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FAQ
What is Earth observation?
Earth observation is the gathering of information about planet Earth’s physical, chemical and biological systems. It involves monitoring and assessing the status of, and changes in, the natural and man-made environment.
In recent years, Earth observation has become more and more sophisticated with the development of remote-sensing satellites and increasingly high-tech “in-situ” instruments. Today’s Earth observation instruments include floating buoys for monitoring ocean currents, temperature and salinity; land stations that record air quality and rainwater trends; sonar and radar for estimating fish and bird populations; seismic and Global Positioning System (GPS) stations; and over 60 high-tech environmental satellites that scan the Earth from space.
Earth observation is now more important than ever due to the dramatic impact that modern human civilization is having on the global environment.
What are Earth observations?
There are many different kinds of Earth observations. A few examples:
- a birdwatcher’s notes on bird sightings
- numerical measurements taken by a thermometer, wind gauge, ocean buoy, altimeter or seismograph
- photographs
- radar and sonar images
- analyses of water or soil samples
- processed information such as maps or forecasts
Why are Earth observations important?
Human civilization is having an increasingly powerful influence on the Earth system. Earth observations are invaluable for assessing and mitigating the negative impacts. They can also be used for exploiting new opportunities, such as the sustainable management of natural resources. Some specific applications of Earth observations include:
- forecasting weather
- tracking biodiversity and wildlife trends
- measuring land-use change (such as deforestation)
- monitoring and responding to disasters, including fires, floods, earthquakes and tsunamis
- managing energy sources, freshwater supplies and agriculture
- addressing emerging diseases and other health risks
- predicting, adapting to and mitigating climate change
What is the Group on Earth Observations (GEO)?
GEO is a voluntary partnership of governments and international organizations. It provides a framework within which these partners can develop new projects and coordinate their strategies and investments. By collaborating in this way, they can create synergies and maximize the benefits of investments in Earth observation.
As of November 2012, GEO’s Members include 88 Governments and the European Commission. In addition, 67 intergovernmental, international, and regional organizations with a mandate in Earth observation or related issues have been recognized as Participating Organizations.
What is GEO’s goal?
GEO is constructing a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) that will link together the many thousands of scientific observation instruments that have until now been operating in isolation.
This is necessary because the need for data and forecasts has evolved beyond the capabilities of single-purpose, stand-alone information systems. It is also possible because today’s new and emerging technologies, which are generating fast quantities of data, can be made “interoperable”.
Because the complexity and dynamism of modern civilization is placing ever greater demands on political and economic decision-makers, GEO aims to make it possible for policymakers and managers to act on the basis of the most comprehensive and detailed environmental information available.
How does GEO work?
GEO is constructing the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) on the basis of a 10-Year Implementation Plan that runs from 2005 to 2015. The Plan defines a vision statement for GEOSS, its purpose and scope, expected benefits, nine “Societal Benefit Areas” (disasters, health, energy, climate, water, weather, ecosystems, agriculture and biodiversity), technical and capacity-building priorities, and the GEO governance structure.
The Implementation Plan is being pursued through a three-year Work Plan for 2007 – 2009. This “living” document sets out more than 70 practical Tasks. Each Task supports one of the nine societal-benefit or four transverse areas and is carried out by interested Members and Participating Organizations.
GEO is governed by a Plenary that meets at least once a year at the level of senior officials and periodically at the ministerial level.
Why is GEOSS being constructed?
The Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) promises to revolutionize our ability to understand and manage the planet. This emerging global public infrastructure is already starting to generate comprehensive, near-real-time environmental data, information and analyses. It serves a wide range of users and empowering decision makers to respond more effectively to the many environmental challenges facing modern civilization.
GEOSS is interconnecting existing and future Earth observation systems. Investments in environmental monitoring and forecasting have now reached a critical mass, resulting in a vast and expanding array of observation systems and decision-support tools. By adopting common standards to make diverse instruments “interoperable”, GEOSS will generate cross-disciplinary data sets. GEOSS will also reduce costs, boost efficiency, exploit synergies and establish a global infrastructure for generating Earth observations as a public good.
How much progress has been made so far?
Although GEOSS has been under construction for only three years, a great deal has already been achieved. Work on developing the functional architecture that will make it technically possible to interlink the various components of GEOSS is well advanced. Many gaps and overlaps in coverage have been addressed. And new instruments and systems have been strengthened and joined up to the “system of systems”.
To measure the progress achieved so far, in November 2007 the GEO community presented “The First 100 Steps to GEOSS” to Ministers. Many of these “Early Achievements”, as well as other projects and activities contributing to the start-up of GEOSS, are also described in the full-colour book “The Full Picture”.
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GEO challenge grant
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) has contributed $5,000 to help defray expenses of worthy applicants from economically disadvantaged nations in Africa to attend the combined AfricaGIS 2013 and GSDI 14 conference and training workshops before and after the conference. GEO would like to invite, encourage and challenge additional geospatial organizations and agencies from across the globe to make additional contributions. Check out grant / conference details here
Providing water in areas with unsustainable usage
Fresh water is a fundamental requirement for humanity's well-being. However, more than one billion people today are without safe drinking water. Water for the World, a program to bring fresh water to those who do not have it, is supported by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the IEEE Foundation. The program is part of IEEE's collaboration with Group on Earth Observations (GEO). Our goal is to make progress using existing and innovative technologies that are easy to implement and scalable across a broad spectrum of the global population. Download full article here
GEO European Project's Workshop
The European Commission has concluded the 7th GEO European Projects Workshop (GEPW-7). The workshop took place in the Casa de la Convalescencia conference facility in Barcelona, on 15 and 16 April, and was hosted by CREAF (Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications) and the Autonomous University of Barcelona, through the European project GeoViQua.
