1. 1 Global Earth Observation System of Systems Kathy Fontaine, NASA W/NV IEEE GRSS Greenbelt, MD November 1, 2006

2. 2 Topics Origins National effort Integration Near-Term Opportunities Architecture and Data Management

3. 3 Why GEOSS? GEOSS - Global System To Meet Societal Needs –No one organization or country can provide comprehensive capacity –An integrated international system using remote sensing & in situ systems –Foundation for sound decision-making: global, regional, & local level Social, Economic, & Science Concerns –More than half the world’s population lives within 60 km of the shoreline, & this could rise to 3/4 by the year 2020 –More than 90% of natural disaster-related deaths occur in developing countries –25% of Earth’s biological productivity & an estimated 80-90% of global commercial fish catch is concentrated in coastal zones –Worldwide agricultural benefits of better El Niño forecasts are conservatively estimated at $450-$550M/year Basis For Sustainable Development

4. 4 Adoption of Declaration July 31, 2003 Washington, D.C. 34 Nations 20 International Organizations Earth Observation Summit I

5. 5 Adoption of GEOSS Framework April 25, 2004 Tokyo, Japan 43 Nations 25 International Organizations

6. 6 Adoption of Implementation Plan February 16, 2005 Brussels, Belgium 60 Nations 32 International Organizations Earth Observation Summit III

7. 7 GEO Today – 66 Countries + EC... Algeria Argentina Australia Bahrain Belgium Belize Brazil Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chile China Congo, Republic of the Croatia Cyprus Kazakhstan Korea, Republic of Latvia Luxembourg Malaysia Mali Mauritius Mexico Moldova Morocco Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Niger Nigeria Norway Paraguay Philippines Portugal Denmark Egypt European Commission Finland France Germany Greece Guinea-Bissau Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Ireland Israel Italy Japan Russian Federation Slovakia Slovenia South Africa Spain Sudan Sweden Switzerland Thailand Tunisia Uganda Ukraine United Kingdom United States Uzbekistan

8. 8...and 43 Participating Organizations AARSE: African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment ADIE: Association for the Development of Environmental Information APN: Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research CEOS: Committee on Earth Observation Satellites ECMWF: European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts EEA: European Environmental Agency ESA: European Space Agency ESEAS: European Sea Level Service EUMETNET: Network of European Meteorological Services/Composite Observing System EUMETSAT: European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites EuroGeoSurveys: The Association of the Geological Surveys of the European Union FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FDSN: Federation of Digital Broad-Band Seismograph Networks GCOS: Global Climate Observing System GSDI: Global Spatial Data Infrastructure GOOS: Global Ocean Observing System GTOS: Global Terrestrial Observing System IAG: International Association of Geodesy ICSU: International Council for Science IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers IGBP: International Geosphere-Biosphere Program IGFA: International Group of Funding Agencies for Global Change Research IGOS-P: Integrated Global Observing Strategy Partnership IISL: International Institute for Space Law INCOSE: International Council on Systems Engineering IO3C: International Ozone Commission IOC: Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission ISCGM: International Steering Committee for Global Mapping ISDR: International Strategy for Disaster Reduction ISPRS: International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing OGC: Open Geospatial Consortium POGO: Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean SICA/CCAD: Central American Commission for the Environment and Development SOPAC: South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission UNCBD: United Nations Convention on Biodiversity UNEP: United Nations Environment Programme UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNFCCC: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNITAR: United Nations Institute for Training and Research UNOOSA: United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs UNU-EHS: United Nations University, Institute for Environment and Human Security WCRP: World Climate Research Programme WMO: World Meteorological Organization

9. 9 GEO Organization Coordination GEO Plenary Executive Committee Director Management and Coordination Team Work Plan Team Expert Communities Advice & Recommendations Coordination & Facilitation Leadership Oversight Implementation Guidance Guidance and Participation GEO Secretariat Standing Committees Inputs Dialogue Capacity Building & Outreach Architecture & Data Science & Technology User Interface Tsunami Working Group

10. 10 GEO Organization Architecture and Data Committee –The Architecture and Data Committee supports GEO in all architecture and data management aspects of the design, coordination, and implementation of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) for comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained Earth observations. Capacity Building Committee –The Capacity Building Committee supports GEO in strengthening the capability of all countries, in particular developing countries, to use Earth observation data and products in a sustainable manner and to contribute observations and systems to GEOSS. Science and Technology Committee –The Science and Technology Committee engages the scientific and technological communities in the development, implementation and use of a sustained GEOSS in order to ensure that GEO has access to sound scientific and technological advice. User Interface Committee –The User Interface Committee engages users in the nine societal benefit areas in the development, implementation, and use of a sustained GEOSS that provides the data and information required by user groups on national, regional and global scales. The User Interface Committee has a specific goal to address cross-cutting issues by coordinating user communities of practice, ensuring continuity and avoiding duplication. Working Group on Tsunami Activities –The Working Group on Tsunami Activities supports the coordinating activities of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and other national, regional, and international initiatives to realize effective warning and mitigation systems for natural hazards, as an integral part of a multi-hazard approach supported by GEOSS.

