Documents
GEO RESOURCES
Publications
Key documents
Summit documents
2015 Mexico City Summit
2014 Geneva Summit
2010 Beijing Summit
2007 Cape Town Summit
2003-2005 EOS Summits
Plenary documents
Oct 2017 GEO-XIV Plenary
Nov 2016 GEO-XIII Plenary
Nov 2015 GEO-XII Plenary
Nov 2014 GEO-XI Plenary
Jan 2014 GEO-X Plenary
Nov 2012 GEO-IX Plenary
Nov 2011 GEO-VIII Plenary
Nov 2010 GEO-VII Plenary
Nov 2009 GEO-VI Plenary
Nov 2008 GEO-V Plenary
Nov 2007 GEO-IV Plenary
Nov 2006 GEO-III Plenary
Dec 2005 GEO-II Plenary
May 2005 GEO-I Plenary
Ad Hoc GEO (2003-2005)
GEO NEWSLETTER
August 2018
May 2018
February 2018
November 2017
September 2017
April 2017
December 2016
July 2016
April 2016
February 2016
October 2015
June 2015
March 2015

Key documents 2016 - 2025

Archived reference documents 2005-2015

see also GEOSS Information page

Publications

GEO Highlights 2018: Impact Focused, Result Driven (2018)

The GEO Highlights report showcases some exemplary efforts the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) community has made over the past year transforming Earth observations into knowledge and tools for sustainable development.

 

Download this publication here

 

 

Stocktaking Overview of the Global Agricultural Monitoring initiative (2018)

This publication presents the progress made by the Global Agricultural Monitoring Initiative (GEOGLAM) since its 2011 inception until February 2018.

A GEO Flagship Initiative, GEOGLAM increases market transparency and improve food security by producing and disseminating relevant, timely, and actionable information on agricultural conditions and outlooks on production at national, regional, and global scales.

Download this publication here

 

 

GEO Highlights 2016-2017: Insight for a Changing World

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is a truly unique partnership of national governments and international organizations aimed at ensuring that the information about our planet necessary to address global challenges is available to all. With over 100 government Members plus the European Commission, and over 100 Participating Organizations, GEO is a confirmation of the willingness to share Earth observation data for the benefit of humankind.

Download the report here

 

 

2017 AfriGEOSS brochure

AfriGEOSS is helping identify user needs, tools using Earth observations as well as increasing capacity and supporting data infrastructures, for a healthy environment for all. AfriGEOSS is strengthening the African Space Policy and Strategy to advance the uptake and use of Earth observations for decision-making in Africa through the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) to ensure we deliver the information required to support policy and effective decision making.

Download the brochure here

 

 

Earth observations and geospatial information: supporting official statistics in monitoring and achieving the 2030 agenda (April 2017)

The Global Indicator Framework captures the interlinked, multifaceted and ambitious aspirations for the continued development of nations and societies. Effective reporting of progress toward these Indicators requires the use of multiple types of data, what we have in hand - traditional national accounts, household surveys and routine administrative data – as well as new sources of data, namely Earth observations, geospatial information, citizen science, and Big Data.

Read details in this four pager flyer.

 

 

EO Supports Sustainable Development (March 2017)

GEO convenes effective partnerships for societal benefit through use of free and open Earth observation (EO) data. The GEO Initiative ‘Earth Observations in Service of the 2030 Agenda’, together with the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) have issued a new report to highlight case studies of how EO responds to sustainable development, whether for health, disaster risk reduction or environmental protection.

Read related article here

 

 

GEO 4 page flyer (February 2017)

No one country has the resources needed to collect the Earth observations data required for addressing the major global environmental issues of today. A global system of systems approach leverages the existing infrastructures used for Earth observations. This approach both fosters the continuity of observations and improves access to data, information, and services.

GEO is an Intergovernmental Organization working to improve the availability, access and use of Earth observations. Our vision for the future is a world where decisions and actions are enhanced by coordinated, comprehensive and sustained Earth observations and information, for the benefit of society.

 

 

The Value of Open Data Sharing (November 2015)

The Members and Participating Organizations of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) make their Earth observation and environmental data available through the GEO Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS) portal. The preferred approach of the organization is to provide open access and unrestricted use to those data through the GEOSS Data-CORE (Collection of Open Resources for Everyone). This approach has not been adopted by all the GEO participants, despite the call for even greater openness that is promoted by the revised GEO Data Sharing Principles for next decade.

The report was produced by CODATA specifically at the request of the GEO Secretariat in order to summarise arguments in favour of broad and open data sharing.

Ad Hoc GEO documents

Sixth Plenary Session of the Ad Hoc GEO (GEO-6)
14-15 February 2005, Brussels, Belgium
 
 

Presentations
 
Fifth Plenary Session of the Ad Hoc GEO (GEO-5)
29-30 November 2004, Ottawa, Canada
 
  • GEO-5 Summary
 

Presentations
  • Administrative Presentation
  • GEO-4 Summary
  • Draft GEOSS 10-Year Implementation Plan and Status Report on Reference Document
  • World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Proposal to Host GEO Secretariat
  • IGOS-P Input for the GEOSS 10-Year Implementation Plan
  • Transition Planning
  • Arrangements for GEO-6 and EO Summit III
 

Official Statements
  • “Watching the Globe Globally,” Statement by the Honourable Stéphane Dion, M.P., P.C, Minister of the Environment, Canada
  • Statement of the Honourable R. John Efford, P.C., M.P., Minister of Natural Resources, Canada
  • POGO Statement - Brest Communiqué Adopted by POGO at their Sixth Meeting at Brest, France (30 November 2004)
 
GEO Special Session on Governance
27-28 September 2004, Brussels, Belgium
 

Presentations
  • New Members and Interested Organizations
  • Governance in the 10-Year Implementation Plan
  • Previous Activities on GEO Governance
  • Analysis of Comments on Governance of GEOSS
  • Report of Resources Group Discussion
  • GEO Host Responsibilities
  • Possible Guidance Text for Consideration by the IPTT in Drafting the Governance Section of the GEOSS 10-Year Implementation Plan
  • Arrangements for GEO-5
  • Arrangements for GEO-6 and Third EO Summit
 

Official Statements
  • IGOS-P Statement: Value of the IGOS Partnership and its Themes for the GEO Implementation Process
  • Statement by Ambassador Raimundo Gonzalez, Chile
  • Suggestion on GEO Structure, China Delegation
 
Fourth Plenary Session of the Ad Hoc GEO (GEO-4)
22-23 April 2004, Tokyo, Japan
 
 
Third Plenary Session of the Ad Hoc GEO (GEO-3)
25-27 February 2004, Cape Town, South Africa
 
 
Second Plenary Session of the Ad Hoc GEO (GEO-2)
28-29 November, 2003, Baveno, Italy
 
 
First Plenary Session of the Ad Hoc GEO (GEO-1)
1-2 August 2003, Washington, D.C., USA
 

2014 Geneva Summit documents (17 January 2014)

Statements

2010 Beijing Summit documents (5 November 2010)

Statements

2007 Cape Town Summit documents (30 November 2007)

Statements

EOS Summits documents

Third Earth Observation Summit (EOS III)
16 February 2005, Brussels, Belgium

(visit the EOS III website for more information)
 
Second Earth Observation Summit (EOS II)
25 April 2004, Tokyo, Japan

(visit the EOS II website for more information)
 
First Earth Observation Summit (EOS I)
31 July 2003, Washington, DC, USA
 
Eleventh Plenary Session of GEO (GEO-XI) - 13-14 November 2014 • Geneva, Switzerland
 

Final Documents

 

GEO-XI presentations:

Statements by Member Countries and Participating Organizations:
Tenth Plenary Session of GEO (GEO-X) - 15-16 January 2014 • Geneva, Switzerland
 

Final Documents

 

GEO-X presentations:

Statements by Member Countries and Participating Organizations:

Geneva Ministerial Summit outcomes

Can be found here.
Ninth Plenary Session of GEO (GEO-IX) - 22-23 November 2012 • Foz do Iguacu, Brazil
 

Final Documents
Eight Plenary Session of GEO (GEO-VIII) - 16-17 November 2011 • Istanbul, Turkey
 

Documents
Seventh Plenary Session of GEO (GEO-VII) - 3-4 November 2010 • Beijing, China
 

Documents

 Presentations
Sixth Plenary Session of GEO (GEO-VI) - 17-18 November 2009 • Washington DC, United States
 

 Final Documents

 Presentations
Fifth Plenary Session of GEO (GEO-V) - 19-20 November 2008 • Bucharest, Romania
 

 Final Documents
Fourth Plenary Session of GEO (GEO-IV) - 28-29 November 2007 • Cape Town, South Africa
 

 Final Documents
Third Plenary Session of GEO (GEO-III) - 28-29 November 2006 • Bonn, Germany
 

 Final Documents
Second Plenary Session of GEO (GEO-II) - 14-15 December 2005 • Geneva, Switzerland
 

 Final Documents
First Plenary Session of the GEO (GEO-I) - 3-4 May 2005, Geneva, Switzerland
 

 Summary as adopted

 Agenda

 Presentations
 
News Update
JUNE 2015
Congratulations and welcome. Zimbabwe becomes the 98th member of GEO
UPCOMING
MEETINGS
EARSeL symposium, accompanied by Temporal Analysis and Coastal Zone workshops, Stockholm, Sweden
15 - 19 June
Webinar: Wetlands, biological diversity and the role of Earth observations
18 June
Our Common Future Under Climate Change Conference, Paris, France
7 July - 10 July
Trusted data services to support climate change research, Paris, France
6 July 9am-2pm
Science and the Road to Transformation: Opportunities in the post-2015 global climate regime, Paris, France
6 July 2pm-5pm
International Summer Programme: Sustainable Water Management in an era of big data, University of Tokyo
27 July - 7 August
The 8th GEOSS Asia-Pacific Symposium: Towards the Next Decade of GEOSS in the Asia-Pacific Region, Beijing, China
9 - 11 September
Research Data Alliance Plenary and Climate Change Data Challenge, Paris
23 - 25 September
UNGA high-level plenary Summit to adopt the post-2015 development agenda
25 - 27 September
ISDE 2015: "Towards a One-World Vision for the Blue Planet" Halifax, Canada
5 - 9 October
Earth Observation Open Science 2.0, Esrin, Frascati, Italy
12 - 14 October
Hackathon, Esrin, Frascati, Italy
15 - 16 October
Arctic Circle Assembly, Reykjavik, Iceland
16 - 18 October
GEO-XII and 2015 Mexico City Ministerial Summit
9 - 13 November
Latin America Geospatial Forum, Mexico
10 - 12 November
GEO-XII Plenary & Mexico City Ministerial Summit
 
GEO short video competition
Filmmakers make a three minute video on how GEO and Earth observations are helping address global and regional challenges. Three finalists will be screened during the Mexico City Ministerial Summit. Competition closes end September.
 
Organize a Side Event at GEO-XII Plenary
Last call for meeting rooms available 9-12 November for Side Events at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Hilton Reforma (free of charge).
 
Register for a booth at the GEO Exhibition together with LAGF
A GEO Exhibition booth is a great way to showcase achievements to inform decision making. Due to the fact that the Latin America Geospatial Forum is held at the same time in the same venue, this GEO Exhibition has a larger audience than ever before.
 
