1. *GEO in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals Stephen Briggs (CEOS Representative at GEO Programme Board and ExCom) GEO-XIII Plenary 9-10 November 2016 Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation *GEO = GEO Members, POs, GEOSec, WP elements, etc.

2. How can GEO Support Major Policy Drivers?
Concern of the Executive Committee: how can we ensure that the GEO Work Programme will deliver against major issues and policy drivers, including the commitments in the Mexico City Ministerial Declaration?
Answer: the primarily bottom-up approach to implementing GEOSS of the last 10 years should be complemented by a more strategic, top-down approach for the next 10 years.
Programme Board asked to support ExCom in ensuring that the content and structure of the GEO Work Programme should address major issues and drivers.
© GEO Secretariat

3. Mexico City Declaration
2. Affirm that GEO and its Earth observations and information will support the implementation of, inter alia, the 2030 Global Goals for Sustainable Development…
8. Call on GEO to launch a GEO initiative to leverage Earth observations to support the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the 2030 Global Goals for Sustainable Development, building on the recent success of GEO’s engagement with the United Nations on this issue.

5. Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
"We will promote transparent accountable scaling up of appropriate public-private cooperation to exploit the contribution to be made by a range of data including Earth observation and geospatial information...”
(paragraph 77)

6. GEOSS subgroup established by ExCom and Programme Board (July/Sept 2016)
Two-stage process instigated, using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as exemplar of a policy driven procedure:
(i) a rapid assessment (2016) of the capacity of the proposed GEO Work Programme to respond to the SDG Targets and Indicators (“bottom-up”).
(ii) a longer-term exercise (2017+) to look at a comprehensive capability of geospatial information to support the SDGs through ongoing and new actions in GEO (“top-down”), and define those needed.

7. GEOSS subgroup 2016 analysis:
Results of this (bottom-up) preliminary analysis is included in the presentation of the Programme Board to GEO-XIII Plenary, as a means for engaging GEO Members and Participating Organisations, but are summarised below.
Basis for a substantive discussion about how GEO may approach the implementation of the GEO Strategic Plan and the Mexico City Ministerial Declaration commitments.

8. Mapping Exercise results (i)
26 out of 31 Community Activities contribute to SDGs (8 identify specific targets), for example:

9. Mapping Exercise results (ii)
All 22 Initiatives contribute to SDGs (specific targets), for example

10. Mapping Exercise results (iii)
4 out of 4 Flagships contribute to SDGs

11. Responding to policy as demanded by ExCom:
The output of the (top-down) 2017 assessment will identify:
priority actions (either new activities or existing ones) and
associated required (additional) contributions to ensure success of the recommended priority activities.
The result of this work will:
enhance relevance, effectiveness and visibility of GEO’s activities
help to inform GEO’s engagement and strategic communications to stakeholders (see also Engagement Strategy)

12. LEST WE FORGET: GEO INITIATIVE GI-18 (DOCUMENT 15) COMPLEMENTARY
 Supports GEO in defining the indicators for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and providing support to countries in measuring, monitoring and achieving the SDGs.
Goals of GI-18
1) To engage with Member States, the UN Statistics Division and other partners in the development of the indicators supporting the SDG Goals and Targets to be approved by the UN Statistical Commission in March
2) Develop pilot projects in one or more GEO Member countries focused on integrating Earth observations with national statistical accounts to better measure, monitor and achieve the SDGs.
GEO Work Programme and GEO Initiative GI-18 on the SDGs
The following text is the description of GEO Initiative GI-18 in the proposed GEO Work Programme v3 (GEO Plenary XII Document 15, pp. 96/138).
GEO Initiative GI-18
GEOs role in defining the indicators for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and providing support to countries in measuring, monitoring and achieving the SDGs.
Overview
GEO’s existing strategic engagement with several key Member States and UN Agencies regarding the important role of Earth observations in measuring, monitoring and achieving the emerging Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provides a strong foundation to deepen GEO’s involvement and contributions in this critical and timely area.
Goals:
1) To engage with Member States, the UN Statistics Division and other partners in the development of the indicators supporting the SDG Goals and Targets to be approved by the UN Statistical Commission in March 2016.
2) Develop pilot projects in one or more GEO Member countries focused on integrating Earth observations with national statistical accounts to better measure, monitor and achieve the SDGs.

