Free UNU-INWEH Online Course 2026: Learn Drought Monitoring with Satellite Data and Google Earth Engine
Overview
The United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health offers a free online course titled Drought Monitoring with Google Earth Engine. The learning program introduces participants to practical methods for monitoring drought using satellite data, remote sensing, drought indices, and cloud-based geospatial technologies. Learners explore how geospatial tools support environmental monitoring, water management, disaster preparedness, and climate resilience.
Who can apply
The course is designed for drought, water, and disaster management professionals, as well as postgraduate students interested in remote sensing, big data, and cloud computing. It is particularly relevant for individuals working or studying in environmental science, natural resource management, climate change adaptation, hydrology, water resource planning, agricultural monitoring, food security, disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, geographic information systems, and climate research.
What you get
Participants gain exposure to techniques for analyzing drought conditions across different locations and periods, processing geospatial datasets in the cloud, and identifying drought hotspots using statistical methods. Specifically, learners are introduced to applying drought indices to assess environmental conditions, conducting spatiotemporal and time-series analysis to examine recurring patterns, identifying drought hotspots through zonal statistics within defined geographical areas, and processing geospatial data using the Google Earth Engine cloud platform.
How to apply
Interested individuals can register by visiting the official United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health website, navigating to the Online Learning Centre, and searching for the course. Applicants should review the course description, eligibility requirements, and learning arrangements before following the registration instructions provided on the platform.