Policy Connections
 
World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction confirms important role of Earth Observations
The Global Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-30 listed development of Earth Observation and its information infrastructure as a priority.
 
GEO supports 'Our Common Future Under Climate Change' side events in Paris, pre-COP21
Our Common Future Under Climate Change, a four-day International Scientific Conference ahead of the 21st UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris will feature two side events on 6 July supported by GEO and hosted by the International Council for Science (ICSU):
 
 
Integrating Arctic research, Tomayama Conference Statement
Scientists, policy makers and indigenous peoples coordinated plans to better understand and plan for changes in the Arctic environment at the Arctic Science Summit Week in Toyama, Japan in April.
 
Open Data
 
174 million resources and counting
GEOSS now has more than 174 million resources discoverable on its Portal thanks to interoperability arrangements with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (Switzerland), ESA Federated Earth Observation Pilot (European Commission) Chile Geoportal, Geoscience Australia, the National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information in France and Digital Globe (US). Click here for the latest GEOSS brokered capacities report.
 
Open data policy endorsed at quadrennial WMO Congress
The WMO Congress adopted a new policy for International Exchange of Climate Data and Products to Support the Implementation of the GFCS, recognizing the value of GFCS data and products being made accessible on a free and unrestricted basis. Anew Secretary General was elected; Petteri Taalasfrom Finland was elected to a four-year term starting 1 January 2016. He will succeedMichel Jarraud.
 
World Elevation Data free of charge
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will begin publishing elevation sets with a resolution of 30 meters horizontally. First areas are South and South East Asia, expanding to global coverage.
 
Landsat data just got better
The USGS has improved processing of Landsat data including balancing lighting variance due to time of day or season, improving data consistency and comparability so it is easier to use.
 
Putting Data to Use
 
Global Atlas for renewable energy launches pocket-sized tool
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) announces the launch of an app available for smartphones which allows users to plan for renewable energy products and help realize global renewable energy potentials. The app accesses the IRENA Global Atlas data catalogue which is part of the energy community portal Webservice-energy.org developed by MINES ParisTech offering services for the GEO energy community and has been enabled for interoperability through GEOSS.
 
Copernicus Masters University Challenge
Students and research associates are invited to submit creative ideas on using Earth observation to meet market needs. The University Challenge is supported by GEO. Along with a EUR 1,000 cash prize, winners will receive a consulting package to develop their business case at an ESA Business Incubation Center, satellite data quota and will present the winning service at the GEO-XII Plenary meeting.
 
Smartphone app competition winners
Smartphone apps using open or crowd-generated data on dark skies, non-native species, allergies and natural hazards are some of the competition winners selected for European Commision funding, for release at GEO-XII in November.
 
GEOs capacity building resource portal doubles
The number of resources such as training material, best practices and marketing tool kits registered on the GEOCAB portal have doubled since its launch at the GEO-XI plenary in November 2014.
 
Addressing the challenges of Big Data
The engineers building the GEO System of Systems describe how Big Data will impact the digital tools infrastructure in a recent paper published in Science Direct.
 
Country-Level Engagement
 
Strengthening Senegal's Agriculture policy
Senegal's Ministry of Agriculture has been collecting data since 1984 and is now improving data and analysis, consolidating data and creating a model to improve yield forecasting.
 
GEOs partners respond to Nepal Earthquake
Satellite and in-situ data are provided by participating organizations for an event supersite in response to the magnitude 7.9 Earthquake and subsequent shocks and earthquakes.
 
Multiple satellite eyes to track algal threat to U.S. Freshwater
A $3.6 million research project has NASA, NOAA, EPA and USGS collaborating to analyse ocean color satellite data for early warning on algal blooms in freshwater systems, and public health advisories.
 
Building Knowledge and Capacity
 
Africa Rising: Mobilising Biodiversity Data for Sustainable Development
Participants from 18 African countries as well as international organizations including GEO BON and GBIF attended the event organized by the South Africa National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and made a joint statement referencing the importance of Earth observations for biodiversity.
 
Workshop on Capacity Building and Developing Countries in Post-2015 GEO
A one-day GEO workshop brought together participants for capacity-building on EO including those running programmes for education and producers of data and software tools.
 
GEO Water Quality Summit in Geneva
GEOs Coastal and Inland Water Quality Working Group summit set out the requirements for water quality observing system components and developed a plan to implement an integrated, global water quality monitoring and forecasting service.
 
Even small risks can lead to global disasters
The GEO Community of Practice on Geohazards has produced a community science position paper on the often overlooked impact of low-probability high-impact geohazards, with support from ESF.
 
GEO in the Media
 
World Environment Day, 2015, #WEF2015
GEO Secretariat Barbara Ryan, along with Leonardo DiCaprio and Bertrand Piccard, joined the UNEP campaign Seven billion dreams. One planet. Consume with Care stating:
"We dream of a world in which policy makers have easy access to Earth observations for sound decision- making. We pledge to advocate for broad, open data sharing so that all GEO information resources will advance the goals of Eye on Earth worldwide."
 
Integrating Earth Observations into political decision making
Q&A with Barbara Ryan in the GANT project's CONNECT Magazine on the challenges of building GEOSS and the future of the System of Systems for Earth observation.
 
 
CONTACT
STAY CONNECTED
 

RECENT GEO ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

African Ministers for Meteorology Voice Support for GEO/AfriGEOSS

The Third Session of the African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET-3) recently adopted a Declaration expressing strong support for the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and AfriGEOSS. The Ministers noted GEO and welcomed the initiation of a partnership between AMCOMET and AfriGEOSS, and encouraged proactive engagement between AfriGEOSS and National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) to advance programmes and activities at the national level. The Ministers encouraged African Member States that are not currently Members of GEO. (Click here to read the full Declaration)

 

GEO-UN Organizations Note Value of Collaboration in Implementing Post-2015 Development Agenda

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Implementation Plan Working Group (IPWG) recently hosted a meeting of representatives of UN Organizations, Specialized Agencies, Programmes and Conventions to discuss how to strengthen the engagement of GEO with the United Nations. The overall objective was to reaffirm the value and improve the use of Earth observations in UN processes, with a special focus on the post-2015 development agenda. The participants agreed that complementarities and synergies between the UN and GEO should be nurtured with the objective of increasing the quality, availability and use of Earth observation data and information for sustainable development. The Summary document and related information is available here.

 

GEO Starts a Dialogue on Integrating Earth Observations with National Statistical Accounts to Monitor Attainment of post-2015 Development Goals

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO), in collaboration with the UN Statistical Division, Japanese Space Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Government of Switzerland co-hosted a Side Event, "The Role of Earth Observations in Developing Indicators for the Post-2015 Development Agenda: Starting a Dialogue", during the 46th UN Statistical Commission Friday Seminar at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on February 27th. The Side Event was designed to start a dialogue with National Statistical Agencies on the role of Earth observations in monitoring and achieving the post-2015 development goals.

 

Implementation Plan Working Group Continues to Develop New GEO Strategic Plan

The GEO Implementation Working Group (IPWG) continues to develop the new GEO Strategic Plan 2016-2025: Implementing GEOSS. The IPWG held its 4th and 5th sessions in Washington, DC (December 2014) and Geneva, Switzerland (February 2015), both of which were preceded by stakeholder engagement sessions. More information on the IPWG's activities is available here.

 

World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) / Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction

GEO through, its Members and Participating Organizations, has been deeply engaged in the preparations leading up to the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) to be held in Sendai, Japan on 14-18 March, 2015. The draft Framework includes language recognizing that Earth observations have a clear role in Disaster Risk Reduction. In addition, GEO has been working with a group of global partners to develop a framework for the integration of Earth observation technologies into Disaster Risk Reduction.

 

MEMBERS AND PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

Ecuador and Vietnam Join the Group on Earth Observations

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is pleased to welcome the Republic of Ecuador (96th) and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (97th) as its newest Members. Congratulations and welcome!

 

UPCOMING MEETINGS

33rd Session of GEO Executive Committee to Convene 19-20 March 2015

The 33rd session of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Executive Committee will convene on 19-20 March 2015, in Geneva, Switzerland.

 

GEO-XII Plenary and 2015 Mexico Ministerial Summit - 11-13 November in Mexico City

The GEO-XII Plenary and 2015 Mexico Ministerial Summit will be held in Mexico City, Mexico on 11-13 November 2015. The 2015 Mexico Ministerial will occur on Friday, 13 November at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mexico City. The GEO-XII Plenary will convene on Wednesday-Thursday - 11- 12 November and will be preceded by two days of GEO Board meetings and Side Events (9-10 November). The Plenary, which will also feature an Exhibition, is being held concurrently with the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM)-Americas regional meeting and the Latin American Geospatial Forum (LAGF). Detailed information about all of these events will be made available in the next several weeks.

 

GEOSS Science and Technology Stakeholder Workshop

The 3rd and 4th GEOSS Science and Technology Stakeholder Workshops will be held in Norfolk, VA, USA from 23 to 26 March 2015. More information can be found here.

 

GEO Water Quality Summit, Geneva - Switzerland

The GEO Water Quality Summit will be held at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) building from 20 to 22 April in Geneva, Switzerland. The goal of the Summit is to define specific requirements of the water quality observing system components and develop a plan to implement an integrated, global end-to-end water quality monitoring and forecasting system

Draft agenda • Registration • Geneva logistics info • Invitation letter

 

Workshop on Capacity Building and Developing Countries in GEO Post-2015, 4 May 2015, Geneva, Switzerland

Meeting notice • Registration

 

GEO OPPORTUNITIES

Short-term (7 months) Communications Manager position.

