Synthesis of Breakout Sessions Conclusions, Recommendations, Actions

B1: Environmental Sustainability & Poverty Key theme: to explore links between the two Wealth measures must include the social and environmental aspects: Inclusive Wealth Index How can GEO, focused on natural capital, help? Spatial Poverty Assessment: what is required to support a Human Observing System? Poverty degree and hot spots can be mapped, demographic data are available, gaps exist in migration data, integration and interoperability

B1: Environmental Sustainability & Poverty Taking ecosystems into account in post-disaster reconstruction is always a “no regrets” solution Geospatial data are a very useful component Do poverty indices account for local variations; for example, pockets of poverty within wealth

B2: Biodiversity GEO has helped bring the community together Needs to mobilise national support for GEOBON Challenges remain in data sharing and standards Science community/Space Agency challenge: EBV and the global observing system to measure them Social Science challenge: socio-economic data to match these EBVs and observations e.g. On drivers

B4: Food and Water Security Water security part of global security framework Aspects include diverse uses plus drought, flood Food security cannot be seen separate to water Inequality of assess increasing; climate change Solutions: shared forum for Water, energy, food More use of EO, integration of space and in-situ, tools to support decision makers...

B5: Health Health SBA took a lot of effort to get going but is now very active, as is Health & Envirnment CoP Tracking pollutants and tools for decision makers Large networks exist outside GEO; what can GEO bring to them and their partners bring to GEO..? 4 out of 8 MDGs health-related; least progress is made in areas affected by disasters and conflict Challenges in observation, health data collection and methods to deal with non-systematic samples Potential link from GEO to telemedicine community

B6: Science-Policy Interface Science has different roles; it can drive policy, or it can be used to test the success or failure of policy Communication is critical, it needs keeping alive to foster co-production of policy, with pull component We need capacity building in how to use science knowledge in policy (evidence-based management) Different expertise, the right technologies, needed What partnerships does GEO need to develop..?

Common threads Socio-economic data important – but where from? Linkages – e.g. water and food, science and policy  Shared fora, partnerships, better communication Observations – important and need improving Essential Variables – spreading to others areas Improved tools for decision makers – training Interoperability & Standards – still many gaps  Given this, people still asked “What’s GEO’s role?”