© GEO Secretariat The Group on Earth Observations-GEO and its Global Earth Observation System of Systems-GEOSS Dr. Robert S. Chen, CODATA Secretary-General on behalf of the GEO Secretariat

© GEO Secretariat Satellite Observation Systems

© GEO Secretariat Evolution of annual-mean ECMWF forecast skill SH scores now reach NH scores Northern hemisphere Southern hemisphere Year

© GEO Secretariat Sea level observations (3 mm/an) Thermal Expansion (below 1.5 mm/an) (below 1.5 mm/an)

© GEO Secretariat Seismic Networks Argo Float Array Global In-situ Networks

© GEO Secretariat There is a Need for a System which Provides Access to all Earth Observation Data in Standard Interoperable Formats The Tower of Babel Problem! For Access to all Earth Observation Data Based on Existing Portals, Systems and Networks Designed to Increase Quality and Accessibility of Information Providing Tools Need for a Portal and Clearinghouse

© GEO Secretariat - Society needs informed decision-making - Earth is a complex System of Systems GEO will help to: - Improve and Coordinate Observation Systems - Encourage Easier & More Open Data Access - Foster Use of Earth observations (data & products) Why GEOSS? GEO is GLOBAL - (Rotating) Members of the GEO Executive Committee: –China, Japan, Thailand –European Commission, Germany, Italy –South Africa, Morocco –Russia –USA, Brazil, Honduras

© GEO Secretariat will Provide Systems Interoperability and Easier and More Open Data Access GEOSS Architecture Seven shortcoming as target areas for GEOSS: 1. Lack of access to data and associated benefits in the developing world 2. Eroding technical infrastructure 3. Large spatial and temporal gaps in specific data sets 4. Inadequate data integration and interoperability 5. Uncertainty over continuity of observations 6. Inadequate user involvement 7. Lack of relevant processing systems to transform data into useful information

© GEO Secretariat The Group on Earth Observations GEO as Intergovernmental Organization is formally established 10-Year Implementation Plan Endorsed GEO Secretariat established in Geneva the Group on Earth Observations is an Intergovernmental Organization with 66 Member Countries, the European Commission and 43 Participating Organizations One Objective: Establish a global, coordinated, comprehensive and sustained system of Earth observing systems, GEOSS Status GEO and GEOSS

© GEO Secretariat GEOSS A Global, Coordinated, Comprehensive and Sustained System of Earth Observing Systems

© GEO Secretariat GEO and GEOSS A Cross-cutting Approach Nine Societal Benefit Areas 1. Disasters – Reducing loss of life and property from natural and human-induced disasters 2. Health – Understanding environmental factors affecting human health and well being 3. Energy – Improving management of energy resources 4. Climate – Understanding, predicting, mitigating and adapting to climate variability and change 5. Water – Improving water resource management through better understanding of the water cycle 6. Weather – Improving weather information, forecasting and warning 7. Ecosystems – Improving the management and protection of terrestrial, coastal & marine resources 8. Agriculture – Supporting sustainable agriculture and combating desertification 9. Biodiversity – Understanding, monitoring, and conserving biodiversity

© GEO Secretariat Interoperability Arrangements “What few things must be the same so that everything else can be different?” Eliot Christian GEOSS Architecture Improve and Coordinate Observation Systems Provide Easier & More Open Data Access Foster Use through Science and Applications to answer Society’s need for informed decision making A User-driven Approach

© GEO Secretariat GEO will Foster the Implementation of Applications and Services (e.g., Forecasts)

© GEO Secretariat

SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE PREDICTS CHOLERA CASES BAY OF BENGAL Lobitz et al PNAS 97:1430

© GEO Secretariat GEOSS will Facilitate Integration of Space and In-situ Observations

© GEO Secretariat

U.S. IEOS GMES GEOSS Many Systems Contributing to GEOSS Monitoring for scientific, economic, & societal benefits Focus on policy needs –Society needs information & services—beyond data GEO is logical outlet –Countries –Institutions Draw from previous work –IGOS, CEOS, WMO, G3OS

© GEO Secretariat 2006 Highlights: Access and Efficient Use WMO WIS ESA DDS Contributors EUMETCast NASA EOS Others Coverage Areas (Proposed) GEONETCast

© GEO Secretariat For monitoring landcover change over time For detect the effects of specific vegetation stressors (insects, pathogens, water, and chemical) Other applications Global Vegetation and Land Cover Observations Produce a high-resolution global land-cover change data set and report, integrating existing data sets and reprocessing historic data: Image courtesy of NASA Planning: Highlights

© GEO Secretariat Hydrological Applications and Run – Off Network initial phase: upgrade and sustained maintenance of major global run-off stations monitoring continental freshwater fluxes into the world’s oceans 2 nd Phase: Combining hydro-meteorological and related in-situ components with satellite observations 3 rd Phase: Produce an implementation plan for a broad global water cycle data integration system that combines in-situ, satellite data and model outputs A project is proposed aiming to restore an existing Hydrological stations network The main purpose of the initiative is to improve and support the closure of the global water budget in line with objectives of WMO, IGWCO, GCOS and GEWEX and to support water resources management also in the context of food security HARON

© GEO Secretariat Proposed river discharge baseline network (GTN-R; 380 stations) HARON – Phase 1

© GEO Secretariat RIVER AND LAKE MASK OVER AFRICA Red indicates area where NRT products are currently generated Blue indicates area where products may be generated in the future.

© GEO Secretariat Prominent Example DA Sea Surface Temperature Mediterranean Sea in September 2005 The Medspiration project combines SST data measured independently by different satellites, including Envisat AATSR, into a set of products that represent the best measure of SST, presented in a form that can be assimilated into numerical ocean forecasting models.

© GEO Secretariat GEO - Data and Product Quality assurance One of GEO’s goals in building GEOSS is to initiate adherence to best practices and common protocols for in-situ and remotely sensed observations. In one of its Core Tasks (AR-07-02) a central Web- Portal is being developed, which shall provide entry for the community on a global level to above observations. In this context GEO aims at developing data sharing principles (DA-06-01) to provide the Earth Observation Community with full and open exchange of data, metadata and products to be available with minimum time delay and at minimum cost.

© GEO Secretariat GEO - Data and Product Quality assurance The GEO Task DA to develop a GEO data quality assurance strategy for space-based and in-situ observations should amongst others: –document Earth observation sensors and methods used to derive level 1, level 2 (geophysical) and higher level products –Define standards for quality assurance of derived products –Provide/publish reference methods in a readily accessible form and including pre-flight characterisation, vicarious calibration, radiative transfer computation, post-launch activities, calibration sites…etc. One of the core Tasks of GEO is to ensure the continuity of space- based observations (DA-07-03), where in different pilot cases Virtual Constellations of satellites are investigated to ensure data provision avoiding observation gaps and ensuring optimised spatial temporal and spectral properties of data available through GEOSS.

© GEO Secretariat The success of GEOSS will depend on data and information providers accepting and implementing a set of interoperability arrangements, including technical specifications for collecting, processing, storing, and disseminating shared data, metadata, and products.