 
News Update
OCTOBER 2015
GEO has 100 Members! Congratulations and welcome to Somalia and Kenya who become the 99th and 100th Member of GEO respectively.
GEO is named in the G7 Science Ministers Communiqué. In the Ministers summary of main action points of the meeting held in Berlin, 8 and 9 October, the following language was included:

"We recognise that the sharing of Earth observation data and information will strengthen science, knowledge, and decision-making in the areas discussed today and in others. We intend to continue to work together through the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO) to enable policy makers to better address these environmental, health, and socio-economic challenges."
UPCOMING
MEETINGS
Call for papers is open for the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) XXIII Congress in Prague from 1219 July, 2016. Deadline for papers (double blind reviewed) - 30 November 2015; Deadline for abstracts (reviewed by Chairs) - 13 December 2015
ESA is organizing the first Hackathon on open-source toolboxes for Sentinel missions, 12-14 October, in ESRIN, Frascati, Italy, following the community consultation meeting on Earth Observation Open Science 2.0
The Future of the Commons: Data, Software and Beyond, 18 November 2015, Washington DC
Geography2050: Exploring our Future in an Urbanized World, 19-20 November 2015
2nd International Conference on Geographical Information Systems Theory, Applications and Management (GISTAM) 26-27 April 2016, Rome, Italy; paper submissions by October 30th 2015
Nominations for the IASC Medal Award 2016 International Arctic Science Committee Medals are awarded in recognition of exceptional and sustained contributions to the understanding of the Arctic. Nominations for the IASC Medal 2016 can be submitted to the IASC Secretariat until 31 December 2015
Geospatial World Forum May 23-26, 2016, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Call for papers and workshops is open
GEO BON Open Science Conference, July 49 2016, Leipzig, Pre-register now
Mexico City Ministerial Summit and GEO-XII Plenary
 
The Group on Earth Observations Ministerial Summit 2015 will take place on 13 November 2015 in Mexico City, hosted by the Government of Mexico, with invitations to Ministers from GEOs 100 Members and High Level representatives from the 87 Participating Organizations.
Side Events at GEO-XII Plenary Click here for a complete list of the Side Events. Please register in advance! Open sessions include:
 
Selected Side Events:
 
Regional relevance
 
AmeriGEOSS Town Hall, Monday 9 November from 6:30pm to 8pm, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 
Copernicus and Latin America, Tuesday 10 November from 5pm to 7pm at the Hilton
 
AfriGEOSS, Tuesday 10 November from 2pm to 6pm at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 
AmeriGEOSS Presentations, Tuesday 10 November from 9am to 1pm, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 
Access to Data & Knowledge and New Technologies
 
Workshop from Data to Knowledge, Tuesday 10 November, from 2pm to 4pm at the Hilton
 
Citizen GEOSS, Tuesday 10 November from 9am to 1pm, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 
Benefits of Data Sharing (with Reception), Tuesday 10 November from 2pm to 6pm at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 
GEO Global Initiatives
 
Land Cover: Harmonized Pathways Towards Policy Needs, Monday 9 November from 2pm to 6pm at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 
 
 
The GEO Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI) Progress and Plans, Tuesday 10 November, from 9am to 1pm at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 
GEO Water Strategy Implementation, Tuesday 10 November, from 11am to 1pm at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 
GEOGLAM Side Event, Tuesday 10 November, from 2pm to 6pm at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 
Latin America Geospatial Forum, sponsored by Geospatial Media: Strengthening Geospatial Collaboration for Sustainable Growth.
 
Member News and Earth Observations
 
President of Gabon opens AGEOS
The new center for the Gabonese Agency for Study of Earth Observation (AGEOS) was inaugurated on Saturday 29 August.
 
China launches four Earth observation satellites
The satellites will provide photographs to commercial clients while helping with harvest assessment, geological disaster prevention and resource surveys.
 
China-Brazil Earth observation satellite operational
The CBERS_04 Earth observation satellite is the fourth to be developed by China and Brazil in a cooperation agreement signed in 1988. It became operational on 13 July following its launch on 7 December.
 
Himawari-8 geostationary meteorological satellite managed by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) began operation on 7 July capturing Earth images over the Western Pacific region for use in weather analysis, and contributing to prevention and mitigation of disasters.
 
WMO report on Satellites for Climate Services
The report shows uptake of Earth observation data in decision making processes through the Societal Benefit Areas of GEO and materials presented demonstrate the benefits of Earth observations.
 
The status of topographic mapping in the world
The results of a survey of UN-wide, large scale mapping at 1:25,000 by UN-GGIM and ISPRS.
 
Sustainable Development Goals
 
The 193 Member United Nations General Assembly formally adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development along with a set of 17 Global Goals on 25 September.
 
Earth observation language is included in the final SDG outcome document
Paragraph 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 geospatial information, while ensuring national ownership in supporting and tracking progress.
 
Data in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda
At the Financing for Development Conference, held in Addis Ababa in July 2015, Paragraphs 125-128 emphasize the importance of data to achieve sustainable development, stating “Data access is not enough we need to ensure access to tools to turn data into useful, actionable information.”
 
Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs)
Established by the UN Statistical Commission, the IAEG is developing an indicator framework for the monitoring of the proposed Sustainable Development Goals and their Targets. It comprises national statistical offices in open consultation with countries, regional and international agencies, civil society, academia and the private sector. GEO has raised the importance of integrating Earth observations with national statistics to better measure and monitor the SDGs to the IAEG , which is due to submit its recommended indicators to the Statistical Commission on 30 November.
 
The Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD)
GEO has joined the newly formed, Global Partnership as an Anchor Partner, along with eight Governments (all GEO members: Colombia, France, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Senegal, UK and US). Created as an outgrowth of the UN SDG development process, the Partnership will strengthen country data-ecosystems, fill critical data gaps, improve data literacy and capacity, increase data openness, sharing and leveraging, mobilize and align resources and reinforce and catalyze principles and protocols.
The GPSDD is composed of Private Sector Partners, International Agencies (including three GEO Participating Organizations: the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the UN Economic Commission for Asia and the Pacific and FAO), as well as Statistics/Data/Research Organizations, Civil Society and Foundations.
 
US Department of State Fact Sheet on the Partnership mentioning GEO
 
The Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) report on the role of geospatial information in the Sustainable Development Goals was issued following a meeting in New York on 4 August.
 
Eye on Earth Second Summit Abu Dhabi
 
Eye on Earth Alliance Partner GEO co-sponsors Eye on Earth Summit 2015
The Group on Earth Observations recently joined global experts in science, policy-making, research and technology at the Eye on Earth Summit to address complex issues around data-sharing and informed decision-making for sustainable development. Dr Philemon Mjwara, GEO Co-chair from South Africa delivered an address and participated on a Panel discussing data supply issues.
 
Eye on Earth Jason Silva video
 
Open Data
 
Research data sharing without barriers RDA Plenary
GEO Secretariat Director Barbara Ryan delivered a keynote address at the RDA Plenary in Paris on 23 September highlighting how brokering methodologies are essential for discovering and accessing Earth observations and how broad, open data policies are good for national economies.
 
Climate Change
 
Our Common Future Under Climate Change
GEO participated in the International Scientific Conference held at UNESCO Headquarters in July, the largest science forum in advance of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP21) to occur in December in Paris. The GEO Secretariat participated in a Side Event hosted by the International Council for Science (ICSU): Science and the Road to Transformation: Opportunities in the Post-2015 Global Climate Regime. GEO has endorsed the Conference Outcome Statement to be published and distributed during COP21. Read the article and watch the video.
 
GEO joined hydrology and development experts in a session Lets talk about water at the science, technology and innovation event at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in September in Paris.
 
Learn more about the climate component of GEOSS in the ESA Climate Change Initiative (CCI) Special Issue
 
Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP)
The YOPP Summit was held at WMO in July with outcomes agreed upon by the Summit Planning Group, including the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS).
 
GEO Community News
 
Tribute to Len Hirsch
A pioneering force and essential member of the US team that helped establish GEO in 2005, Len Hirsch passed away in June. He will be greatly missed by the GEO community.
 
GEO BON presents new generation of biodiversity indicators
Technical experts from the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) met in Geneva in September to present a new generation of indicators integrating Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs).
 
9th GEO European Projects Workshop in Copenhagen 15 16 June
The event was held during the design phase of the new GEO Strategic Plan 2016 2025 to build momentum and coherence in Europe around plans for the next decade.
 
8th GEOSS AP Symposium proceedings
220 participants from 27 countries attended the GEOSS Asia-Pacific Symposium held in Beijing in September.
 
The GEO Task Oceans and Society: Blue Planet held its second Symposium in Cairns, Australia, from 27 to 29 May 2015. The program included presentations, posters, discussion and workshop sessions focussing on the six Blue Planet Components.
 
International Symposium on Digital Earth
The International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE) Symposium theme “towards a one-world vision for the blue planet”.
 
SERVIR global network exchange
Best practices shared by the SERVIR community, a joint initiative of NASA and USAID.
 
CEOS 2015 Strategic Implementation Team Technical Workshop
EUMETSAT hosted the 2015 Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Strategic Implementation Team (SIT) session in Darmstadt, Germany.
 
European Earth Observation Networks (ENEON)
A first workshop was held in September at MINES ParisTech addressed the needs for coordination and collaboration on the detection of gaps and redundancies in the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).
 
Global High Frequency Radar Meeting
The GEO Global HF meeting coincided with the Seventh Session of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Regional Alliances.
 
GeoBuiz Summit
Pre-conference on 9 August featured a wide variety of speakers, including Secretariat Director Barbara Ryan. See two video interviews: video 1 and video 2
 
GEOs Scientific and Technical Officer, Wenbo Chu, elected to RDA Technical Advisory Board
The Research Data Alliances Technical Advisory Board provides technical expertise and advice to the Council, assists in developing and reviewing RDA Working Groups and is responsible for the development, maintenance and evolution of the RDA Technical Strategy. Congratulations Wenbo!
 
ICIMOD awarded Humanitarian GIS Award
GEO Participating Organization, The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, was awarded at the Esri International User Conference in July.
 
GEO in the Media
 
Nature: Environmental science: Agree on biodiversity metrics to track from space
GEO BONs Gary Geller joins colleagues to propose collaboration on a global biodiversity monitoring strategy.
 
Earthzine highlights knowledge-sharing on the Ocean Color Change Initiative
Planktonologists working with GEO's Blue Planet Oceans initiative have produced the first complete piece of research on seasonal changes to microscopic life forms in the Red Sea. The findings can be used to assess oxygen generation and carbon retention and have been shared with the wider scientific community through the ESA learning platform Learn EO!
 
The Next frontier in agriculture science: Sentinel-2
Agriculture is a key remote sensing application with high temporal and spatial requirements such as GEOGLAM, as outlined in Fruitworld.
 
 
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GEO-XII Plenary Documents, Statements & Presentations

 

Documents

 

Press release - Mexico City, 13 November, 2015: GEO Commits to unleash the power of open data to address global challenges

 

Statements by Member Countries and Participating Organizations:

A combination of all GEO-XII statements can be downloaded here for quick searches on a specific topic

Presentations

Presentations can be downloaded from here

 

Mexico City Ministerial Summit Documents

 

Documents

 

Photos taken by Kiara Worth (IISD Reporting Services)
Co-Chairs of the Mexico City Ministerial Summit

 

Opening Remarks by Carlos Moedas - Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, European Commission

Opening Remarks and Closing Remarks of GEO Co-Chair Cao Jianlin, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology, People's Republic of China

 

Press release - Mexico City, 13 November, 2015: GEO Commits to unleash the power of open data to address global challenges

 

Statements by Member Countries and Participating Organizations:

 
News Update
FEBRUARY 2016

GEO has 102 Members!

 

Congratulations and welcome to Uruguay as the 101st GEO Member and to The United Arab Emirates as the 102nd GEO Member.
UPCOMING
MEETINGS
February 1 2 TIGER workshop 2016: Looking after Water for Sustainable Development, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Bringing together the African communities for water resources management and Earth Observations to discuss the launch of the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 missions, the publication of the open-source Water Observation Information System and approval of the 6th Sustainable Development Goal for Water and Sanitation
February 2- 3, GEO Programme Board, Geneva
February 10 12, GIM International Summit Update a closer link between societys needs and geospatial solutions.
March 1 3 Research Data Alliance 7th Plenary, Tokyo, Japan. A working meeting that brings together data scientists, librarians, computer and domain scientists, policy makers and strategists.
March 2 4, Global Climate Observation: the Road to the Future, GCOS Open Science Conference, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. First event of its kind. Registration by 15 February.
March 8 9 GEO Executive Committee Meeting, Geneva, Switzerland.
March 10, Data to Decisions: valuing the societal benefits of geospatial information, Paris, France, organizing committee GEOValue community, in collaboration with OECD, NASA and USGS. Registration closes Feb 8.
March 16 17, InterMET Asia 2016 conference, Singapore. Featuring expert sessions dedicated to specific weather affected areas.
See all meetings here
GEO Programme Board
 
The Programme Board, held in Geneva, Switzerland, 2 - 3 February 2016, has elected three Co-Chairs:
  • John Matuszak, Senior Policy Advisor - U.S. Department of State (US);
  • Tim Haigh, Manager - Information Resources, European Environment Agency (EEA);
  • Pengde Li, Deputy Director-General, National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation (China)
For the first time, Participating Organizations elected as Observers to the Executive Committee are CEOS, GOOS and WMO
 
GEO-XII Plenary and Ministerial Summit
 
The intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO) held its twelfth Plenary session and fourth Ministerial Summit in Mexico City from 11 to 13 November 2015 with commitments to share data on Earth observations at a time of exponential data growth, human development and climate change. Read more...
 
