GEO and GEOSS… GEO is an Intergovernmental Group –60 Nations –European Commission –43 Participating Organizations With a Single Objective: GEOSS –To establish a global, coordinated, comprehensive and sustained system of Earth observing systems

Earth Observation Summit (EOS) I –July 31, 2003, Washington,DC –34 Countries and 20 International Organizations EOS II –April 25, 2004, Tokyo, Japan –47 Countries and 26 International Organizations EOS III –February 2005, Brussels –Nearly 60 Countries, EC and over 40 International Organizations EOS III EOS II EOS I

EARTH OBSERVATION SUMMIT III : RESOLUTION Adopted GEOSS 10-year Implementation Plan Endorsed the creation of a Secretariat Formally established the Group on Earth Observations (GEO)

EARTH OBSERVATION SUMMIT III : Prompted the creation of an international GEO Working Group on Tsunami Activities co-chaired by Thailand, Italy, and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Issued special communiqué promoting support for Tsunami and Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems

Tsunami Sources in the world (2180 events from 1628BC to 2005) Source: Kong (2005)

Tsunamis 1992 – 2004 : 14 destructive tsunamis 2,000 December 26, 2004 Sumatra Island M: 9.0 Indonesia Maximum run-up : 35 m Fatalities: 250,000 June 21, 2001 South Peru M: 8.3 Maximum run-up : 15 m Fatalities: 81 2,500 November 26, 1999 Vanuatu M: 7.5 Maximum run-up : 5 m Fatalities: >10 October 4, 1994 Kuriles M: 8.1 Maximum run-up : 5 m Fatalities: 8 Source: Kong (2005)

19 Countries & the EC Australia BelgiumCanada China Croatia FranceGermany Greece India IranItaly Japan Netherlands NorwaySwitzerland Thailand UK USUzbekistan Participants into the GEO Tsunami Working Group 17 Participating Organizations CEOSEEAESAIOC ESEASISCGMEUMETSAT ISDR EuroGeoSurveys POGO FDSN SICA/CCAD GOOS IAG IEEE UNITAR WMO

GEO Working Group on Tsunami Activities  Met on three occasions * 1 st Meeting 7-8 Sept 05 at IOC Paris * 2 nd Meeting 3-4 Nov 05 at WMO Geneva * Informal Meeting 23 Nov 05 at APAT Rome  Provided recommendations on * GEO’s Role * GEO Tasks for 2006

GEO’s Role…

Towards a multi-hazard multi-purpose approach

Moreover…  Act as a catalyzer, identify gaps, accelerate processes without interfering or duplicating efforts  Team-up directly with IOC on relevant issues  Facilitate the development of high-level stakeholders’ commitments  Involve users (cf. GEO User Interface Committee)  Help bridge in-situ, airborne and space communities  Help ensure sustainability of infrastructure and know-how

GEO’s Activities…

Proposed GEO Tasks for 2006…  Encourage in-situ and space agencies to (i) systematically record data over regions subject to tsunami risk and (ii) archive data in a user-friendly form easily accessible to all countries  Promote free and unrestricted exchange of all data relevant to tsunami early warning systems  Facilitate the production in coastal zones of high- resolution near-shore bathymetric maps, land use/ land cover maps, and digital elevation models

 Harmonize efforts towards the preparation of a “global tsunami hazard map” to support coastal zone monitoring and infrastructure planning & investment.  Promote the cooperation of national and international agencies towards a multi-hazard approach to coastal risk management  Explore possibilities for the development of an international charter on telecommunication systems and disasters Proposed GEO Tasks for 2006…

 Initiate and maintain a dialogue between GEO, the Board of the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters and relevant UN agencies to identify mechanisms for strengthening the scope and mandate of the Charter. Proposed GEO Tasks for 2006…

Following GEO-II, the Working Group on Tsunami Activities may extend its scope from Tsunamis to All-Hazards

In 2006, the Working Group on Tsunami Activities will contribute to GEOSS by helping: * Define lead entitie(s) for task implementation * Design detailed strategies * Coordinate and monitor implementation * Review international initiatives (e.g., UK proposal or UNOOSA/DMISCO) * Define GEO's position vis à vis new initiatives

The next meeting of the Working Group will take place on February 2006 in Geneva