11. 11 Natural & Human Induced Disasters Human Health & Well-Being Energy Resources Climate Variability & Change Water Resources Weather Information, Forecasting & Warning Ecosystems Sustainable Agriculture & Desertification Oceans Societal Benefit Areas

12. 12 What is GEOSS? GEOSS will be a system of systems that is comprehensive, by including observations and products gathered from all components required to serve the needs of participating members; coordinated, in terms of leveraging resources of individual contributing members to accomplish this system, whose total capacity is greater than the sum of its parts; and sustained, by the collective and individual will and capacity of participating members.

13. 13 GEO Work Plan First version in 2006 –96 tasks to be completed in 2006 Second version in 2007 –Still 96 tasks, some combined from last year –Covers 2007 – 2009 –Plan to be accepted formally in November in Bonn, Germany.

14. 14 US Response - USGEO “ …to develop and begin implementation of the U.S. framework and 10 year plan for an integrated, comprehensive Earth observation system to answer environmental and societal needs, –including a U.S. assessment of current observational capabilities, –evaluation of requirements to sustain and evolve these capabilities considering both remote and in situ instruments, –assessment of how to integrate current observational capabilities across scales, and –evaluation and addressing of data gaps” “…to formulate the U.S. position and input to the international ad hoc Group of Earth Observations (GEO) as formed at the Earth Observation Summit on July 31, 2003.”

15. 15 National Context National Science and Technology Council Environment & Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on Global Change Research Ecological Systems Subcommittee Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction Subcommittee on Water Availability & Quality Air Quality Research Subcommittee Toxics & Risk Assessment Subcommittee Subcommittee on Oceans (also reports to Committee on Science) US Group on Earth Observations (USGEO) Subcommittee on Health and the Environment (also reports to Committee on Science and Commission on Homeland and National Security Biodiversity and Ecosystem Informatics Working Group Interagency Working Group on Endocrine Disruptors Interagency Working Group on Mercury The US GEO Comprises Federal Representatives from 15 Member Agencies and three White House Offices Science Committee Homeland & National Security Committee Technology Committee

16. 16 USGEO Structure USGEO Science & Technology Capacity Building & Outreach User InterfaceArchitecture & Data Mgmt. Executive Committee Co-chairs Executive Secretary Working Group Leaders Planning and Integration Disaster Global Land Sea LevelDroughtAir Quality USGEO Working Groups NTO Task Forces June 9, 2005

17. 17 Strategic Plan Improve Weather Forecasting Reduce Loss of Life and Property from Disasters Protect and Monitor Our Ocean Resources Understand, Assess, Predict, Mitigate, and Adapt to Climate Variability and Change Support Sustainable Agriculture and Combat Land Degradation Understand the Effect of Environmental Factors on Human Health and Well-Being Develop the Capacity to Make Ecological Forecasts Protect and Monitor Water Resources Monitor and Manage Energy Resources

18. 18 Emphasis on Integration Planning, Policy, and Management Integration –Interagency –Intergovernmental Societal/Applications (Issue Specific) Integration –9 societal benefit areas –Observation systems, Earth system models, Decision support systems Scientific Integration –Disciplines (atmosphere, solid earth, et. al.) –Earth system processes (weather, climate, et. al.) –Physical domains (land, oceans, et. al.) Technical/Systems Integration –Architecture –Standards and interoperability –Intra-system integration (satellite, airborne, surface)

19. 19 Planning, Policy, and Management U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing Space Policy: Civil Agency Implementation Plan December 12, 2003 Implementation Plan Working Group (IPWG)

20. 20 Societal Benefits Integration of systems … into solutions … for applications of national and international priority.

21. 21 The dynamic Earth is a complex system of systems. Science

22. 22 Technical and Systems

23. 23 IEOS Near Term Opportunities A.Data Management System for Earth Observations B.Improved Observations for Disaster Warnings C.Global Land Observation System D.Sea Level Observation System E.National Integrated Drought Information System F.Air Quality Assessment and Forecast System

24. 24 Results and Benefits Rapid, timely integration of data, products and predictive models among systems helps first responders. Leveraged data management activities across all Federal Agencies improves accountability and efficiencies. Ease of use of data between and among Agencies advances regional and global understanding. Increased efficiency needed to handle the exponential increase in data volumes that will occur over the next decade. Increased opportunities for interdisciplinary work.

25. 25 From a Regional View To a Global Analysis US IEOS Integrated Earth Observation System Vision: Enable a healthy public, economy, and planet through an integrated, comprehensive, and sustained Earth observation system.

26. 26 Goals Enable increased interoperability across existing data management systems Identify and address integration gaps in data management systems Utilize community standards for data and metadata Enable integrated measurements, data, products, and predictive models Examine the need for future data management requirements Starting with Near Term Opportunities and expanding to all IEOS data management systems, Architecture & Data Management seeks to:

27. 27 Near-Term Opportunities Drought Air Quality Disaster Monitoring

28. 28 Key Architecture and Data Management Challenges System of systems reference architecture Interoperability Standards Technology Discovery, search, access Disciplines and platforms Policies Participation!

29. 29 Final Thought The vision for GEOSS and IEOS is to realize a future wherein decisions and actions for the benefit of humankind are informed via coordinated, comprehensive and sustained Earth observations and information.

30. 30 Questions? http://earthobservations.org ftp://ftp.wmo.int/Projects/GEO/ http://usgeo.gov