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