Participating Organizations gain prominence in GEO through new arrangements that enable them to play a larger role in the next decade of GEO.
 
 
 
 
The Value of Open Data Sharing white paper prepared for the GEO Plenary by the ICSU Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) shows how shared Earth Observation data brings a multitude of environmental and economic benefits.
 
GEO and UN-GGIM organized a Land Cover Side Event focusing on harmonized pathways towards policy needs. Data providers and users of land cover data attended and key outcomes, background material and all presentations can be accessed at the event website.
 
GEO-XII Side Event on AfriGEOSS highlighted the importance of collaboration in Africa in order to use Earth observations to address societal needs. Participants highlighted projects and initiatives they are undertaking.
 
COP-21 Paris Agreement
 
195 Member states signed up to the Paris Agreement on climate change adopted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP) on Saturday 12 December. It will be open for one year for signature on 22 April 2016 -Mother Earth Day.
 
GEO is referenced in the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice SBSTA document circulated prior to COP-21, see paragraphs 8, 19 and 30.
 
GEO Members, Participating Organizations and the GEO Secretariat participated in various aspects of COP-21 including:
 
GEO Secretariat Director Barbara Ryan participated in a round table discussion hosted by the U.S. White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Climate Services a Global Public Good: Transboundary Collaboration, Science and Data innovation.
 
Director Ryan was also a panelist in a session hosted by the Nordic members with the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) titled Trust but Verify towards a comprehensive Global Observation, Information and Verification System on Greenhouse Gases.
 
 
 
UNFCCC: The Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), partnered by the World Bank; WMO and UNISDR came together to launch the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Initiative - to mobilize $100m by 2020 in a trust fund.
 
UNFCCC: Launch of the UNFCCC Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) Engagement Platform.
 
CEOS: New Climate Chapter for CEOS Database. Content links to existing comprehensive information on Missions, Instruments and Measurements of CEOS agency EO mission and includes information on Essential Climate Variables (ECVs).
 
CEOS: CEOS Earth Observation Handbook. The CEOS Earth Observation Handbook presents the main capabilities of satellite Earth observations, their applications and a systematic overview of present and planned CEOS agency Earth observation satellite missions and their instruments.
 
 
ICSU and CODATA: "Open Data in a Big Data World" the publication authored by four organizations led by CODATA/ICSU includes guiding principles on open access to big data.
 
ICSU: The International Council for Science and Climate Change, 60 years of facilitating climate change research and informing policy. Highlighting the scientific communitys contributions to the development of climate science and ICSUs role in facilitating collaboration to inform policy. GEO has a one-page description and is referenced for its coordinating role with GCOS.
 
UNEP: The Adaptation Gap 2014 complementary to the annual Emissions Gap report. Assessment of the gap bringing emissions down to the levels required by 2020.
 
WMO: The Global Carbon Budget 2015, said that Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels and industry increased by 0.6% in 2014, with a total of about 9.8 Gigatonnes of carbon emitted to the atmosphere. This is 60% above emissions in 1990, the Kyoto Protocol reference year.
 
WMO: Satellites for Climate Services, Case Studies for establishing an architecture for climate monitoring from space published by WMO and the European Commission Joint Research Center. Case studies from around the world show satellites can provide a critical baseline for many climate services.
 
Sustainable Development Goals
 
GEO has committed to undertake a significant new initiative to integrate Earth observations and geospatial information in the design and implementation of national processes to measure and monitor progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The focus will be on GEO creating collaborations between the national GEO community and the National Statistical Officers in individual countries to maximize the potential contributions of Earth observations and geospatial information to their efforts to measure progress toward the specific indicators. The final decision on the number, type and formulation of the indicators in the final proposal of the set of global indicators will be taken by the IAEG-SDG Members. The UN Statistical Commission will review the proposal and submit it to ECOSOC and UN General Assembly for adoption.
 
GEO is working closely with the UN Statistics Division and the UN Global Geospatial Management Initiative (UN GGIM) to develop this dialogue on a global basis, beginning with a session on "Geospatial Information and Earth Observations: Supporting Official Statistics in Monitoring the SDGs", to be held during the 47th Annual Meeting of the UN Statistical Commission on 7 March 2016.
 
Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data
 
GEO continues to contribute to the GPSDD initiative through the participation of the following community members:
 
Interim Steering Committee: Barbara Ryan, GEO Secretariat Director; John Matuszak, USGEO;
Data Principles and Policies: Catherine Doldirina, European Commission (co-facilitator); Simon Hodson, CODATA
Data Collaboratives: William Sonntag, USGEO
Architecture: Stefano Nativi, Italy
 
GEO news from Members and Participating Organizations
 
 
China: an International Symposium on Earth Observation for the Silk Road, organized by the International Society for Digital Earth in China highlights the use of EO technology for the Belt and Road Initiative.
 
European Commission: Sentinel-2 data has been opened online.
 
Mexico: Dr. Julio A. Santaell-Castell was appointed President of INEGI by its Governing Board and the President of Mexico, Enrique Pea Nieto.
 
South Africa: Science Forum South Africa (SFSA) Science Diplomacy Awards Committee awarded GEO with the SFSA Science Diplomacy Award in the category recognizing "an international science partnership which has made an outstanding contribution to advancing global sustainable development".
 
United States: USGEO Programs new draft Common Framework for Earth Observation Data clearly makes reference to GEO Data Management Principles.
 
United States: Department of the Interior launches new, interactive web tool to show effects of 16-Year drought in the Colorado River Basin, following the White House Roundtable on Water Innovation.
 
US and EU: Jason-3, a U.S.-European satellite mission, was successfully launched on 17 January to track the rate of global sea-level rise and forecast the strength of tropical cyclones.
 
Belmont Forum: the Belmont Forum has for the first time adopted an Open Data Policy and Principles. GEO is mentioned as a partner in the implementation of the e-infrastructure initiative.
 
GCOS: released its report Status of the Global Observing System for Climate (GCOS-195) which was submitted to the 43rd session of the SBSTA, at COP-21. The report can be downloaded here.
 
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) closed at the end of 2015 after almost three decades of coordinating international research on global change. Its work is continued by activities in Future Earth, a Participating Organization in GEO.
 
ITU: at the World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) held in Geneva from 2 to 27 November 2015, a the GEO community need to preserve the 5350-5470 MHz frequency range, which is of high importance to the Copernicus Sentinel-series satellites and other Earth observation (EO) missions of GEO Members were incorporated into the WMO position. The use of this radio frequency band was not modified.
 
POGO: featured in Science magazines article New sensors promise better picture of world ocean health.
 
UNECE: GEO contributed to a Task Force on the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in Geneva on December 10.
 
 
Publications
 
The Remote Sensing Handbook (CRC Press) is three volumes with contributions from 300 leading global experts. The handbook is a reference for remote sensing students, professors, scientists, professionals practitioners and experts. The technical handbook includes up-to-date examples of successful projects and case studies, and explains in detail, state-of-the-art space-borne, air-borne and ground-based remote-sensing systems.
 
Spatial Data Infrastructures in Africa: A Gap Analysis, coauthored by UNEP, UNIGE, UNECE and GEO Secretariat (Journal of Environmental Informatics).
 
Climate Change and Satellites, Knowledge for action, see article by Barbara Ryan and Andre Obregon, GEO Secretariat p.170 (Thales Alenia Space).
 
GEO in the news GEO-XII Plenary and Mexico City Ministerial Summit
 
 
Live coverage of GEO-XII, Earthzine, including the following: • "Environmental intelligence starts with our ability to take the pulse of the planet" NOAA Administrator and GEO Co-chair Kathryn Sullivan and • "Science is fundamental to every decision we make" Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell
 
 
 
 
 
 
Making a case for open data, p.7 OpEd, Geospatial World, December 2015 by Prof Arup Dasgupta
 
GEO in other news
 
COPs Half full, Geospatial World November, p52 article quotes GEO Secretariat Director Barbara Ryan
 
Down to Earth With: GEO Secretariat Director Barbara Ryan, Earth Magazine, 18 December, Barbara Ryan interviewed by Terri Cook on her career and on GEO
 
Group Pushes for Using Earth observations in Decision Making, EOS magazine, 29 December Barbara Ryan interviewed by Randy Showstack, at the American Geophysical Union.
 
The GEOSS Portal is featured in the Geneva Data Portal, a collection of information managed by the United Nations agencies, International Organizations and NGOs based in Geneva.
 
NASA spinoffs: Bringing space tech to Earth, GCN magazine, 7 January, citing GEOGLAM and the Rice Decision Support System.
 
 
 
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News Update
APRIL 2016

Welcome aboard!

 

The 36th Session of the GEO Executive Committee welcomed new organizations to GEO:
European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC), Joint Board of Geospatial Information Societies (JBGIS), Mountain Research Initiative (MRI); as well as the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) as an Observer. See also EARSC is now a GEO Participating Organization!
UPCOMING
MEETINGS
April 17 22, European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2016, Vienna, Austria.
April 20 22 Fourth High Level Forum on United Nations Global Geospatial Information, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
April 26 27, 2nd International Conference on Geographical Information Systems Theory, Applications and Management (GISTAM), Rome, Italy.
April 26 27, GeoBuiz Summit, Maryland, US.
April 27 29 AfriGEOSS Symposium, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
May 2 4 GIS for users of EO for decision making, Geneva, Switzerland.
May 2 - 4, GEO Work Programme Symposium, Geneva, Switzerland.
May 4 Open Data driving Sustainable Development for business, government, civil society, Cape Town, South Africa.
May 9 13 ESA Living Planet Symposium, Prague, Czech Republic.
May 16 17 International Symposium on Earth Observation for one belt and one road, Beijing, China.
May 23 26 Geospatial World Forum, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
May 23 27 Sustainable Innovation Expo at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), Nairobi, Kenya.
May 25 26, International Symposium and Workshop on Impact of Geospatial Information on Society and Economy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
May 26 27, 42nd G7 summit, GEO targeting Science Ministers and Heads of State communiqu.
May 30 June 3, Fourth edition of European Space Solutions, The Hague, The Netherlands.
May 31 June 2nd 9th GEO European Projects Workshop (GEPW), Berlin, Germany.
See all meetings here
Earth Observations for the Africa We want
 
The AfriGEOSS symposium 27 29 April attracts participants from across the continent and beyond - African Heads of State adopted the Africa Space Policy and Strategy, at the 26th African Union (AU) Summit held in January, 2016. In the resolution of adoption, the Heads of State called on AfriGEOSS, GEOs coordination programme for Africa, to work to mobilize the Earth observation community to contribute to the implementation of the Space Policy and Strategy. For more information and to register for the AfriGEOSS symposium click here.
 