13. GEO supported events to raise awareness about roles of Earth obs and geospatial to support the SDGs:
Feb Side Event at UN Headquarters
April 2015 Briefing at UN Headquarters
GEO is an Anchor Partner and member of the Interim Steering Committee and Working Groups on Global Collaboratives, Data Principles and Protocols, and Data Architecture
Transforming our World: The 2030 Plan for Global Action - Article 76: We will promote transparent and accountable scaling-up of appropriate public-private cooperation to exploit the contribution to be made by a wide range of data, including Earth observation and geo-spatial information, while
ensuring national
ownership in
supporting and
tracking progress.
27 February, Side Event, UN Headquarters
Switzerland UN Mission/GEO/JAXA/UNSD
The Role of Earth Observations in Developing Indicators for
the Post-2015 Development Agenda: Starting a Dialogue
April 22, 2015 – Briefing, UN Headquarters
Denmark UN Mission/UNGGIM: Europe/GEO/UNSD
Unleashing the Power of ‘Where’ to Make the World a Better Place: How Geographic Information Contributes to Achieving the SDGs
GEO serves as Anchor Partner and is a member of the Interim Steering Committee and Working Groups on Global Collaboratives, Data Principles and Protocols, and Data Architecture

14. Earth Observations and Geospatial Information
Support to SDGs
Direct measures of some Indicators and indirect support to others.
Contribute to progress on the Targets, which will show up in the Indicators.

15. Global observations routinely provide early insights on anomalies in crop condition and aid food supply and production forecasts.
The Agricultural Market Information System includes monthly crop health estimates in the Market Monitor.
Target 2.4:
By 2030 ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production …
Target 2.c:
Adopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives, and facilitate timely access to market information, including on food reserves, in order to help limit extreme food price volatility.
Northern Hemisphere: August 2012 Crop Conditions
Credit:
GEOGLAM, Group on Earth Observations, Committee on Earth Observing Satellites
Chris Justice, Inbal Becker-Reshef, and Alyssa Whitcraft. University of Maryland
Michel Deshayes, GEO Secretariat
Note: GEOGLAM involves numerous countries and GEO participating organizations.
Crop NDVI Anomalies from average (13.Aug.2012)

16. Summary - Three activities:
Short term analysis based on existing Community Activities, Initiatives and Flagships, identifying where and how each activity may contribute to the overall SDGs. (completed).
Longer term analysis, employing more direct approach that addresses all targets and indicators systematically, to identify where EO and geospatial data can contribute to achieving the SDGs. End result: action plan to identify/define complementary WP tasks in relation to SDGs. ( ), and the necessary resources.
And: GEO Initiative EO in Service of the 2030 Agenda For Sustainable Development (GI-18) forms complementary tool in analysis as it explores methodologies and processes needed to support the SDGs within the UN system, and at the national level.
© GEO Secretariat

17. Conclusions
The initial mapping exercise demonstrates that the existing GEO WP provides significant support to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development via identifiable needs.
The issue for discussion before Plenary is to what extent support for major policy initiatives – SDGs et al - should drive prioritization of subsequent GEO Work Programmes – important change of approach by GEO community.
© GEO Secretariat

18. Спасибo ! Thank you !

19. Backup
Other examples of WP activities supporting SDGs

20. Coral Reef Watch
Ecosystem-Based Management of Tropical Coral Reef Environments
Target 14.2:
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration, to achieve healthy and productive oceans
Target 14.3:
Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
Sea Surface Temperature
Degree Heating Weeks
Bleaching Alert
Credit: Frank Muller-Karger and Mark Eakin
Source: US Department of Commerce / NOAA / NESDIS / STAR / Coral Reef Watch
Images acquired through
Source: NOAA/NESDIS

21. Air Quality: Particulate Matter
Based on Measurements from Space-based Sensors
Target 3.9:
By 2030 substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination
Source / Credit: Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at the Earth Institute, Columbia University
Image from materials published by SEDAC / CIESIN / Columbia
Citations
Battelle Memorial Institute, and Center for International Earth Science Information Network - CIESIN - Columbia University Global Annual Average PM2.5 Grids from MODIS and MISR Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD). Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). Accessed 21 April 2015.
de Sherbinin, A., M. Levy, E. Zell, S. Weber, and M. Jaiteh Using Satellite Data to Develop Environmental Indicators. Environmental Research Letters 9 (8):  
Target 11.6:
Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality, municipal and other waste mngmnt.
Source:
CIESIN
Global Annual Average PM2.5 Grids, 2010

22. Land Use and Land Cover Mapping
Borneo Island
Forest and land cover map featuring 18 classes
Images for slide provided by JAXA EORC (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Earth Observation Research Center)
Image acquired from ALOS PALSAR (Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar); acquired in 2007
Map available through CEOS Earth Observations Handbook produced by CEOS and ESA.
and
Source: JAXA EORC; CEOS EO Handbook. ALOS PALSAR image, 2007; Sarvision (NL)