Group on Earth Observation (GEO) Ice User Requirements M. Manore Canadian Ice Service

Background

• Earth Observation Summit – Washington, July 31, 2003  ministerial-level meeting   34 nations + other organizations

Ad-Hoc

Group on Earth Observation (GEO) formed • Goal  develop an international 10-year implementation plan for a system for “comprehensive, coordinated, sustained Earth observations” • • • • • space, aircraft,

in-situ

observations - System of Systems (GEOSS) based on user requirements build on existing systems international education and outreach free, open, and timely exchange of data with minimum of costs  Target – draft implementation plan – Spring 2005 • Draft Framework Document – Tokyo, April 2004

Structure

• International, voluntary, initially incoherent, panicked  Meetings for coordination • Baveno (Oct) • Cape Town (Feb) • Secretariat – U.S. lead with international participation • Working Groups - international co-chairs      International Cooperation Architecture User Requirements and Outreach Data Utilization Capacity Building

• • • • • • • • •

GEO Socio Economic Benefit Areas

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 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

Ice Requirements

• Currently included within marine parameters • Ice and marine requirements from existing inventories; e.g.

    WMO - weather, NWP WCRP - climate GOOS – physical oceanography CEOS Hazard Management – marine and ice hazards • consistent with ice operations requirements  bias towards open ocean scales, vs. operational • UR Working Groups still struggling  defining scope of themes  specific technical requirements, gap analysis to follow

Next Steps

• process for validation of requirements  request to Data, Information and Customer Support Committee to establish an action item • define role for IICWG   validate operational requirements

(clear mandate)

opportunity to exercise our experience and credibility within the GEO process, e.g.: • • • • support continuity of SAR define in-situ, airborne requirements promote and exercise open data exchange other?