Synspective Selected for UNDP’s Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge to Support Sea-Level Rise Adaptation in Jamaica

Synspective Inc., a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite data and solutions provider, announced it has been selected as one of the Japanese partner companies for Jamaica in the sixth cohort of the Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge, hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Working with the UNDP Multi-Country Office in Jamaica, Synspective will develop and validate a satellite- and AI-supported coastal monitoring solution to strengthen sea-level rise adaptation and climate resilience in the Portland Bight Protected Area.

About the Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge

Since 2020, UNDP has implemented the Japan SDGs Innovation Challenge with funding from the Cabinet Office of Japan, pairing Japanese companies with UNDP country offices to co-create solutions to local challenges. To date, ten Japanese companies and organizations have carried out projects in 11 countries. This year’s challenge focuses on sea-level rise, with projects in four countries, and the program selected one Japanese company for each. The Japan Innovation Network (JIN), commissioned by UNDP supports implementation of the program.

The Challenge in Portland Bight

The Portland Bight Protected Area, spanning parts of St. Catherine and Clarendon parishes on Jamaica’s south coast, is the country’s largest protected area. Its mangrove forests, wetlands, seagrass beds, coral reefs, and offshore cays act as natural buffers against coastal hazards and support local fisheries and livelihoods. However, the area is highly vulnerable to climate and coastal hazards, and existing monitoring has been fragmented and largely reactive, with limited long-term data on shoreline change and ecosystem health.

Project Overview

Synspective will deliver a satellite-based monitoring framework built on two complementary capabilities:

• Coastal habitat mapping and change detection. By combining SAR imagery with optical satellite data and AI-based classification, Synspective will produce habitat maps of mangroves, beaches, wetlands, seagrass beds, and coral reefs. Comparing maps from different periods will quantify shoreline movement, ecosystem degradation, and land-cover change, helping identify vulnerability hotspots and priorities for conservation and restoration.
• Rapid flood and inundation mapping. Because SAR can see through clouds and operate at night, Synspective can rapidly assess inundation extent and coastal damage after hurricanes and storm surges, helping authorities prioritize response.

The project will integrate satellite insights with local knowledge through field validation and stakeholder engagement, working alongside the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), local authorities, and community partners. Synspective will also provide training on its satellite tasking and solutions so that government agencies and partners can independently request satellite observations and use the results in coastal management and disaster response.

Looking Ahead

The project will run through early 2027. Following the pilot, UNDP is planning to explore scaling the monitoring approach to other coastal areas of Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, and to integrate the resulting tools into national coastal management and planning processes. Through this collaboration, Synspective aims to contribute to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 14 (Life Below Water).