Fred Stolle
Fred Stolle is Deputy Director of Global Nature Watch and Global Forest Watch at the World Resources Institute (WRI), where he has worked since 2003. He is an internationally recognized expert in the use of geospatial data to understand land-use dynamics and their implications for climate change, ecosystems, and sustainable development. His work focuses on quantifying environmental drivers and translating complex spatial data into actionable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and decision-makers worldwide.
Trained in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, Fred has lived and worked across Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States, bringing a global perspective to environmental monitoring and policy-relevant analysis. His professional experience includes roles with UNEP in Nairobi and collaborations with UNESCO, the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), and the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in Indonesia. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), as lead technical assessor for forest carbon monitoring systems for the World Bank’s BioCarbon Fund, and as a contributor to multiple international working groups on spatial data and environmental monitoring. Fred is based in Washington, DC, and holds an MSc in Biology and a PhD in Geography.
Sessions
Satellite data have transformed our ability to observe land-use dynamics, forest change, and environmental pressures at unprecedented spatial and temporal scales. Yet a critical challenge remains: translating vast volumes of data into actionable information that meaningfully informs policy and leads to real-world implementation. This talk highlights the importance of open and transparent data, with a particular emphasis on the ease of accessing information and answering practical questions using data to drive evidence-based decision-making. It underscores the need to integrate satellite-derived land-use and forest data, along with information on change and its impacts on climate, nature, and people, into operational platforms and planning processes. By doing so, governments, supply chains, and local stakeholders can better assess risks, target interventions, and track outcomes. Transforming data into decision-ready insights is essential for strengthening land-use governance, advancing sustainable forest management, and delivering measurable environmental and social impacts.