Ministerial summit on 'Global Earth Observation System of Systems' (Forwarded)

ESA News
http://www.esa.int

28 November 2007

Ministerial summit on 'Global Earth Observation System of Systems'

A new global Earth observation system, that could save lives in disasters
such as the recent cyclone in southern Bangladash, is being reviewed at a
ministerial-level summit in Cape Town this week.

Representatives of 71 member governments, the European Commission, and 46
participating organisations, including ESA, of the Group on Earth
Observations (GEO) meet in Cape Town 28-30 November, to assess progress on a
comprehensive, global monitoring system, to provide vast quantities of
near-real-time information on changes in the Earth's land, oceans,
atmosphere and biosphere via a single web portal.

GEO is an intergovernmental body that is leading a worldwide effort to build
a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) over a 10-year period.
GEOSS will work with and build upon existing national, regional, and global
systems to provide comprehensive, coordinated Earth observations from
thousands of instruments worldwide and to transform the data they collect
into vital information for society.

The GEOSS system is intended to interlink the world's widely dispersed ocean
buoys, weather stations, satellites and other Earth observation instruments
into one seamless system. This will reduce humanity's vulnerability to
disasters and environmental change while enabling countries to better manage
their agricultural, energy, water and other natural resources.

As a key component for GEOSS, Europe is developing the first operational
monitoring systems for environment and security, the Global Monitoring for
Environment and Security (GMES). GMES is an EU-led initiative, with the
space component being developed by ESA.

"GMES, where ESA is responsible for the space infrastructure, will be the
European contribution to GEOSS," says Stefano Bruzzi, Head of the Programme
Planning and Coordination Office.

"This is a mosaic piece for GEO, streamlining Europe's effort towards
operational Earth observation systems. We believe in GEOSS and we shall
continue to support it through GMES, but also through our suite of research
satellites, the Explorers missions."

Implementation of GMES will see the early deployment of three fast-track
services for Emergency Response, Land Monitoring, and Marine Services, to be
operational by 2008. Two additional services on Atmosphere monitoring and
Security will be added.

The conference will consider some 90 'early achievements' presented by the
various participants. The Plenary meeting (28-29 November) will assess the
progress made over the past year and decide on future actions. The
Ministerial Summit (30 November) will review a high-level Report on Progress
and issue a Ministerial Declaration.

During the three days, an exhibition on Earth observation systems features
some of the most sophisticated and up-to-date observation instruments and
decision-support tools available today. The ESA stand presents results from
today's Earth-watching satellites like Envisat and ERS, as well as models
and info on future Earth watchers like the upcoming Earth Explorers and
Sentinels. Together with the EC GMES is presented, and experts are on hand
to answer questions. In addition, a presentation of the GEO Portal, which is
intended to be a gateway to global observation data information and
services, will take place at the ESA stand. The GEO portal is an ESA-FAO
contribution to GEOSS.

[NOTE: Images supporting this release are available at
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM5F873R8F_index_1.html ]