Transcript The GEOSS Initiative

The GEOSS Initiative
Codata workshop, September 2005
Dhesigen Naidoo
DST, South Africa
What is GEO
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It is an international partnership
initiative with a membership of 58
countries + EC and 43 international
organisations
Includes 29 developing countries
and 14 from Africa
Current co-chaired by South Africa,
United States, PR China and the
European Commission
Key Objective
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Develop a new comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable Global
Earth Observation System of
Systems (GEOSS) to support
decision-making for sustainable
development world-wide
Realisation of a Johannesburg Type
2 initiative
Key Objective
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“Strengthen cooperation and coordination
among global observing systems and
research programmes for integrated
global observations, taking into account
the need for building capacity and sharing
of data from ground-based observations,
satellite remote sensing and other
sources among all countries” para 119,
JPOI, WSSD,2002
Why a GEO
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Indian Ocean Tsunami, Katrina
and other natural disasters
Critical role in providing data and
information services
Will include all satellite, airborne,
terrestrial and water-based
observations of geophysical
parameters
Earth Observation applications
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Crop yeilds
Water and air quality
Weather forecasting
Climate change
Disease patterns – fauna, flora and
human
Disaster mitigation and
management
In 10 years weather forecasting has
developed equity in data utilisation
Improved forecasts
The Ten Year Implementation
Plan
Societal Benefit Areas
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Reducing loss of life and property from
natural and human induced disasters
Understanding environmental factors
affecting human health and well being
Improving management of energy
resources
Understanding, assessing, predicting,
mitigating and adapting to climate
variability and change
Improving water resource management
through better understanding of the
water cycle
Societal Benefit Areas
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Improving weather information,
forecasting and warning
Improving the management and
protection of terrestrial, coastal and
marine ecosystems
Supporting sustainable agriculture
and combating desertification
Understanding, monitoring and
conserving biodiversity
Meeting the Information challenges
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Accessibility
Availability
Inter-operability
Capacity
Beneficiation
http://earthobservations.org