What happens in the poles doesnt stay in the poles
 
Arctic Observing Summit 2016 - The Arctic changing fast and needs an observing system that harnesses indigenous knowledge according to The Arctic Observing Summit 2016 Statement. GEO presented at the Third Biennial Arctic Observing summit, held in Fairbanks Alaska in March
Statement: See the Statement on the GEO Cold Region Initiative (GEOCRI).
Videos
  • GEO Secretariat Director Barbara Ryan describes the importance of international and national strategies for sustained support of long-term Arctic observing:
    https://youtu.be/92i8tpErSG0?t=1h22m
  • GEO expert on Cold Regions, Dominique Berod summarizes discussions on international collaboration on Arctic Observations in the context of Global Observing Initiatives:
    https://youtu.be/tDdrKGhl_4Q?t=1h18m
 
Open Data
 
Earth Data Available At No Cost. Earth imagery from a Japanese remote sensing instrument operating aboard NASAs Terra spacecraft since late 1999 is now available at no cost.
 
Take part in the Data Revolution endorse the report Open Data in a Big Data World, attend the Digital Earth Summit, international Data Week or the international Open Data Conference.
 
USGS Partners with European Space Agency to deliver data. Landsat and Sentinel combine to deliver data in a practical way.
 
New assets for GEOSS from China GEOSS and the Arctic Data Archive System bring the running total to around 200 million data sets.
 
GEO Earth Observation Capacity Building resource facility Portal - organizations supporting GEOCAB Portal signed an MOU.
 
Earth as Art: A Fusion of Science and Art from USGS.
 
Earth Observations for the 2030 Development Agenda
 
 
Geospatial Information and Earth Observations: supporting official statistics in Monitoring the SDGs side event at the 47th Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission 7 March in New York.
 
IAEG forms geospatial information subgroup at the Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators meeting in Mexico City, 30 March 1 April. The proposal was supported by GEO Members Mexico, Philippines, Senegal and Sweden.
 
GIS for users of Earth observations for decision making on the Sustainable Development Goals - GEO, UNOSAT and Esri to host a 3 day conference on May 2 4 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Work Programme attendees are kindly invited to the reception hosted by ESRI - GIS for a Sustainable World Conference Symposium (Campus Biotech, Geneva). If you would like to attend this reception, please register here
 
Early Warning Crop Monitor confirms conditions in southern Africa continue to deteriorate for food production. GEOGLAMs second edition of this monthly tool reveals food insecurity in several countries
 
 
Mapping Mining to the Sustainable Development Goals - A Preliminary Atlas: The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI), UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the World Economic Forum have released a new report.
 
Global Forest Initiative operations highlighted on International Day of Forests. Measuring forests and carbon stocks using Earth observations.
 
Mountain Forests and the Sustainable Development Goals: The Mountain Research and Development(MRD) is seeking papers that assess experiences of how to manage forests so that they can provide services that analyze the state of mountain forests as well as those that help identify future research or policy in support of sustainable mountain forestry.
 
Geospatial Information and the Sustainable Development Goals, Deliver2030 website editorial Alvin K. Leong, Fellow, Pace Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies. A description of the kinds of contributions Earth observations can make to the SDGs.
 
Marine Biological Diversity was debated at the 1st Session of the Preparatory Committee regarding the Law of the Sea Convention on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.
 
Member and Participating Organization News
 
China: 35 global change/earth sciences Journals will share research. Journals have issued a common understanding to publish data openly.
 
Israel: Free access to Israel Meteorological Service Data. From 2012, the Israel Meteorological Service started to provide free access to real-time data and historical observations. A recent article shows that new funding frameworks based on free and open access can provide a wide range of benefits to public and private sectors.
 
US: Blue Economy Study demonstrates the value of Earth observations for Ocean Enterprise. The first study to look at business aspects of Earth observation measurements in oceans and water bodies.
 
US: NASA Sea Level Change website keeps track of sea level change and its causes from space. Find out about how NASA satellite observations help our understanding of this complex topic.
 
 
EC: ERA-PLANET launched to promote use of Earth Observations in policy-making. Designed to strengthen EO in coherence with Copernicus and European contributions to GEOSS.
 
IRENA Celebrates its 5th Anniversary. 4th April marked the 5th anniversary of IRENAs formal creation as a fully-fledged intergovernmental organization.
 
OECD: report on Water Governance in Cities was launched at the Cities and Water Conference, in the Netherlands in February. Read the report on line or Download it for free through the OECD I-Library (Username: gov-oecd2016 - Password: oecd2016-ilibrary).
 
WMO: Hotter, Dryer, Wetter: WMO Statement on the status of the global climate in 2015. The year 2015 will stand out in the historical record of the global climate in many ways. Modern records for heat were broken: 2015 was a record warm year both globally and in many individual countries.
 
Opportunities and training materials
 
 
The following training activities relate to the GEO Work Programme, Community Activity - 32:
 
GlaSS training material on the use of EO data for lake water quality allows students and professionals in fields as aquatic ecology, environmental technology, remote sensing and GIS to learn about the possibilities of optical remote sensing of water quality, by using the Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 satellites and Landsat 8. The material has been registered in the GEOCAB Portal.
 
CODATA is holding an International Training Workshop in Big Data for Science in Beijing 4 17 July. Applications should be submitted by 18 April.
 
The CODATA-RDA Research Data Science Summer School Trieste, Italy, 1-12 August. The first full introductory course is supported by ICTP and from The World Academy of Science, as well as CODATA and RDA.
 
GEO in the news
 
South African corn withers amid worst drought on record, Reuters/Financial Times, 10 February (requires you to be signed into the FT website). Synopsis: South Africas farmers are battling the worst drought on record, as crops fail and livestock perish. And it is not just South Africa. The whole southern African region has been hit by an intense drought since early 2015 that was brought on by the El Nio weather phenomenon. Countries such as Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar will also be in need of food aid, says GEOGLAM, a group that works with international organisations to monitor crop conditions in countries at risk of food insecurity.
 
Combining citizen and satellite biodiversity data, EC Research and Innovation website, 11 March, mentions EU BON.
 
Free Data Proves Its Worth for Observing Earth, A comprehensive articulation of the worth of free EO data, USGS blog, updated March 2016: Free data for earth observation) is a public good - along with public education, public roads, and public parks.
 
Conmemoran mañana el centenario del Observatorio de Izaña (Tenerife). La Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (Aemet) conmemora este año el centenario del Observatorio Meteorológico de Izaña, ubicado en la isla de Tenerife a 2.373 metros de altitud, en un acto que se celebrará mañana en el propio Observatorio de Izaña.
 
 
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News Update
JULY 2016

GEO has 103 Members!

 

Congratulations and welcome to Mongolia.
UPCOMING
MEETINGS
30 July - 7 August 2016, The 41st Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) will be held in Istanbul (Istanbul Congress Center).
11 - 13 September 2016, SciDataCon 2016: Advancing the Frontiers of Data in Research conference will take place at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel, Denver, Colorado, USA, as part of International Data Week (11-16 September 2016), convened by CODATA, the ICSU World Data System and the Research Data Alliance.
12 - 14 September 2016, United Nations / Austria Symposium on Integrated Space Technology Applications for Climate Change.Organized jointly by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and the Government of Austria -with the support of the European Space Agency (including Keynotes on their Climate Change Initiative and Copernicus programme by Mr. Aschbacher) - the Symposium will be held at the Space Research Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
14 - 16 September 2016, GEOBIA 2016: Solutions & Synergies will take place at the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) of the University of Twente, in Enschede, The Netherlands.
26 - 30 September 2016, The 66th International Astronautical Congress: Making Space Accessible and Affordable to all Countries will be held at the Expo Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico.
3 - 6 October 2016, iPRES 2016,13th International Conference on Digital Preservation, Bern - Switzerland.
10 - 11 October 2016, ConnectinGEO Workshop on Gap Analysis and Prioritization will be held in IIASA Laxenburg, Austria.
12 - 13 October 2016, ENEON Plenary Workshop will be held in IIASA Laxenburg, Austria.
18 - 20 October 2016, The International Conference & Exhibition on Advanced Geospatial Science & Technology (TeanGeo 2016) is scheduled to take place in Tunis, Tunisia.
24 - 28 October 2016, The 11th International Conference of the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE 2016) will be held in Kampala, Uganda.
28 November - 1 December 2016, Pacific Islands GIS & RS User Conference 2016 theme for this year is "Improved Data, Improved Maps". It will be held in Suva, Fiji.
See all meeting here
GEO-XIII Plenary
 
 
GEO 37th Executive Committee Meeting
 
The 37th GEO Executive Committee Meeting was held in Geneva from 6 - 7 July eight new Participating Organizations have joined GEO, which now has 103 Participating Organizations! Welcome to: Association of Geospatial Industries (AGI); African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education-English (ARCSSTEE); Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN); Global Flood Partnership (GFP); Humanitarian Open Street Map (HOT); Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS); World Ocean Council (WOC); and World Health Organization (WHO)
 
GEO Work Programme Symposium and Programme Board
 
 
 
AfriGEOSS Symposium in Zimbabwe
 
 
GEOSS Updates
 
New data providers were brokered in the GEOSS Common Infrastructure (GCI) including the Arctic Data System (ADS), the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS), the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)s Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT) and the UNOSAT Flood Portal
 
 
 
 
 
GPSDD: Call for Proposals on Collaborative Data Innovations for data production, dissemination and use, primarily in low-income countries and lower-middle-income countries , for sustainable development generally and linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in particular.
 
Member News
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Participating Organization News
 
 
EARSC: Carried out a survey on Public Service Bodies using EO data and services to construct a complete and accurate picture of the public organisations in Europe that use EO data and services, documenting key aspects such as their involvement in, and awareness of, Copernicus and their engagement with external EO providers
 
 
UNGGIM: The Addis Ababa Declaration on Geospatial Information Management Towards Good Land Governance for the 2030 Agenda was issued at the High level forum held 20 22 April 2016, Ethiopia.
 
WCRP and GCOS:Established an International Data Prize, awarded annually to honour achievements in (climate) data product generation, data management, data preservation, data monitoring, and other data relevant activities by an early- to mid-career researcher. Nominations of suitable candidates should be forwarded to WCRP and GCOS), and must be received by 1 October 2016.
 
 
GEO in the news
 
 
 
Earth observations to support ecosystems, International Innovation magazine, 9 June, 2016. Nine images show how satellite imagery can contribute to better decision making for the benefit of society
 
 
 
 
AfriGEOSS in the news
 
 
 
 
 
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News Update
DECEMBER 2016

GEO now has 103 Member governments and 106 Participating Organizations, congratulations to three new organizations for officially joining:

 

  • International Long Term Ecological Research Network (ILTER)
  • Logistic Management Institute (LMI)
  • Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS)
GEO-XIII Plenary
 
GEO-XIII Plenary and GEO 38th Executive Committee Meeting, St Petersburg, Russia
 
 
ISS sends message to GEO during GEO-XIII Plenary.
 
