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Frllmov,,'rk Document 25 April 2004

From Observation to Actlon-

Achieving Comprehensive, Coordinated, and Sustained Earth Observa ions for the Benefit or

Humankind

Framework for a 10-Year Implementation Plan

As adopted by Earth Observation Summit II

25 April 2004

1. Introduction

Understanding the Earth system-its weather, climate, oceans, land, ge logy, natural resources,

ecosystems, and natural and human-induced hazards--is crucial to enh. ncing human health,

safety and welfare, alleviating human suffering including poverty, protepting the global

environment, and achlevmg sustainable development. Data collected ar d information created

from Earth observations constitute critical input for advancing this unde standing. In 2003, a

consensus emerged among governments and international organizations that, while supporting

and developing existing Earth observatIOn systems, more can and must e done to strengthen

global cooperation and Earth observatlOns. This Framework Document, ~hile not legally bindmg,

marks a crocml step in developmg the lO-Year lmplementation Plan for he creatIOn ofa

comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained Earth observation system or ystems as envisioned by

the Washington Declaration adopted at the Earth Observation Summit 0 2003.

2. Benefits of Comprehensive, Coordinated and Sustained Earth Obsel~ations

2.] Observing and understanding the Earth system more completely and corrtprehensively will

expand worldwide capacity and means to achieve snstainable developme t and will yield

advances in many specific areas of socia-economic benefit, including:

• RedUCIng loss of life and property from natural and human-induced cisasters;

• Understanding environmental factors affectmg human health and weI being;

• ,Improving management of energy resources;

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Framework Document 25 April 2004

• Understanding, assessing, predicting, mitie,atmg. and adaptmg to I imate variability and

change;

• Improving water resource management through better understandi g ofthe water cycle;

• Jmproving weather mfonnation, forecastmg, and warning;

• Improving the management and protection of terrestrial, coastal, m d marine ecosystems;

• Supporting sustainable agriculture and combating desertification;

• Understanding, monitoring, and conserving biodiversity.

2.2 Globally, these benefits will be realized by a broad range of user comrn~nitie5, including (1)

national, regional, and local decision-makers, (2) relevant international k>rganizations responsible

for the implementation ofinternational conventJons, (3) business, indus~, and service sectors,

(4) scientists and educators, and (5) the general public. Realizing the b mefits of coordinated,

comprehensive, and sustained Earth observations (I.e. the improvement of decision-making and

predIction abilities) represents a fundamental step toward addressing th challenges articulated in

the declarations of the 2002 World SummIt on Sustainable Developmen and fulfilling the

Mil1ennium Development Goals agreed at the Millennium Summit in 2{ 00.

2.3 Full partIcipation of developing country members will maxImize their ol>portunities to derive real

benefits in the above socio-economic areas. Such participation IS sUPI?0!1ed as it enhances the

capacity of the entire Earth observation community to address global su tainable development

chal1enges.

3. Key Earth Observation Areas

3.1 Coordinated and sustained global cooperalton on Earth observations is \1 11 established In the

crucial area of weather. The World Meteorological Organization's Worlb Weather Watch

demonstrates the value ofmtematlOnal collaboration In this arena. Impro l1ements in observation

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networks are stIlI needed and will yield further success through imprm,ed accuracy in weather

informatIon and long-term predictIOn.

3.2 Cooperation is less advanced in the areas ofland, water, climate, ice, a d ocean observation.

Nevertheless, some important work and guidance for future action has )een developed In a

number of areas, for example:

a. Natural hazard understanding through a" range of international observing and early warning

systems consistent with the International Strategy for Disaster Red ctlon (ISDR);

b. Climate understanding and research through the World Chmate Re earch Program (WCRP),

and chmate monitoring consistent with the Global Chmate ObselVl g System (GCOS) in

support of the Conference ofParties (COP) of the United NatIOns Framework Convention on

Climate Change (UNFCCC);

c. Ocean monitoring, modeling and forecasting through the Global Oc ean Observing System

(GODS);

d. A range of observation themes addressed by the Integrated Global ( bserving Strategy

Partnership (IGOS-P) includmg oceans; carbon; water cycle; solid e~rth processes, coastal

zone (mcluding coral reef); atmospheric chemistry; and Iand/biosph reo

3.3 In each of these areas, observation efforts to understand dynamic Earth rocesses have been

identified and should be expanded to support action-oriented solutions il the areas ofkey socio-

economic benefit.

4. Shortcomings of Current Observation Systems

4.1 Human knowledge of the Earth system, although adVanced in certain areas, is far from complete.

Current efforts to observe and understand the Earth system must progres from the separate

observatIOn syste~s and programs of today to coordinated, hmely, quali~, sustained, global

infonnation-developed in accordance with compatlble standards-as a basis for future sound

decisions and actIOns.

