GEO, Africa & Water SBA IGCP 565 Final Workshop October 2012 Johannesburg, South Africa Douglas Cripe / Toshio Koike GEO Secretariat

U.S. Department of State, Washington DC July 31, 2003 Group on Earth Observations (GEO) An Intergovernmental group with 89 Members and 64 Participating Organizations

What is GEO? launched in response to calls for action by the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, Earth Observation Summits, and by the G8 (Group of Eight) leading industrialized countries voluntary partnership of governments and international organizations –88 member governments + EC –64 Participating Organizations (PO) provides a framework within which these partners can develop new projects and coordinate their strategies and investments charged with developing GEOSS

What is GEOSS? Global Earth Observation System of Systems an integrating public infrastructure, interconnecting a diverse, growing array of Earth observing instruments and information systems for monitoring and forecasting changes in the global environment supports policymakers, resource managers, science researchers and other experts to support informed decision making for society 10-year implementation plan 2015: Global, Coordinated, Comprehensive and Sustained System of Observing Systems

GEOSS Implementation requires: Data Sharing Principles Full and Open Exchange of Data… –Recognizing Relevant International Instruments and National Policies and Legislation Data and Products at Minimum Time delay and Minimum Cost Free of Charge or Cost of Reproduction for Research and Education

GEOSS: A Global, Coordinated, Comprehensive and Sustained System of Observing Systems

© GEO Secretariat “…we will accelerate efforts within the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS),... in priority areas, inter alia, climate change and water resources management, by strengthening observation, prediction and data sharing.... capacity building for developing countries … interoperability and linkage …” G8-2008

To address the increased threats of natural disasters and extreme weather phenomena caused by climate change, such as increased flooding, storm surges, droughts and forest fires, we will act to improve risk preparedness, prevention, monitoring and response times, particularly in developing countries, by… … supporting the ongoing work on the development of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). G8-2009

© GEO Secretariat GEOSS Provides Coordinated Access to Information from Various Sources

Number Data products* year Earth Observation Systems Services 2011(Nov.) ,000,000+ 1,000 1, (Sept.) 90,909 1, ,000 1,000, ,000 10,000, ,000,000 *via CEOS CWIC client integration (CWIC:CEOS WGISS Integrated Catalogue) Data sets

African Participation in GEO Member Nations: Algeria Burkina Faso Cameroon Central African Republic Congo, Republic of the Egypt Ethiopia Gabon Ghana Guinea-Bissau Guinea, Republic of Ivory Coast Mali Mauritius Morocco Niger Nigeria South Africa Sudan Tunisia Uganda Participating Organizations: AARSE ACMAD EIS-Africa RCMRD UNECA

African Context… 2nd largest continent (~30.3 Mil km2) > 1,1 billion people (15% of total world population) –Population expected to reach 2 billion in nd driest continent Average life expectancy 46 yrs Key issues include: poverty, food insecurity, water scarcity, disasters, environmental degradation, climate change, peace and security Energy remains a big challenge

AfriGEOSS: objectives Coordinate and bring together relevant stakeholders, institutions and agencies across Africa that are involved in GEO and other Earth observation activities Provide a platform for countries to participate in GEO and to contribute to GEOSS Assist in knowledge sharing and global collaborations

AfriGEOSS: objectives Identify challenges, gaps and opportunities for African contributions to GEO and GEOSS Leverage existing capacities and planned assets and resources Develop an appropriate strategy and participatory model for achieving the above goals

AfriGEOSS: GEOSS for AFRICA GEONETCast, CBERS, SERVIR, Sand and Dust Storm Warning System, AEGOS, Wildland Fire Early Warning System, Puma, AMESD and GMES Africa, BIOTA, TIGER, SoDa, MERIT, African Protected Areas, ClimDev Africa, ChlorOGIN

Data Management Architecture GEOSS Strategic Targets particularly relevant to AfriGEOSS initiative Capacity Building

Priority Actions… Engage with regional agencies and training centres Coordinated satellite infrastructure pilot projects –Harmonize data acquisition strategy for Africa. –African Resources and Environmental Management Constellation (ARMC) –AfricaGeoSat-1 Project –African Monitoring of the Environment for Sustainable Development (AMESD) and Monitoring of Environment and Security in Africa (MESA)

Develop SBA pilot projects –Bio-Energy Atlas for Africa –GEO Forest Carbon Tracking (FCT) and Global Forest Observations Initiatives (GFOI) –The Meningitis Risk and Information Technology project (MERIT) –African Water Cycle Coordination Initiative Promote data democracy and data sharing Organise sessions on GEO and GEOSS at premier African conferences Organise regional workshops Priority Actions…

Water Before 2015, GEO aims to: Produce comprehensive sets of data and information products to support decision-making for efficient management of the world's water resources, based on coordinated, sustained observations of the water cycle on multiple scales.

