1. © GEO Secretariat Agenda Item 3. GEO UPDATE

2. © GEO Secretariat Membership 67 members and 43 Participating Organisations – New Members:Latvia, Moldova, Uganda and Bahrain –New PO: DIVERSITAS, CGMS (Coordinating Group for Meteorological Satellites) and IHO (International Hydrographic Organisation) –Observers: Electronic Geophysical Year (eGY); General Bathymatric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) and SysTems for Analysis, Research and Training (START).

3. © GEO Secretariat 2006 Progress Capacity Building Strategy Outreach strategy Development of main elements of Architecture Strong involvement of users still required but progress made in SBAs Cordination with GCOS on climate and CEOS on Space GEONETCAST Continued need to ensure and demonstrate GEO added value.

4. © GEO Secretariat User Interface 2007 year of the User in GEO Co-chairs are currently preparing a draft document detailing strategic direction of the work of the UIC for 2007. The UIC will be setting priorities for action this year, particularly in the context the Ministerial. Main Issue: Role of the UIC in the gathering user requirements for the GEOSS, and the role of the committee in providing a user interface to the GEO workplan tasks. 2 meetings planned to discuss and finalize these issues, one UIC teleconference on 22/2/2007 and a full UIC meeting on 2-3/4/2007. Discussions had begun between the Secretariat and IGOS-P, to explore a new and enhanced role within GEO. Some CP established

5. © GEO Secretariat Science and Technology Preparing a science and technology Plan

6. © GEO Secretariat Architecture and Data Focussed on Development policies and principles for interoperable SOS Progress on several core architecture and data elements: process for GEOSS interoperability arrangement, component linking, component registration, clearinghouse, webportal. 2007 focus: –GEOSS components commitment, –Webportal and clearinghouse –Virtual Constellations, –Sensor Web Enablement for In-Situ observing network facilitation, –Higher Level Data Product Tools, –Data Integration and Analysis System, –DEM interoperability, –Global Land Cover, –Global Geodetic Reference Frames,

7. © GEO Secretariat 2007 Work plan Five Streams of GEOSS –Establishing basic arrangements and policies to build the system of systems –Contribute new components and improve existing components of GEOSS –Produce coordinated observation methodlogies –Making new data sets available –Engaging with Communities to improve/enhance/increase use of EO 3 year living plan with an update once a year 72 tasks

8. © GEO Secretariat

9. Near Term successes & Ministerial Non exhaustive draft list of near term successes presented to plenaryNon exhaustive draft list of near term successes presented to plenary Priorities need to be identified Draft document outlining process leading up to ministerial being prepared –Two main documents need to be drafted: Report on Progress and a Communiqué –4 task teams established (Documentation preparation, Demonstrations Coordination, Communication, logistics –Overall coordination and strategic guidance by executive; –Secretariat to provide support to task forces

10. © GEO Secretariat

11. Architecture and Data Focussed on Development policies and principles for interoperable SOS Progress on several core architecture and data elements: process for GEOSS interoperability arrangement, component linking, component registration, clearinghouse, webportal. 2007 focus: –Global Geodetic Reference Frames, to ensure the availability of accurate, homogenous, long-term, stable, global geodetic reference frames as a mandatory framework and the metrological basis for Earth observation. –GEOSS components commitment, to establish a process for GEO Members and Participating Organizations to commit component systems to GEOSS, and advocate specific initial commitments of contributed systems and other components. –DEM interoperability, to facilitate interoperability among Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data sets with the goal of producing a global, coordinated and integrated DEM.

12. © GEO Secretariat Work plan Summary –Global Land Cover, Utilizing global and regional high-resolution land cover datasets and earlier 1-km resolution land cover data sets, implement production of a high-resolution global land-cover change dataset and report. –Virtual Constellations, to advocate rapid development of the CEOS Constellations Concept. Observations from a virtual constellation would provide better temporal, spatial, and spectral resolution and related data management and dissemination. –Sensor Web Enablement for In-Situ observing network facilitation, to develop scenarios or use cases that demonstrate the value of Sensor Webs to the GEOSS SBAs. –Higher Level Data Product Tools, to develop tools enabling the establishment of higher-level data products (level-3/4) from either virtual constellations and/or Sensor Webs, thus yielding frequent information update through enhanced coverage, as well as the production of higher product level time series and global maps. –Data Integration and Analysis System, to coordinate data management approaches that encompass a broad perspective of the observation data life cycle, from input through processing, achieving, and dissemination, including reprocessing, analysis and visualization of large volumes and diverse type of data.