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4.2 Many international orgamzations and programs are working to sustain a d unprove the

coordination of Earth observations. However, current efforts to capture arth observation data are

limIted by (1) a lack of access to data and associated benefits especially i the developing world,

(2) eroding technical infrastructure, (3) large spatial and temporal gaps j specific data sets, (4)

inadequate data integration and interoperabiIity, (5) uncertainty over con inuity of observations,

(6) inadequate user involvement, (7) a lack of relevant processing syste s to transform data into

useful information, and (8) insufficient long term data archiving.

S. What is Needed· The lO·Year Implementation Plan for Earth Obse ations (2005-2014)

5.1 To achieve the many benefits of coordinated Earth observations and to

action, governments adopting this Framework Document set forth the p components of a

IO-Year Implementation Plan for establishing the Global Earth Observat on System of Systems

(GEOS8). GEOSS will be:

• comprehensive, by includmg observations and products gathered fr m all components

reqUIred to serve the needs of participatmg members;

• coordinated, in terms ofleveraging resources of indiVIdual contnbut ng members to

accomphsh thIS system, whose total capacity is greater than the sum f its parts;

• sustained, by the collective and individual will and capacity ofparti ipating members.

5.2 GEOSS W111 be a distributed system of systems, buildmg step-by-step 0 current cooperation

efforts among existing observmg and processing systems withm their ndates, whIle

encouraging llnd accommodating new components. Participating memb rs WIll determine ways

and means of their partiCIpation in GEOSS. The lO:Year Implementatl Plan for GEOSS w1ll

be based on the following considerations:

a. With the socio-economic benefits identified m Section 2 as the road ap. the 10-Year

Implementation Plan will identify, document, and prioritJze actions 0 address user

requirements for current and future Earth observations. ThIs process will be based on

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appropnate dialogue and procedures, taking advantage of and bui ding upon the experience of

eXlstlng Initiatives and infrastructures.

b. The architecture model wIll build incrementally on existing systeT 15 to create a distributed

system of systems, Incorporating an observation component, a da processing .and archiving

component, and a data exchange and dIssemination component.

c. The 10-Year Implementation Plan will elucidate practical method for filling critical gaps in,

inter alia, observation parameters, geographlcal areas, observatior specifications, and

accessibility.

5.3 The GEOSS wlIl address key challenges of data utilization, Including ~e need for:

• Full and open exchange of observations with minimum time delay and mmimum costs,

recognizing relevant international instruments and national policie and legislation;

• Assured data utility and usability (including thresholds for validati :m, calibration, and spatial

and temporal resolution);

• Assured continuity and availability of the many observations and J: oducts In place or

planned;

• A robust regulatory framework for Earth observations (e.g. throug protection of radio

frequency'bands that are uniquely essential for Earth observations)

5.4 The plan will facilitate both current and new capacity building efforts, partlcularly in developing

countries, across the entire continuum ofGEOSS activities, which will 'nelude education,

traming, instltutional networks, communication, and outreach as funda nental to those efforts.

Building on existing local, national, reglOnal, and global capacity build ng initiatives, GEOSS

Will:

a. Focus on traimng and education for the development and/or utiliza 'on of existmg human,

institutional, aiJd technical capacities for data utilizatlOn;

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b. Develop the infrastructure resources necessal)' to meet research an operatIOnal

requirements;

c. Build on globally accepted sustamabl~ development prinCiples - m )st notably those outhned

In the World Summit on Sustamable Development Plan ofImplem ntation.

S.5 The development of GEOSS should take maximum advantage of deve] pments in research and

technologies. Conversely it will enable the global sC1entific community to address key scientific

questions concerning the functioning of the Earth system.

6. Outcomes

The success of the lO-Year Implementation Plan will be measured by t}e operational

achievement ofGEOSS. Specific outcomes for GEOSS, both short and long-term, will be

elaborated in the lO-Year Implementation Plan, including but not linutd to the following:

a. Enabling global, multi-system information capabilities for each oft e fonowing:

• disaster reduction, includmg response and recovery;

• integrated water resource management;

• ocean monitonng and marine resources management;

• arr quality monitoring and forecasting;

• biodiversity conservation;

• sustainable land use and management.

b. Global tracking of invasive species;

c. ComprehenSive monitoring of global and regional climate on annual decadal, and longer

time scales, and enablmg information products related to climate val ability and change;

d. Improving the coverage, quality, and availability of essential mform tion from the in situ

networks and improving the integratlOn of in situ and satellite data;

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e. Involvement of users from developed and developing countries, m mtonng their needs and

fulfillment over time;

f. An outreach mechamsm to actIVely demonstrate the usefulness of arth observation to

decision makers in key user communities.

