1. © GEO Secretariat GEO Overview GEO Secretariat September 2007

2. © GEO Secretariat U.S. Department of State, Washington DC July 31, 2003 GEO, the Group on Earth Observations An Intergovernmental Organization with 71 Member Countries, the European Commission and 46 Participating Organizations

3. © GEO Secretariat GEO today The Group on Earth Observations, was established in 2005, is an Intergovernmental Organization and today has 72 Members (71 Countries and the European Commission) & 46 Participating Organizations, including:  UN Organizations and Programs, such as FAO, IOC, ISDR, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFCCC, UNITAR/UNOSAT, UNOOSA,WMO  other leading international Organizations in different domains, such as FDSN, IAG, ICSU, OGC

4. © GEO Secretariat History of GEO The 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) stressed the importance of Earth observation systems for protecting people and the planet and identified priority actions for strengthening capacity and collaboration in this field. The Earth Observation Summits in Washington in 2003, Tokyo in 2004 and Brussels in 2005 to adopt and carry out the 10-Year Implementation Plan for building GEOSS and to establish the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) to implement this plan; The G8 Summits in Evian in 2003, Gleneagles in 2005 and Heiligendamm in 2007 committed to strengthen international cooperation on comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable observation and information systems and affirmed the role of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).

5. © GEO Secretariat GEO Membership evolution *** Data needs to be validated…. GEO Membership

6. © GEO Secretariat 10-Year Plan Endorsed by Ministerial Summit Plenary (co-chaired by RSA, EC, USA and PRC) Executive Committee (12 Members) Executive Secretariat (Geneva) GEO Governance

7. © GEO Secretariat  Create the GEO System of Systems (GEOSS)  Improve and Coordinate Observation Systems  Provide Easier & More Open Data Access  Foster Use (Science, Applications, Capacity Bldg)  Focus on Societal Benefits … to answer Society’s need for informed decision making GEO Goal … to address the Global issues of our time

8. © GEO Secretariat  Improve and Coordinate Observation Systems  Provide Easier & More Open Data Access  Foster Use (Science, Applications, Capacity Building) … to answer Society’s need for informed decision making GEO main objectives

9. © GEO Secretariat GEOSS: A Global, Coordinated, Comprehensive and Sustained System of Observing Systems GEOSS will be built from the expansion and interlinking of existing observation and information systems and the investments of Members and Participating Organizations in new systems

10. © GEO Secretariat Why GEOSS ? Any Single Problem Requires Many Data Sets A Single Data Set Will Serve Many Communities A great number of Observing Systems of different nature and with different purposes There is a Need to coordinate observations and to Share all Earth Observation Data in Standard Interoperable Formats.

11. © GEO Secretariat 1. Reduction and Prevention of Disasters 2. Human Health and Epidemiology 3. Energy Management 4. Climate Variability & Change 5. Water Management 6. Weather Forecasting 7. Ecosystems 8. Agriculture 9. Biodiversity GEOSS will Address Nine Societal Benefit Areas

12. © GEO Secretariat The Earth is a complex system of systems

13. © GEO Secretariat The Earth is a complex system of systems… Minerals Energy Hazards Groundwater Trace elements Surface, atmosphere, sub-surface and their interaction Soils

14. © GEO Secretariat In Situ IKONOS QuickBird SPIN-2 SPOT 4, 5 EROS A1 Envisat Aura/Aqua/Terra Grace QuikScat Sage SeaWinds TRMM Toms-EP UARS Landsat 7 SORCE ACRIMSAT CBERS SeaWiFS ERBS Jason Orbview 2, 3 RadarsatALOS DMC Space Users Observation Systems are Unique

15. © GEO Secretariat Data and Products at Minimum Time delay and Minimum Cost Free of Charge or Cost of Reproduction for Research and Education GEO Data Sharing Principles Full and Open Exchange of Data … Recognizing Relevant International Instruments and National Policies and Legislation

16. © GEO Secretariat Relies on the Goodwill of Members and Participating Organizations Efficient for Contribution of Components Not a Funding Mechanism GEOSS Implementation is a Non- binding, Voluntary Process

17. © GEO Secretariat The Cape Town Ministerial Summit 2007 Earth Observation for Sustainable Growth and Development The GEO Ministerial Summit will be held on 30th November 2007 in Cape Town, South Africa. The Summit will be the opportunity to: Highlight early progress and key achievements of GEO/GEOSS; Bring emerging priorities to the attention of the Ministers; Engage the commitment of Ministers to endorse The Declaration of Cape Town.