Investments in open Earth observation data set to grow - Government investments in satellite and in situ Earth observations make up around 65 percent. Companies not only contribute in terms of hardware; they also stimulate provision of services.
 
Welcome to the Thirteenth GEO Plenary, by Barbara Ryan, Secretariat Director, GEO.
 
All presentations: available here.
All photos are available here.
 
NEW! Blog "Observations"
 
UNFCCC Earth Info Day and open Earth observation data - ICOS represents GEO at the UNFCCC COP 22 in Marrakech.
 
GEOSS
 
New look GEOSS Portal for better access to Earth observation data a complete transformation unveiled.
 
First GEO DAB API virtual workshop protocols to build GEO DAB software applications shared with participants from across the world.
 
Climate
 
GEO supports the Partnership for Resilience and Preparedness (PREP) to enhance access and use of data and information to help communities build climate resilience.
 
Partnership for Resilience and Preparedness fact sheet: Launching New Public-Private Partnership and Announcing Joint Declaration on Leveraging Open Data for Climate Resilience.
 
SDGs
 
Geospatial Information, Key to Achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, commissioned by DigitalGlobe and produced by Geospatial Media & Communications, supported by knowledge partners GEO and UN-GGIM.
 
Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data.
 
 
 
Earth observation and geospatial information are enablers for the SDGs video interview with GEO Secretariat Director, Barbara Ryan.
 
Biodiversity & Ecosystems
 
New tool to visualize marine life unveiled by NOAA Administrator: Ecological Marine Units developed through GEO BON presented at the IUCN World Conservation Congress.
 
New paper published on the policy forum of the Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation summarises conditions for a collective engagement of space agencies.
 
 
Urban
 
Atlas of the Human Planet 2016, published to coincide with Habitat III, based on GEOs Global Human Settlement Layer.
 
Regional GEOs
 
GEONETCast-Americas 50 stations across 12 countries in the Americas and still expanding.
 
Survey on Earth Observation Capability for the African Union contribute to the AU Space Programme Earth Observation Capability Audit.
 
An inventory of the African private EO and Geospatial industry, published by AARSE, the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment in cooperation with EARSC supported by the European Commission and Spacetec Partners.
 
 
GEO Community
 
Partnering for a more accessible future: Belmont Forum and the Group on Earth Observations, Erica Key, Executive Director, Belmont Forum Secretariat.
 
 
 
Call for papers
 
International Journal of Digital Earth Special Issue, Arctic and High Altitude Mountain Cold Regions: Sustainable Earth Observations and Climate Change.
 
Opportunities
 
H2020 EO Big Data Shift, call for proposals exploiting Big Data to a downstream service industry.
 
H2020 Africa Remote Sensing, call for proposals for Earth observation services for the monitoring of agricultural production in Africa.
 
H2020 Climate Services, call for proposals exploiting the added value of climate services.
 
 
Call for nominations for the Ocean Observations Panel for Climate (OOPC), a scientific expert advisory group to the Global Ocean (GOOS) and Global Climate (GCOS) Observing Systems and the World Climate Research Program (WCRP).
 
Upcoming events
 
 
 
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News Update
APRIL 2017

GEO now has 104 Member governments and 109 Participating Organizations, congratulations to four new organizations for officially joining:

 

Read the Press Release on how these organizations plan to work with GEO.

GEO Plenary-XIV: save the date, 25-26 October, 2017 in Washington DC.

 

The GEO Work Programme Symposium will be held in Tshwane, South Africa on 12 and 13 May 2017. See the meetings page for more information.
 
GEO Data Providers Workshop, Florence, Italy, 20-21 April, 2017
 
GEO Programme Board
 
Observations Blog
 
SDGs
  • New report illustrates how EO supports Sustainable Development through Case Studies.
 
Climate
 
Disaster Risk Reduction
  • New Zealand Government thanks ChinaGEOSS, CODATA and IRDR for their help following the Kaikoura Earthquake.
  • GEO is part of the Marketplace at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) Cancun, Mexico May 22-26, come and talk to us. Opportunities for lightning talks are available.
 
Biodiversity
 
Regional GEO
 
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Upcoming Events

Copernicus Marine Week

25-29 September 2017 / Brussels, Belgium

RCMRD International Conference

27-29 September 2017 / Nairobi, Kenya

CODATA 2017: Global Challenges and Data-Driven Science

3-18 October 2017 / Saint Petersburg, Russia

GEO Week 2017

23-27 October 2017 / Washington, DC

EuroGeographics Webinar

28 November 2017 / Online

AfricaGIS2017

20-24 November 2017 / Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

International Cooperation Towards Low-Emission and Resilient Societies

22-24 November 2017 / Bonn, Germany

e-AGE2017

3-4 December 2017, Cairo, Egypt

AGU Fall Meeting

11-15 December 2017 / New Orleans, USA

GISTAM 2018

17 - 19 March, 2018 / Funchal, Madeira, Portugal

Climate show palexpo

6-8 April 2018 / Geneva, Switzerland

7th Digital Earth Summit 2018

17-19 April, 2018 / El Jadida, Morocco

IGARSS 2018: Observing, Understanding And Forecasting The Dynamics Of Our Planet

23-27 July 2018 / Valencia, Spain

Publications and Reports

The GEO Handbook on Biodiversity Observation Networks

Report on the 2nd GEO Data Providers workshop

Acclimatise Report: Analysing existing data infrastructures for climate services

Spatially enabling the Global Framework for Climate Services: Reviewing geospatial solutions to efficiently share and integrate climate data & informationt

Earth observations in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

What is GEO Week?

On 23-27 October 2017, GEO will convene the Earth observations community in Washington, D.C. for GEO Week 2017. GEO Week, consisting of the GEO-XIV Plenary, Side Events and Exhibition, will highlight and promote the role, applications and opportunities to use Earth observations in delivering "Insight for a changing world". With a focus of delivery and impact, GEO Week will explore the use and applications of Earth observations in both the public and private sectors for the benefit of humankind.

Read more...

Side Event registration now open

Registration for GEO Week Side events is now open. Space is filling up fast, so be sure to register soon!

Read more...

Sponsorship opportunities available

GEO Week offers Sponsors the opportunity to showcase their work to the global Earth observation community, engage with potential customers and partners, and identify innovative business development opportunities.

Read more...

Calling all EO communications professionals!

GEO invites communictors from the EO community to join us during GEO Week for a Communicators Roundtable on Monday, 23 October, to share experiences, ideas, and to form a network in support of our shared communications objectives.

Read more...

Development Seed to host GEO Week icebreaker

Save the date on Sunday, October 22, and join the Open Data and Earth Observations communities for a GEO Week 2017 icebreaker & networking evening that will explore the impact of Open EO Data on global development challenges.

Read more...

Download the GEO Week 2017 mobile app

Use this GEO Week 2017 mobile app to navigate the GEO Week schedule and venue, connect with other attendees, share your thoughts and much more! Get it for Android devices here and for iOS devices here.

Leveraging the Cloud and Earth observations for monitoring development in Africa

Read more...

Open population grid data aids ICRC´s crisis response

Read more...

An eye on Earth: satellite Earth Observation for agriculture insurance

Read more...

Distributed Ledger Technology: Blockchain for shared economy of space

Read more...

Open Data Areas Alberta - Earth Observations for Cumulative Effects and Integrated Resource Management

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New leadership revitalizes GEO Health Community of Practice to improve public health outcomes using Earth observations

Read more...

Blue Planet 3rd Symposium: The role of oceans in Earth’s life-support system

Read more...

Balkan Peninsula cooperates on Earth Observation services for sustainable development

Read more...

New report demonstrates how Earth observation data can help to measure the Sendai Framework for DRR

Read more...

Perspectives on the Nature of Geospatial Information

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Geneva innovations

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Digital Earth Australia: Big Data for a Big Country

Read more...

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NOVEMBER 2017

Upcoming Events

OpenStreetMap GeoWeek

12-17 November, global

COP23 Side Event: NEXGEN Governance Systems for Climate

17 November 2017 / Bonn, Germany

Pecora 20 Symposium – Observing a Changing Planet: Science for Decisions... Monitoring, Assessment, and Projection

13-16 November 2017 / Sioux Falls, SD, USA

AfricaGIS2017

20-24 November 2017 / Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

EoE Webinar: Data Driven Cities for Climate Resilience - Cities and Citizens Take Action by EcoCity Builders

22 November, 2017 / Online

International Cooperation Towards Low-Emission and Resilient Societies

22-24 November 2017 / Bonn, Germany

EuroGeographics Webinar

28 November 2017 / Online

GEOSS Portal Virtual Workshop

29 November 2017 / Online

e-AGE2017

3-4 December 2017 / Cairo, Egypt

AGU Fall Meeting

11-15 December 2017 / New Orleans, USA

Global Landscapes Forum

19-20 December 2017 / Bonn, Germany

Implementing and Monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals in the Caribbean: The Role of the Ocean

17-19 January 2018 / St Vincent and Grenadines

GISTAM 2018

17-19 March 2018 / Funchal, Madeira, Portugal

2nd International Electronic Conference on Remote Sensing

22 March-5 April 2018 / online

2nd Mapping Water Bodies from Space Conference

27-28 March 2018

Climate Show 2018

6-8 April 2018 / Geneva, Switzerland

AfriGEOSS Symposium 2018

25-27 April 2018 / Libreville, Gabon

4th Blue Planet Symposium

4-6 July 2018 / Toulouse, France

IGARSS 2018: Observing, Understanding And Forecasting The Dynamics Of Our Planet

23-27 July 2018 / Valencia, Spain

AmeriGEOSS Week 2018

6-10 August 2018 / São José dos Campos, Brazil

GEO Week 2018

November 2018 TBC / Kyoto, Japan

UNFCCC COP24

3-14 December 2018 / Katowice, Slaskie, Poland

Publications and Reports

GEO Highlights 2016-2017

GEO-XIV Plenary Documents

GEO Week 2017 Outcomes

Over 700 people from diverse geographies, sectors and technical areas came together from 23-27 October 2017 in Washington, DC, to explore the use and applications of Earth observations for the benefit of humankind. Thank you to all the participants, speakers, exhibitors, sponsors and organizers who made GEO Week 2017 a success! Find presentations, documents, videos and photos from GEO Week 2017 online here.

Gilberto Câmara appointed as next GEO Secretariat Director

The Group on Earth Observations is pleased to announce the appointment of Gilberto Câmara as the next GEO Secretariat Director, effective 1 July 2018.

Read more...

GEO Welcomes new Members and Participating Organizations

The Royal Government of Cambodia and The Sultanate of Oman join GEO as its 104th and 105th members, while 12 new Participating Organizations were approved in 2017, bringing the total to 118:

  • AGRHYMET Regional Centre
  • CI: Conservation International
  • COMIFAC: Central African Forest Commission / Commission des Forêts d’Afrique Centrale
  • CRCSI: Cooperative Research Centre for Spatial Information
  • CSDMS: Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System
  • Earthmind
  • ECLAC: United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
  • EuroGeographics
  • GODAN: Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition
  • ISESTEL: Institut Supérieur d'Etudes Spatiales et Télécommunications
  • The Paul G. Allen Philanthropies
  • UNICEF: United Nations Children’s Fund
  • WRI: World Resources Institute

Read more...

