1. VC/WG Day Expected Outcomes and Introduction of Agenda Jean-Louis Fellous SIT Chair Team CEOS SIT Technical Workshop CNES, Montpellier, France 16 th September 2014

2. SIT Tech. Workshop 2014 CNES, Montpellier, France 17 th -18 th September 2014 2 Background Why a VC/WG Day? A request was put forward during SIT Chair Tag up Telecons with VCs and WGs held in January-February to hold a dedicated Virtual Constellations Day back-to-back the SIT Technical Workshop Preliminary discussions about the possible content of this VC Day led immediately to identify the need to involve the Working Groups at all levels in its planning and organization Further discussions took place during the second series of SIT Chair Tag up Telecons with VCs and WGs in June-July These discussions confirmed the interest to hold this special event and agreed on the format and topics for the VC/WG Day

3. SIT Tech. Workshop 2014 CNES, Montpellier, France 17 th -18 th September 2014 3 Concept The VC/WG Day – What it is not A series of 10 lengthy, consecutive presentations on the status, plans and issues of each group and subgroups A closed talking shop without significant outcome or interaction with the “CEOS upper management” The VC/WG Day – What it is intended to be An opportunity for VCs and WGs leads to discuss common issues and to exchange on the support they need and on the support they can offer An opportunity to highlight the remarkable achievements of the VCs and WGs and the potential improvements that can result from enhanced interaction between CEOS various groups

4. SIT Tech. Workshop 2014 CNES, Montpellier, France 17 th -18 th September 2014 4 Discussion Topics Topic #1 – CEOS-SIT-VC-WG interactions in terms of support needed and/or offered; CEOS promotion of VC/WG achievements Each VC will introduce itself in 2 minutes with two slides. This topic will provide an opportunity to hold a discussion focused on the WG & VC Process Papers and what is expected of the WGs and VCs with the new 3-year CEOS Work Plan. It will also give a chance to review progress towards the 2015 GEOSS deliverables harvested from the updated VC and WG Terms of Reference last year. Topic #2 – Training Activities The discussion is expected to build on past examples of training activities settled out by a Virtual Constellation. Opportunities for “thematic” training workshops making use of inputs from several VCs will be considered. Interaction between VCs and WGCapD at all stages of the organization of training and capacity building activities will be examined.

5. SIT Tech. Workshop 2014 CNES, Montpellier, France 17 th -18 th September 2014 5 Discussion Topics (cont’d) Topic #3 – ECV Products, Reporting to SBSTA Options will be discussed re: the respective roles and expected support between the joint CGMS-CEOS WGClimate and the VCs. Topic #4 – Data management and data access Among others, this topic will provide an opportunity for discussing: Overall data coordination: how to reduce potential conflicts related to the data provision to a growing number of CEOS- supported projects? How to increase the synergy between projects – same data sets to cover several projects? Data access conditions: data access is not only a technical problem, all projects are facing difficulties linked to the data policies and data costs... In particular, it would be worth for CEOS to investigate the potential support from financial donors (e.g. World Bank, Asian Development Bank, etc.) and the political support from major stakeholders (e.g. UN Agencies,...) at CEOS level instead of Project level.

6. SIT Tech. Workshop 2014 CNES, Montpellier, France 17 th -18 th September 2014 6 Discussion Topics (cont’d) SIT 29-5: SIT Chair to prepare a SIT Technical Workshop agenda item regarding the relationship between VCs and WGs and the respective science groups, to be coordinated during the next series of SIT Chair tag-up telecons – and including gaps and bottlenecks which could be acted upon SIT Chair tag-up telecons in June-July failed to identify any significant issues in that respect, so that neither agenda item was included in the Technical Workshop agenda nor was this topic included into the VC/WG Day agenda.

7. SIT Tech. Workshop 2014 CNES, Montpellier, France 17 th -18 th September 2014 7 Organization Each topic is allocated one hour and will be moderated by two or three volunteers among the VC and WG leads Topic #1 – Craig Donlon (SST-VC) and Satish Srivastava (WGCV) Topic #2 – Eric Wood (WGCapD) and Juliette Lambin (OST-VC) Topic #3 – Pascal Lecomte (WGClimate) and Richard Eckman (ACC-VC) Topic #4 – Richard Moreno (WGISS), Ivan Petiteville (WGDisasters) and Steven Neeck (P-VC) Moderators will report to the Technical Workshop on Wednesday about the outcomes of the discussion for their respective topics

8. SIT Tech. Workshop 2014 CNES, Montpellier, France 17 th -18 th September 2014 8 Expected Outcomes This is for YOU to determine the outcomes from this meeting Topic #1 – CEOS-SIT-VC-WG Interactions Improved relationships, visibility of VC and WG achievements? Progress towards completion of CEOS 3-year Work Plan and 2015 GEOSS Deliverables? Topic #2 – Training Improved relationships between VCs and WGCapD? Plans for training workshop, collaboration with external groups? Topic #3 – Climate Integrated response from CEOS VCs to ECV-related activities? Topic #4 – Data issues Improved coordination for data provision and data access?