrupt road accessibility and traffic flow.
The project also introduced macroscopic models to map demand and microscopic models to simulate flood impacts. This comprehensive approach provides actionable data for decision-makers, even in data-scarce environments.
The potential of EO has sparked interest within the ADB Transport Sector Group. ESA’s GDA team conducted a workshop for 50 ADB experts, fostering awareness of the capabilities of EO. As a result, the ADB is exploring EO applications for other projects, including a new railway line with Bangladesh Railways.
Location
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Institutions
EO impact key takeaways
- Addressing urban pressures: EO enables data-driven traffic and flood management solutions, saving time and resources.
- Bridging data gaps: EO provides critical insights in data-poor settings, paving the way for smarter urban planning.
- Strengthening partnerships: Collaboration with organisations like the ADB ensures the integration of EO into transformative projects.
- Creating sustainable cities: By combining EO with local strategies, cities like Dhaka can reduce emissions, improve mobility and secure a more sustainable future.
Discover how EO is helping cities tackle their toughest challenges. Learn more about Urban Sustainability thematic activities..
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