GEO Communicators Network Formed

As an outcome of the GEO Communicators Roundtable at GEO Week 2017, a GEO Communicators Network has been established on Slack. The objective of this network is to bring together communications practitioners from GEO member agencies, participating organizations, partners, flagships, initiatives and community activities, in order to share experiences, knowledge, and coordinate and support communications efforts in support of our shared objectives. For an invitation to join this group, please email mwest@geosec.org.

GEO Week 2017 Videos

Watch GEO Week Side Events and Plenary Sessions online here.

GEO Week 2017 Photos

Access GEO Week 2017 Photo Albums here.

GEO Week 2018: Kyoto, Japan

Japan looks forward to welcoming the GEO community to Kyoto for GEO Week 2018. Watch the official announcement video here.

GEO Week 2017 in the News

GEO at COP23: GEO is at COP23 to highlight the crucial role of Earth observations in the fight against climate change. Vist the GEO at COP23 hub for information on our exhibit, side events and more.

Watch now: GEO featured in new Earth observations documentary video series

New Tool Allows Users to Explore Mountains Worldwide

New on the GCI: Healthsites health care location data for West Africa

Major milestone reached in forest monitoring from space

Register now: EuroGeographics Webinar to take place 28 November

Register now: GEOSS Portal Virtual Workshop to take place 29 November

Join in OpenStreetMap GeoWeek - November 12th-17th

Read more...

SMURBS: SMart URBan Solutions for Air Quality, Disasters and Urban Growth

Read more...

China’s SASMAC advances regional cooperation on Earth observations

Read more...

GEONETCast Mexico: US – Mexico Space Cooperation for Disaster Risk Reduction

Read more...

Automatic Semantic Enrichment for Intelligent Big Earth Observation Databases

Read more...

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FEBRUARY 2018

Upcoming Events

Open Data Cube Conference

12-16 February 2018 / Canberra, Australia

4th UN/Pakistan/PSIPW International Conference on the Use of Space Technology for Water Management

26 February - 2 March 2018 / Islamabad, Pakistan

Cities and Climate Change Science Conference

5-7 March 2018 / Edmonton, Canada

EOOS Forum: Integrated and Sustained Ocean Observing: a European Strategy

8 March 2018 / Brussels, Belgium

43rd GEO Executive Committee Meeting

8-9 March 2018 / Geneva, Switzerland

GISTAM 2018

17-19 March 2018 / Funchal, Madeira, Portugal

GeoInformation for Disaster Management (GI4DM) 2018

18-20 March 2018 / Istanbul, Turkey

Land and Poverty Conference 2018: Land Governance in an Interconnected World

19-23 March 2018 / Washington DC, USA

World Data System - International Technology Office Inaugural Workshop

21-23 March 2018 / Victoria BC, Canada

2nd International Electronic Conference on Remote Sensing

22 March - 5 April 2018 / Online

Sixth International Conference On Remote Sensing and Geo-Information of the Environment, RSCy2018

26-29 March 2018 / Paphos, Cyprus

2nd Mapping Water Bodies from Space Conference

27-28 March 2018 / Frascati, Italy

Data For Development Festival

28-29 March 2018 / Bristol, United Kingdom

Climate Show 2018

6-8 April 2018 / Geneva, Switzerland

European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2018 - EGU 2018

8-13 April 2018 / Vienna, Austria

Latin America and Caribbean Scientific Data Management Workshop

17-18 April 2018 / Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

7th Digital Earth Summit 2018 (DES-2018)

17-19 April 2018 / El Jadida, Morocco

ICLEI Resilient Cities Congres

26-28 April 2018 / Bonn, Germany

UNFCCC SBSTA-48

30 April-10 May 2018 / Bonn, Germany

3rd GEO Data Providers workshop

2-4 May 2018 / Frascati, Italy

2018 Understanding Risk Forum

14-18 May 2018 / Mexico City, Mexico

International Conference of Asia-Oceania Global Earth Observation System of Systems (AOGEOSS) & The international training workshop

16-19 May 2018 / Deqing, Zhejiang Province, China

AfriGEOSS Symposium 2018

25-29 June 2018 / Libreville, Gabon

42nd COSPAR Scientific Assembly

14-22 June 2018 / Pasadena, California, USA

Resources for Future Generations: Premier Conference on Energy • Minerals • Water • the Earth

16-21 June 2018 / Vancouver, BC, Canada

Adaptation Futures 2018 Conference

19-21 June 2018 / Cape Town, South Africa

2018 Arctic Observing Summit (AOS)

24-26 June 2018 / Davos, Switzerland

4th Blue Planet Symposium

4-6 July 2018 / Toulouse, France

3rd joint EARSeL LULC & NASA LCLUC Workshop

11-12 July 2018 / Chania, Greece

IGARSS 2018: Observing, Understanding And Forecasting The Dynamics Of Our Planet

23-27 July 2018 / Valencia, Spain

AmeriGEOSS Week 2018

6-10 August 2018 / Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil

2018 CESM Polar Modeling Workshop

13-17 August 2018 / Boulder, CO, USA

3rd ICOS Science Conference

11-13 September 2018 / Prague, Czech Republic

GEO Week 2018

29 Oct - 2 Nov 2018 / Kyoto, Japan

UN World Data Conference

22-24 October / Dubai UAE

1st United Nations World Geoinformation Conference

27-29 November 2018 / Deqing, Zhejiang, China

UNFCCC COP24

3-14 December 2018 / Katowice, Slaskie, Poland

Publications and Reports

Exploring the depths of the global earth observation system of systems

A view-based model of data-cube to support big earth data systems interoperability

Environmental Earth Observation: UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology Postnote

3rd GEO Data Providers Workshop

Register Now

Join us from 2-4 May 2018 at the European Space Agency in Frascati, Italy, as we bring together Earth observation data providers and users from around the world to share knowledge and best practice in the management and use of Earth observation data and information, while working together to enhance together the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). Register today!

Sponsorship opportunities available

As a sponsor of the 3rd GEO Data Providers Workshop, sponsors can reach a highly diverse and engaged community of Earth observation data users and providers from both the private and public sectors.

GEOSS/HACK 2018

Join us online or in person at the European Space Agency for GEOSS/HACK 2018, where developers will compete to create data discovery and access tools that solve global challenges.

Barbara Ryan receives Martha Maiden Lifetime Achievement Award

GEO-C update: GEO Carbon and GHG Initiative drives forward Global Cooperation on Greenhouse Gas Measurements

GEO Advances Priority Efforts at Workshop on the Role of the Ocean for SDGs in the Caribbean & SIDS

GEO participates in Key Global Events on Disaster Risk Reduction

World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility joins Global Forest Observation Initiative (GFOI) Leadership

From GCI to GEOSS Platform: a comprehensive response to user needs.

Access videos, photos, presentations and resources from GEO Week 2017

Editorial: The data-user decade

Apply by 9 March: NF-POGO Centre of Excellence in Observational Oceanography at AWI

IISD coverage of GEO's COP23 Side Event 'Integrated Observations for Mitigation and Adaptation & Practical Support to Parties'

GEO participates in Key Global Events on Disaster Risk Reduction

Opinion: How to improve collaboration in Earth observation for impact

More than a workshop: key EO data event approaches 3rd and biggest year

Open Space: The Global Effort for Open Access to Satellite Data

GEO’s Value Highlighted at COP23

Earth Observations: Global Perspectives from the UK

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MAY 2018

Upcoming Events

6th GEOGLAM RAPP, SDG workshop & African Regional Data Cube Workshop

7 - 11 May 2018 / Nairobi, Kenya

GEOGLOWS Annual Meeting

9 - 11 May 2018 / ECMWF, Reading, United Kingdom

IGWCO Annual Meeting

11 May 2018 / ECMWF, Reading, United Kingdom

2018 Understanding Risk Forum

14 - 18 May 2018 / Mexico City, Mexico

International Conference of Asia-Oceania Global Earth Observation System of Systems (AOGEOSS) & The international training workshop

16 - 19 May 2018 / Deqing, Zhejiang Province, China

Artificial Intelligence for Earth

23 May 2018 / Webinar: 2PM UTC

3rd South-Eastern Europe GEO Workshop

4 - 5 June 2018 / Thessaloniki, Greece

7th Copernicus Czech National User Forum

7 - 8 June 2018 / Prague, Czech Republic

2018 GEO Symposium

11 - 12 June 2018 / Geneva, Switzerland

GEO Paris Climate Agreement Workshop

13 June 2018 / Geneva, Switzerland

9th GEO Programme Board meeting

14 - 15 June 2018 / Geneva, Switzerland

42nd COSPAR Scientific Assembly

14 - 22 June 2018 / Pasadena, CA, United States

GEOCRI at POLAR2018: GEOCRI side event: 19th June at 12:30-14:00

15 - 26 June 2018 / Davos, Switzerland

Resources for Future Generations: Premier Conference on Energy • Minerals • Water • the Earth

16 - 21 June 2018 / Vancouver,BC, Canada

Adaptation Futures 2018 Conference

19 - 21 June 2018 / Cape Town, South Africa

Resource Watch – Monitoring the Planet’s Pulse

20 June 2018 / Webinar: 1PM UTC

AfriGEOSS Week 2018 and Symposium

22 - 29 June 2018 / Libreville, Gabon

2018 Arctic Observing Summit (AOS)

24 - 26 June 2018 / Davos, Switzerland

EO4Alps Summer School: Earth observation and geospatial information: supporting a sustainable use of alpine ecosystems and water resources

24 June - 6 July 2018 / Salzburg, Austria

Global Ocean Summit 2018 (GOS2018)

3 - 5 July 2018 / Qingdao, China

4th Blue Planet Symposium

4 - 6 July 2018 / Toulouse, France

38th Annual EARSeL Symposium: Earth Observation Supporting Sustainability Research

9 - 12 July 2018 / Chania, Crete, Greece

Advanced Webinar: Techniques for Wildfire Detection and Monitoring

12 July 2018 / Webinar (2 identical sessions): 14:00-16:00 & 22:00-24:00 UTC

44th GEO Executive Committee Meeting

18 - 19 July 2018 / Geneva, Switzerland

Advanced Webinar: Techniques for Wildfire Detection and Monitoring

19 July 2018 / Webinar (2 identical sessions): 14:00-16:00 & 22:00-24:00 UTC

IGARSS 2018: Observing, Understanding and Forecasting the Dynamics of Our Planet

23 - 27 July 2018 / Valentia, Spain

Webinar: Monitoring Urban Floods Using Remote Sensing

25 July 2018 / Webinar (2 identical sessions): 09:00-11:00 and 18:00-20:00 EDT (UTC-4)

Webinar: Monitoring Urban Floods Using Remote Sensing

1 August 2018 / Webinar (2 identical sessions): 09:00-11:00 and 18:00-20:00 EDT (UTC-4)

Asia and the Pacific Regional Expert Workshop on Ocean Accounts

1 - 3 August 2018 / Bangkok, Thailand

UN-GGIM:Americas side event at the 6th session of UN-GGIM

3 August 2018 / New York, United States

AmeriGEOSS Week 2018

6 - 10 August 2018 / São José dos Campos, Brazil

10th GEO Programme Board meeting

5 - 6 September 2018 / Geneva, Switzerland

11th GEOSS Asia-Pacific Symposium

24 - 26 October 2018 / Kyoto, Japan

GEO Week 2018

29 October - 2 November 2018 / Kyoto, Japan

Publications and Reports

Stocktaking Overview of the G20 Global Agricultural Monitoring Initiative

Building an Earth Observations Data Cube: lessons learned from the Swiss Data Cube (SDC) on generating Analysis Ready Data (ARD)

2018 GEO Symposium

Register Now!