WA-01 Integrated Water Information (incl. Floods and Droughts) Components: C1: Integrated Water-cycle Products and Services C2: Information Systems for Hydro-meteorological Extremes (incl. Floods and Droughts) C3: Information Service for Cold Regions C4: Global Water-Quality Products and Services C5: Information System Development and Capacity Building

Groundwater Runoff Altimetry

US National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) hosting global drought portal, bringing together: North American Drought Monitor Princeton University drought monitor for Africa European Drought Observatory China, Argentina, and Australia to join soon…

1st GEOSS African Water Cycle Symposium Tunis, 6-8 January participants from 16 countries 4 UN Agencies 2 Space Agencies 2 GEO Secretariat 12 from Africa 2 from Europe 1 form North America 1 from Asia

African Water Cycle Coordination Initiative: contributing to GEOSS convergence and harmonization convergence and harmonization observational activities & techniques observational activities & techniques interoperability arrangements interoperability arrangements effective and comprehensive data management effective and comprehensive data management under GEO framework 1 st African Water Cycle Symposium in Tunis

2 nd GEOSS African Water Cycle Symposium 60+ participants 21 African nations; North America / Europe / Asia 6 River Basin / Lake Authorities 6 space agencies + AARSE 4 UN agencies 5 Development agencies

2nd GEOSS African Water Cycle Symposium Reports on Trans-boundary River BasinsReports on Trans-boundary River Basins Addressing Water-related Issues in AfricaAddressing Water-related Issues in Africa Satellite Observations / numerical modelingSatellite Observations / numerical modeling Coordination with Development AgenciesCoordination with Development Agencies Breakout SessionsBreakout Sessions –Capacity building for individuals and institutions –Projects to demonstrate GEO Principles –Infrastructure for demonstrations and capacity building

Key challenges facing Africa in the water sector: lack of access to data and data sharinglack of access to data and data sharing lack of infrastructure for collecting and analyzing datalack of infrastructure for collecting and analyzing data lack of funding and resourceslack of funding and resources need for capacity building, enhancement of capabilities, and retention of expertiseneed for capacity building, enhancement of capabilities, and retention of expertise political buy-in and role of national government critical to success of any initiativepolitical buy-in and role of national government critical to success of any initiative  African Union encouraged to consider application for membership in GEO as a Participating Organization 2nd GEOSS African Water Cycle Symposium

73 participants 24 countries 8 River Basin Organizations The GEO-UNESCO River Basin Workshop Nairobi, Kenya, January, 2012

The GEO-UNESCO River Basin/IWRM Workshop Nairobi, Kenya, January 2012

3rd GEOSS African Water Cycle Symposium (Libreville, Gabon February 2012) RBO data needs survey Nile, Niger, Volta, Mjerda, Okavango confirm participation AMCOW Endorsement Libreville Statement Implementation of Water Cycle Integrator

Observation Integration Model Integration Data Integration & Analysis Cross-SBA/CoP Coordination Disaster/Health/Energy/Climate/Weather/Agriculture/Forest/Ecosystem/Biodiversity Sustained Education Framework Management System Integration Water Cycle Integrator Integrated & Coordinated Approach

Weather Prediction Models Water Cycle Integrator (WA01-C1, WP) In-situ Data Rainfall River Flow Soil Moisture Satellite MW Vis. IR Gravity Ground Water Seasonal Prediction Climate Prediction Evaluation & Bias Correction Water Quality Urban Water Model Loading Unit Agricultural Info. Famer’s Needs Channel Form Sedimentation Biodiversity Data In-situ Data Ground Elevation Sewage Water Cycle Model River Flow Evapo- transpiration Soil Moisture Ground Water IWRM Climate Change Adaptation Agriculture Support Material Cycle Model Crop Model Channel Analysis Index Organism Val. Urban Environment Conservation River Basin Management

Components: C1: Global Ocean Information Coordination and AccessC1: Global Ocean Information Coordination and Access C2: Operational Systems for Monitoring of Marine and Coastal EcosystemsC2: Operational Systems for Monitoring of Marine and Coastal Ecosystems C3: A Global Operational Ocean Forecasting NetworkC3: A Global Operational Ocean Forecasting Network C4: Applications of Earth Observations and Information to Sustainable Fishery and Aquaculture ManagementC4: Applications of Earth Observations and Information to Sustainable Fishery and Aquaculture Management SB-01 Oceans and Society: Blue Planet

© GEO Secretariat Mankind has become a Geophysical Parameter Geophysics has become a Political Issue … Earth Observations are needed to inform decisions

“The Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) is a coordinating and integrating network of Earth observing and information systems, contributed on a voluntary basis by Members and Participating Organizations of the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO).” To support informed decision making for society, including the implementation of international environmental treaty obligations.

Thank you! earthobservations.org