GEPW-7 has continued and extended the effort to develop the collaboration between the GEO initiative and the European Commission projects on Earth Observation, funded through the Framework Programme of Community Research.
Draft agenda • Workshop website
New Landsat Earth-monitoring satellite launched
On the 11th of February, a new Earth observation satellite was lauched as part of the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM). The satellite circles the planet in less than 2 hours, relaying images with a moderate-resolution of 15 to 100 meters.
The images, which are distributed at no charge, are a unique resource for global change research and applications in the areas of agriculture, forestry and natural disasters management. Details can be found on the USGS and NASA websites
The economic value of EO data
Whether it is remotely sensed, in-situ, ocean-based, or surface-based; earth observation (EO) data is essential for making informed public policy decisions in many areas involving societal benefits like climate variability and change, energy management, agriculture, biodiversity, human health and epidemiology, weather forecasting and water management. The economic value of EO data is in its utility...
Read full article as published in Geospatial World, January 2013.
Paper on Essential Biodiversity Variables
Reducing the rate of biodiversity loss and averting dangerous biodiversity change are international goals. However, there is no global, harmonized observation system for delivering regular, timely data on biodiversity change. Partners from the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) are developing - and seeking consensus around - Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) that could form the basis of monitoring programs worldwide. Read Full Paper and consult the GEO BON EBVs page here.
Successful GEO-IX Plenary in Brazil
Please find presentations and statements on the GEO-IX meeting page
GEO side event at COP18 in Doha
GEO, in cooperation with the European Commission, organized a side Event on "Climate: improving knowledge and addressing societal needs", which took place on the 27 November at the European Union Pavilion at COP18 in Doha. The event provided an overview of the GEO initiatives addressing climate change, covering the observations, research, and insights into the Global Carbon Observation and Analysis System and the Global Forest Observation Initiative (GFOI). Find the program and presentations on the event web page.
Mobilization of the GEO community to the achievement of the CBD 2020 Aichi Targets
The achievement of the international biodiversity targets (2020 Aichi Targets), requires the mobilization of the entire GEO community, according to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Executive Secretariat, Dr. Braulio Dias. Dr. Dias expressed to GEO Secretariat Director Ryan, CBD's appreciation for the work that the GEO BON community has done heretofore. At the same time, he highlighted the desire for increased involvement of the entire GEO community, such as those working on Global Land Cover, Agriculture, Oceans, Forests, etc, for achieving the CBD 2020 Aichi Targets. A concept note, articulating this enhanced involvement, was presented to the CBD Conference of the Parties (COP-11) in October. The concept note can be downloaded here
Fourth Evaluation of GEOSS Implementation
The Group on Earth Observations wishes to announce the start of work of the Fourth Evaluation of implementation of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems. This evaluation will encompass the Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs) Disasters, Energy and Health. The full announcement can be downloaded here.
CEOS & GEO: a vital partner-ship for Earth observation
The willingness and ability of CEOS to engage in the GEO Work Plan Tasks has been critical to the advances we have made so far in building GEOSS. The impact of CEOS on GEOSS implementation has increased with each new multi-year Work Plan, and this CEOS leadership has been widely recognized throughout the GEO community. At the same time, CEOS has greatly benefited from the establishment of GEO and the political profile and strategic guidance that GEO has brought to Earth observation. Read full article in:
CEOS newsletter No.39,p2
GMES contribution to GEOSS
Representatives from different societal benefit areas, key decision makers and the GEO Secretariat attended the "GMES in Action" Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, 4-5 June to show their support for the European Earth monitoring programme GMES: Global Monitoring for Environment and Security. They agreed on a "Copenhagen Resolution" which states GMES as a major contributor to GEOSS.
An update on the Agriculture SBA
Research Media caught up with the GEO Secretariat recently to discuss the progress being made on the agricultural component of GEOSS. The interview is available here.
Announcing the GEO Carbon Office
The European Commission-funded GEOCARBON project has launched a GEO Carbon Office. The Carbon Offfice will support the GEO Global Carbon Observation and Analysis System by strengthening coordination and engaging more contributors. For more information or to contribute to GEO Task CL-02 on GCOAS, please visit the GEOCARBON website or contact Task PoC Antonio Bombelli.
GEO-VIII Plenary accepts new GEO 2012-2015 Work Plan
The Scientific and Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) hosted the GEO-VIII Plenary in Istanbul on 16 and 17 November. The Plenary's 380+ participants accepted the new GEO 2012-2015 Work Plan and the new Work Plan management structure. They also welcomed the recent improvements to the GEOSS Common Infrastructure, which now provides access to millions of data sets and information products through the GEO Portal. This includes the GEOSS Data-CORE, a distributed pool of documented datasets with full, open and unrestricted access at no more than the cost of reproduction and distribution. Other important outcomes of the meeting included an assessment and review of the progress made to date on GEOSS implementation, acceptance of the GEO Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI) Implementation Plan, and the launch of a process for defining the post-2015 phase of GEOSS. The review of the GEO-VIII Meeting Outcomes is available here
G20 Ministers launch GEO agricultural initiative
The agriculture ministers of the G20 countries adopted a ministerial declaration on 23 June in Paris launching a Global Agricultural Geo-Monitoring Initiative.
The aim of this GEO-led international monitoring network is to produce more accurate crop forecast data in order to promote food security. The Declaration is available here.
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