5
1. WELCOME ADDRESS
Finland in its science and technology policy is consistently increasing its
funding of research and product development. Currently, 2.6% of our
country’s GNP is being allocated for research and product development, and
this fraction is intended to grow still. Remote sensing constitutes one part if
this development activity. Because of the increasing demand for information
within the field of competence of my Ministry, I view the meeting starting
today as important for Finland. This meeting is also important because,
through European collaboration, we can achieve results that will further the
rapid collection of up-to-date, reliable information concerning our natural
resources and environment.
I hope, in particular, that efforts will be expended on the development of
operational procedures and systems, because there is a great need to take
new methods into use in a society in which the rate of change is increasing
all the time. One should aim for these operational methods to produce cost
savings in data collection and to increase the effectiveness of information
management.
Your work in developing remote sensing methods is demanding and
fascinating. I wish success to your work and to this meeting.
1. WELCOME ADDRESS
Finland in its science and technology policy is consistently increasing its
funding of research and product development. Currently, 2.6% of our
country’s GNP is being allocated for research and product development, and
this fraction is intended to grow still. Remote sensing constitutes one part if
this development activity. Because of the increasing demand for information
within the field of competence of my Ministry, I view the meeting starting
today as important for Finland. This meeting is also important because,
through European collaboration, we can achieve results that will further the
rapid collection of up-to-date, reliable information concerning our natural
resources and environment.
I hope, in particular, that efforts will be expended on the development of
operational procedures and systems, because there is a great need to take
new methods into use in a society in which the rate of change is increasing
all the time. One should aim for these operational methods to produce cost
savings in data collection and to increase the effectiveness of information
management.
Your work in developing remote sensing methods is demanding and
fascinating. I wish success to your work and to this meeting.