Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Update - André Obregón GEO Secretariat GCOS AOPC Meeting Zurich, March 2015

Outline 1)Brief introduction to GEO 2)GEO Strategic Plan )Opportunities for GEO and GCOS How can GEO reinforce GCOS goals? Which opportunities lie ahead?

GEO Vision

Improve and coordinate observation systems globally Foster increased use of Earth observation data and information Provide access to data and information Advance broad open data policies/practices Build capacity GEO Objectives

Members

88 Participating Organizations

GEO X Plenary & Ministerial Geneva January 2014 We, the Ministers and Participants assembled at the GEO Ministerial Summit in Geneva, Switzerland, on 17 January 2014: … 1. Note that GEO has proven its capability to respond positively to calls for action from the international community of States and to address the challenges for which it was established; … 3. Resolve to continue the critical work … to expand further the availability of consistent and complete datasets with full and open access … to consolidate observing networks … to further develop GEO global initiatives and to continue to foster the engagement of GEO users, data providers and citizens

The GEO Strategic Plan

Three Action Areas with Strategic Objectives Strategic Objective 1: GEO will ADVOCATE the value of Earth observations as a vital means of achieving national and international objectives for a resilient society, and sustainably growing economies and a healthy environment worldwide. Strategic Objective 2: GEO will ENGAGE with stakeholder communities to address global and regional challenges by deepening the understanding of Earth system processes and improving the links between scientific understanding and policy- making. Strategic Objective 3: GEO will DELIVER data, information and knowledge enabling stakeholders to: improve their decision-making processes; promote the exchange of best practices; enable the uptake of new technologies; and create new economic opportunities, while reducing costs to public sector budgets through innovation and collaboration. Presented at GEO-XI

Revised set of Societal Benefit Areas

Climate a cross-cutting issue ! Energy and Natural Resources Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture Biodiversity and Ecosystem Conservation Water Resources Management Disaster ResilienceHealth Surveillance Urban Resilience Infrastructure and Transportation Management

New implementation mechanisms  GEO Work Plan Symposium 5-7 May 2015 Source: Draft GEO Strategic Plan v1.2

Opportunities for GEO and GCOS

GEO Flagships/ Initiatives Linkages between GEO/GEOSS and GCOS GEOSS: integrated, comprehensive and sustained system of systems GEO Flagships/Initiatives: Im plementation of global or regional activities targeted towards a common objective from several, coordinated contributions [Source: WMO/GCOS] “ GCOS serves as the climate observing component of GEOSS ”

Opportunities “Convening power of GEO” Communities representing the entire value chain convene at GEO Plenaries ( data providers, value-added providers and users, governments, POs, and eventually the private sector) GEO is making efforts to ensure higher-level participation in these meetings by engaging the foreign ministries.  This could give GCOS more visibility GEO´s role in advocating for improvement of observation systems (closing observational gaps etc.) Reinforcing the GCOS message of National GCOS Representatives to the GEO Principals Source: GCOS Programme Review 2014

Cold Regions Information (Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, USA, ICIMOD, WMO) Many Partners e.g. GCW, NSIDC, CrDAP, SAON, CryoClim, CCIN Arctic Monitoring Cryosphere Data Portal Third Pole Database Glacier Database Arctic Observing Summit Arctic Circle Assembly – Iceland Presidence

Carbon Assessments & Budgets (Australia, China, EC, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, NL, Norway, UK, USA, CEOS, ESA, GTOS, IGBP, WMO) 2014 Global Carbon Budget Global Carbon Atlas GEOCARBON Exchange Portal CEOS Strategy for Carbon Obs Integrated Global Greenhouse Gas Information System

Summary points GEO is focusing on: Leveraging existing systems Advocacy for national investments in both space and in situ networks Targeted gaps in observing systems International advocacy for broad open data sharing Opportunities GEO can reinforce GCOS goals, objectives and leadership to a broader community GEO intended to reach policy, ministerial levels GEO builds a framework for collaboration with other institutions outside current networks (e.g. GEO Cold Regions)

GEO-XII Plenary and Ministerial Summit 2015

Backup Slides

Current Assets More than 35 brokered data providers – capacities, systems, Communities... About 14 Million (2 Million GEOSS Data Core) potentially Discoverable and Accessible resources (mix of data collections, datasets and individual images)... Publish Contain [source: data providers] More than 75 Million (more than 50 Million GEOSS Data Core) potentially Discoverable and Accessible resources (e.g. satellite scene, raingauge record)...

Improved scientific understanding, modelling and prediction of climate Availability of ECVs needed by WCRP, IPCC, UNFCCC Accessibility of all the observational data needed for climate monitoring and services in support of adaptation to climate variability and change Global carbon observing and analysis system GEO Climate Targets Task CL-01 Climate Information for Adaptation

GEO Climate Task CL-01 Member or PO Implementing Entity Contact Name GCOS C. Richter CEOS NOAAJ. Bates ESA P. Lecomte EC EC FP7J-L. Brenguier EC EC-JRCM. Dowell Nigeria Dep. Geogr.F. Adesina Norway NRR. Solberg ECMWF J.-N. Thepaut EUMETSAT J. Schulz Germany DWDS. Rösner Japan JAMSTECA. Yamada Japan NICTS. Uratsuka Nigeria NASRDAM. Aderoju Norway IMRH. Wehde Component 2: Accelerated Implementation of the Global Climate Observing System PRIORITY ACTIONS: Support implementation of specific Actions of GCOS-IP to make available ECV datasets. Provide support to GCOS component systems: GOS, GAW, GOOS, GTOS, global hydrological networks & satellite systems. Establish actions securing provision of ECV data from satellite systems. Build upon international initiatives such as the ESA Climate Change Initiative. Support the GCOS programme in its assessment of progress and adequacy, and its development of a new IP, including review & refinement of list of ECVs ( ).