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