Join us from 11-12 June in Geneva, Switzerland for the 2018 GEO Symposium. Participants will contribute to the future of the GEO Work Programme, share knowledge and connect with the global Earth Observation community. Learn more and register.

GEO Climate Workshop: Earth Observations for the Paris Agreement

The 2018 GEO Climate Workshop will take place on 13 June in Geneva, following the GEO Symposium. Learn more and register.

Save the Date: GEO Week 2018

GEO Week 2018 and the GEO-XV Plenary will be held in Kyoto, Japan from 29 October to 2 November 2018. Learn more.

GEO welcomes 8 new Participating Organizations

Eight new Participating Organizations have recently joined GEO, bringing the total to 126. Learn how these organizations contribute to improving the availability, access and use of Earth observations for the benefit of society. Read more.

AfriGEOSS Symposium

The 3rd AfriGEOSS Week and Symposium will take place from 22-29 June in Libreville, Ghana. Learn more and register.

EuroGEOSS call for expressions of intent

Europe-based organizations involved in developing, promoting or deploying Earth Observations derived solutions are invited to submit their Expressions of Intent to the EuroGEOSS Initiative by 30 June. Read more.

Progress on GEOGLAM Crop Monitors highlighted at G20 Agriculture Deputies Meeting

G20 Agriculture Deputies applaud achievements made since the initiative's 2011 launch. Read more.

Earth Observations take center stage at 1st Data for Development Festival

Speakers at GPSDD's inaugural Data for Development Festival demonstrated the value of analysis-ready data systems for achieving the SDGs. Read more.

Harnessing the Potential of Earth Observations for Sustainable Development: Emerging Opportunities

Argie Kavvada of NASA and EO4SDG recaps examples from national governments using Earth Observations to monitor and implement the SDGs. Read more.

Water and the Data Cube Revolution: Analysis-ready satellite data for better decisions

Data Cubes are transforming the way we use satellite data. Learn more about Data Cube technology and how it contributes to better water management. Read more.

Delivering Earth observations worldwide: GEONETCast

With 6,000 users in 169 countries, GEONETCast provides Earth observation data, products and services to people in disaster zones and areas without internet access. Read more.

Contributions from UNIGE/ISE to the Group on Earth Observations and the Global Earth Observation System of Systems

From H2020 GEOEssential to the Swiss Data Cube, the University of Geneva is contributing to the GEO Work Programme and mission in a variety of areas. Read more.

Half of Earth’s satellites restrict use of climate data

Why do some nations choose to restrict satellite data, while others make it openly available? Mariel Borowitz answers this question and more, with highlights from her book 'Open Space'. Read more.

Webinar: Artificial Intelligence for Earth - 23 May 2PM UTC

Register now for Microsoft Research's webinar on the AI for Earth Program. Read more.

GEO at the 2018 Climate Show

GEO demonstrates the value of Earth Observations for climate change at Geneva's first International Climate Show. Read more.

Meet James Norris: New disasters expert joins GEO Secretariat

A secondee from Great Britain’s National Mapping Agency has joined the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Secretariat to coordinate disaster work across the GEO community. Read more.

Armenia benefits from GEO engagement

Maddie West speaks with Shushanik Asmaryan to learn how Armenia is benefiting from their contributions to the GEO Trust Fund and Work Programme. Read more.

Integrated and Sustained Ocean Observing System: A European Strategy

Dina Eparkhina looks back at the 2018 EOOS forum, where 80 ocean science managers, researchers, policymakers and private companies dicussed the value and need for integrated and sustained ocean observations. Read more.

Bringing People Closer to Earth Data: An overview of recent GEOSS Platform upgrades

Natacha Klein outlines recent upgrades to the GEOSS Platform, designed to provide users with more ways to access data. Read more.

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AUGUST 2018

Upcoming Events

 

2018 CESM Polar Modeling Workshop

13 - 17 August 2018 / Boulder, CO, United States

Advanced webinar: Radar Remote Sensing for Land, Water, & Disaster Applications

14 August 2018 / Webinar (2 Sessions): One session will be broadcast in Spanish (10:00-12:00 EDT, UTC-4) and one in English 18:00-20:00 EDT (UTC-4)

RCMRD International Conference 2018

15 - 17 August 2018 / Nairobi, Kenya

Advanced webinar: Radar Remote Sensing for Land, Water, & Disaster Applications

16 August 2018 / Webinar (2 Sessions): One session will be broadcast in Spanish (10:00-12:00 EDT, UTC-4) and one in English 18:00-20:00 EDT (UTC-4)

GloboLakes-GEO AquaWatch workshop

29 - 31 August 2018 / Stirling, United Kingdom

GEOGLAM Cloud Infrastructure and Knowledge Management meeting

29 - 31 August 2018 / Sanya, China

Cities on Volcanoes 10: COV10

2 - 7 September 2018 / Napoli, Italy

10th GEO Programme Board meeting

5 - 6 September 2018 / Geneva, Switzerland

3rd ICOS Science Conference

11 - 13 September 2018 / Prague, Czech Republic

EuroGEOSS Workshop 2018

12 - 14 September 2018 / Geneva, Switzerland

Summer School "Sentinel for Applications in Agriculture"

17 - 21 September 2018 / Frazione Cariga di Podenzano (PC), Italy

INSPIRE Conference 2018

18 - 21 September 2018 / Antwerp, Belgium

Geoscience and Society Summit: Bridges to Global Health, Resilience and Sustainability

23 - 28 September 2018 / TBD

25 Years of Progress in Radar Altimetry Symposium

24 - 29 September 2018 / Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island, Azores Archipelago, Portugal

WEF Workshop: Digital Earth Africa - Harnessing Geospatial Data for African Development

26 September 2018 / New York, United States

2th International Conference & Exhibition: Advanced Geospatial Science & Technology (TeanGeo 2018)

26 - 28 September 2018 / Tunis, Tunisia

9th Asia-Oceania Meteorological Satellite Users’ Conference (AOMSUC-9)

6 - 11 October 2018 / Jakarta, Mozambique

Workshop: Mapping and Monitoring to support Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN)

8 - 9 October 2018 / Bonn, Germany

European Land Monitoring at its crossroads - opportunities and challenges

8 - 9 October 2018 / Innsbruck, Austria

Regional Knowledge Forum on Drought: Earth Observation and Climate Services for Food Security and Agricultural Decision Making in South and Southeast Asia

8 - 10 October 2018 / Kathmandu, Nepal

32nd CEOS Plenary

16 - 18 October 2018 / Brussels, Belgium

UN World Data Forum 2018

22 - 24 October 2018 / Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Eye on Earth Webinar: Open Data Cubes: Earth Observations for the Sustainable Development

23 October 2018 / 08:30-10:30 (UTC+4)

Eye on Earth Webinar: Gender disagregated data in Natural Resource Management

23 October 2018 / 08:45-09:15 (UTC+4)

Eye on Earth Webinar: The Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (BIP) Dashboard: Tracking Trends for Conservation

23 October 2018 / 09:30-10:30 (UTC+4)

Eye on Earth Webinar: Visual Analysis of SDG Indicators and Environmental Surveys with SuAVE

23 October 2018 / 11:30-12:00 (UTC+4)

Eye on Earth Webinar: Applied System of Systems Approach to the 2030 Agenda

23 October 2018 / 10:45-11:25 (UTC+4)

Eye on Earth Webinar: Environmental Conventions Index: Measuring the implementation of global environmental conventions

23 October 2018 / 10:45-12:00 (UTC+4)

11th GEOSS Asia-Pacific Symposium

24 - 26 October 2018 / Kyoto, Japan

Second Arctic Science Ministerial

25 - 26 October 2018 / Berlin, Germany

HiMAC2018 - The 2nd International Workshop on Observations and Understanding of Changes in High Mountain and Cold Regions

29 - 30 October 2018 / Arctic Space Center, FMI, Sodankyla, Finland

GEO Week 2018

29 October - 2 November 2018 / Kyoto, Japan

45th GEO Executive Committee Meeting

30 October 2018 / Kyoto, Japan

GEO-XV Plenary

31 October - 1 November 2018 / Kyoto, Japan

46th GEO Executive Committee Meeting

2 November 2018 / Kyoto, Japan

GEO Week 2018

Join the GEO community between 29 October - 2 November 2018 in Kyoto, Japan, for GEO Week 2018 and the GEO-XV Plenary. Registration will open in mid September. Learn more.
Kenya’s First National Crop Monitor Set to Strengthen Food Security GEO Symposium presentations and videos available online Meet Guo Man: Agricultural Expert from China joins GEO Secretariat Meet Joost Teuben: Capacity building expert from the Netherlands joins GEO team as virtual secondee EuroGEOSS Workshop 2018 to take place 12-14 September 2018 at the University of Geneva 11th GEOSS Asia-Pacific Symposium to be held 24-26 October in Kyoto, Japan 3rd GEO Data Providers Workshop drives forward global technical cooperation on data for development

Cyprus aspires to enter the SPACE arena with the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence

The ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence plans to create opportunities for ground-breaking research on the systematic monitoring of the environment using Earth observations. The government of Cyprus views the project as a unique opportunity to develop a presence in the space sector and boost the local, regional and European economies. Read more.

Earth Observations for Urban Resilience: Takeaways from ICLEI’s 2018 Resilient Cities Congress

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and Resilience Brokers convened a special session on Earth observations for climate-resilient cities at ICLEI’s Resilient Cities 2018 congress in Bonn, Germany. Read more.

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2018 – GEO Land Degradation Neutrality Activity

GEO takes up the global challenge of land degradation with the new GEO Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) Community Activity. Read more.

World Oceans Day 2018 - Using Earth Observations to Protect our Blue Planet

GEO Blue Planet’s Emily Smail reflects on the value of Earth observations for the health and proper management of marine and coastal waters, against unprecedented challenges from pollution, resource exploitation, ocean acidification and climate change. Read more.

World Environment Day - several GEO activities for the environment!

Douglas Cripe looks at how various GEO initiatives and activities assist local, regional and global efforts to manage and respond to environmental challenges including food, water and energy security, resilience to natural hazards and climate change. Read more.

Interview: GEOSS/HACK 2018 winners design app to track wild fires in Madagascar

At GEOSS/HACK 2018, teams competed to develop data access and discovery tools that contributed to solving one of six real global challenges. The winning entry, submitted by Joakim Adrup (ESA) and Christian Langer (GEO BON / iDiv), addressed the ‘Protecting our Forests’ challenge: to develop a biodiversity monitoring tool to motivate local patrols in Madagascar to engage with satellite images and contribute in-situ observations from the ground. Read more.

Building sargassum & oil spill monitoring capabilities in the Caribbean and adjacent regions

Forty experts from various United Nations entities, academia, governments, private companies and international initiatives met at the Ministry of Education in Mexico City from May 2 - 4 to discuss the development of a region-wide system for monitoring and forecasting oil spills and sargassum. Read more.

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