Global Earth Observation System of

Systems

Global Earth Observation System of

Systems

Carla SullivanSenior Policy Advisor

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

North America Land Cover SummitSeptember 20, 2006

Carla SullivanSenior Policy Advisor

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

North America Land Cover SummitSeptember 20, 2006

The Role of Land Observations

GEOSS: The Role of Land Observations 2

GEOSSGlobal Earth Observation System of

Systems

GEOSSGlobal Earth Observation System of

Systems

A distributed system of systems

Improves coordination of strategies and observation systems

Links all platforms: in situ, aircraft, and satellite networks

Identifies gaps in our global capacity

Facilitates exchange of data and information

Improves decision-makers’ abilities to address pressing policy issues

GEOSS: The Role of Land Observations 3

Provide the right information, in the right format, at the right time, to the right

people, to make the right decisions.

Provide the right information, in the right format, at the right time, to the right

people, to make the right decisions.

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National and InternationalCoordination

National and InternationalCoordination

INTERNATIONAL

Adopted formal GEO organization and 10-year implementation plan

Held GEO I in May 2005, and GEO II in December 2005

Selected new GEO Secretariat Director, Jose Achache

Accepted 2006 Work Plan, adopted a budget and formally created GEO Committees

Architecture and Data; Capacity Building; Science and Technology; User Interface; and Working Group on Tsunami Activities

NATIONAL

US Strategic Plan provides the framework for the US contribution to GEO

USGEO tracking US activities to GEO WorkPlan

USGEO focusing on 6 Near-Term Opportunities

Disasters Drought / National Integrated

Drought Information System Land Observation Air Quality Sea Level Data Management

GEOSS: The Role of Land Observations 5

Global Earth Observation System of Systems

Integrated Observations & Data Management

Global Earth Observation System of Systems

Integrated Observations & Data Management

GEOSS: The Role of Land Observations 6

GEOSS Benefits: 2006 Work Plan Tasks

GEOSS Benefits: 2006 Work Plan Tasks

Disasters Encourage in-situ and space agencies to (i)

systematically record data over coastal regions subject to tsunami risk, and (ii) archive data in a form easily accessible to all countries.

Building on existing techniques, create a plan for the production in coastal zones of high-resolution (i) near-shore bathymetric maps, (ii) land use/land cover maps, and (iii) digital elevation models.

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GEOSS Implementation:

Used for Disaster Recovery

GEOSS Implementation:

Used for Disaster Recovery

Land remote sensing data used after Hurricane Katrina

New Orleans after flooding

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GEOSS Benefits: 2006 Work Plan Tasks

GEOSS Benefits: 2006 Work Plan Tasks

Energy Conduct a survey and assessment of energy management needs in terms

of Earth observations (in-situ, airborne, and space-based) and products in cooperation with national energy agencies and associations, focusing on gaps and requirements for new observations.

Initiate and maintain a dialogue between decision-support tool providers and energy production & distribution managers to identify requirements for the development of improved and/or new tools.

Climate Establish actions securing the provision of key data for climate studies and

forecasting from satellite systems. Consolidate the role of existing intergovernmental mechanisms for

terrestrial observations needed for climate studies and forecasting. Develop a framework for the preparation of guidance materials, standards, and reporting guidelines for terrestrial observing systems for climate and associated data, metadata, and products to expand the comprehensiveness of current networks, facilitate exchange of data, and provide strategic direction to the terrestrial climate sector.

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Intersection: GEOSS Benefit AreasIntersection:

GEOSS Benefit Areas

Climate Variations Affect Other Benefit Areas

NOAA’s Satellite Views of El Niño

GEOSS: The Role of Land Observations 10

GEOSS Benefits: 2006 Work Plan Tasks

GEOSS Benefits: 2006 Work Plan Tasks

Agriculture Consult with scientists and experts from the fisheries, aquaculture, coastal

zone management and Earth observation communities at international and regional levels to identify opportunities for enhanced utilization of Earth observations in fisheries and aquaculture.

Utilizing global and regional high-resolution land-cover datasets (e.g. GLOBCOVER) and earlier 1-km resolution land cover data sets (e.g. Global Land Cover 2000), implement production of a high-resolution global land-cover change dataset and report. Propose mechanisms for regular analysis and reporting on land cover change building on current efforts and promulgate the use of these products, especially in developing countries.

Initiate an international assessment effort on forests and forest changes utilizing ongoing land cover mapping projects (e.g. GLOBCOVER). Ensure application of standardized classifications and harmonization of existing datasets.

Advocate funding for demonstration projects to produce global irrigated area/crop production datasets and promulgate sustained monitoring efforts utilizing the validated methodologies.

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GEOSS Implementation

National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)

GEOSS Implementation

National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)

Goal: To enable the Nation to move from a reactive to a more proactive approach to droughts.

www.westgov.org/wga/publicat/nidis.pdf

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Monitoring 7 years of drought in the Horn of Africa from NOAA Operational Polar-Orbiting Satellites

GEOSS Implementation

Drought Monitoring in Africa

GEOSS Implementation

Drought Monitoring in Africa

Sensor: Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR)

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GEOSS Implementation

GeoNetcast Communication & Delivery

GEOSS Implementation

GeoNetcast Communication & Delivery

Implementation of GEONetCast:

Open exchange of data and information

Worldwide information distribution

Role of members in participating organizations

Implementation of GEONetCast:

Open exchange of data and information

Worldwide information distribution

Role of members in participating organizations

GEOSS: The Role of Land Observations 14

NorwayParaguayPhilippinesPortugalRepublic of KoreaRepublic of the CongoRussian FederationSlovak RepublicSloveniaSouth AfricaSpainSudanSwedenSwitzerlandThailandTunisiaUgandaUkraineUnited KingdomUnited StatesUzbekistan

65 Countries and the European Commissionand 43 Organizations

AlgeriaArgentinaAustraliaBahrainBelgiumBelizeBrazilCameroonCanadaCentral African RepublicChileChinaCroatiaCyprusDenmarkEgyptEuropean CommissionFinlandFranceGermanyGuinea-Bissau

HondurasHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIrelandIsraelItalyJapanKazakhstanLatviaLuxembourgMalaysiaMaliMauritiusMexicoMoroccoNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNigerNigeria www.earthobservations.org