7. The Way Fonvard

7.1 The adoption of this Framework Document mdicates a decision to proc ed with the elaboration of

the GEOSS ]0-Year Implementation Plan along the lines set forth in th s Document and a

willingness to cooperate on, and participate in, the implementation of e plan. At present, the ad

hoc Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is a "best efforts" activity wit voluntary input from

States and advice and support from mternational organizations.

7.2 For 2005 and beyond, the implementation of the "IO-Year Implementa 'on Plan" will require a

ministenal-guided successor mechanism WIth maximum flexibility-a ingle intergovernmental

group for Earth observations drawing on the experience of the ad hoc EO, with membership

open to all interested governments and the European Commission, and ith representatives of

relevant international organizations taking part.

7.3 The GEOSS IQ-Year Implementation Plan wi11 elaborate detaIls for thi Group, whIch will

provide generally for:

a. CoordinatIOn and plannmg of GEOSS implementation (in situ and motely sensed);

b. Opportunities for engagement of all members and relevant internab nal and regional

organizations;

c. Involvement of user communities;

d. Measuring, monitoring, and facilitatmg openness of GEOSS to imp ave cross-flow of

observations and products;

e. Co-ordination and facilitatIOn of the development and exchange of bservations and products

between members and relevant mtematlOnal and regional organlzati ns.

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 GROUP ON
E:ARTH .~

BSERVATIO.
GEO-4 and Second Earth Observation Summit Summar -1
• Schedule:
> ad hoc Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Su
April 21-22.
> GEO-4: April 22-23.
> Second Earth Observation Summary: April25.
• Summit Attendance:
> 43 Countries and the European Commission-C meroon, Gabon,
and Uzbekistan expressed their gratitude to the .S. for making their
attendance possible.
> 26 International/Intergovernmental Organizatio s.
> Strong U.S. Delegation: EPA Administrator Le itt, President's
Science Advisor Marburger, Ambassador Baker NOAA
Administrator Lautenbacher, EPA Assistant Ad inistrator Gilman,
USGS Director Groat.

GROUP ON
EARTH
BSERVATI..~
GEO-4 and Second Earth Observation Summi Summa -2
• Accomplishments:
> Adopted Framework Document and Communiq e.
> Implementation Plan Task Team up and runnin .
> Progress on GEO successor governance mechani m.
> Much Agreement on U.S. Proposal for a Fall GA Resolution.
> GEOSS (Global Earth Observation System of Sy terns) Enthusiasm
Maintained and Strengthened.

• Next Steps:
> Special Meeting on GEO Successor Governance
Brussels, September 27-28.
> GEO-S: Ottawa, November 29-30 (?).
> GEO-6: Brussels, February 14-15, 2005.
);> Third Earth Observation Summit: Brussels, Fe ruary 16, 2005.

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 EO Summit II Communique 25 April 2004

COMMUNIQuE OF THE SECOND EARTH OBSE VATION SUMMIT

As Adopted,
25 April 2004

We, the participants in the Second Earth Observation Summit held in 'I okyo, Japan, on25 Apn12004:

'. Recalling the Declaration of the first Earth Observation SummIt, held ir Washington, D.C.• on July 31,
2003.

Building on the conunitment made at that Summit to move toward a cclmprehensive, coordmated, and
sustained Earth observation system or systems, and;

Remaining cognizant ofthe fact that what we are designing will chang and improve how we perceive
and understand the Earth system-its weather, climate, oceans. land, g ology, natural resources,
ecosystems, and natural and human-induced hazards-and that such ur. ~erstanding 1S cruCIal to enhancing
human health, safety and welfare, alleviating human suffering includm poverty, protecting the global
environment, and achieving sustainable development;

We affirm our support to the process underway, recognizing the increa ed attention to our initIative with
more countries and organizatIons partIcipating since the first Summit;

We acknowledge with appreciation the work of the ad hoc Group on E rth Observations thus far to begin
to develop a 10-Year hnplementatlon Plan, based on user requirements and buildmg on existing systems.
for a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained Earth observation syst m of systems.

We adopt with satisfaction the Framework Document, describing princIpal benefits of Earth observations
to a broad range of user communities and the fundamental elements to 1e included in the 10-Year
Implementation Plan for what will henceforth be called a Global Earth ~bservation System of Systems
(GEOSS); \

We approve the way forward for the development of the I04Year Impletnentation Plan as described In the
Framework Document:

We note with appreciation the "GEO Subgroup Reports to the Second I arth Observation Summit," and

We commission the ad hoc Group on Earth Observations to take those eps necessary to have m place for
our review a draft ImplementatIOn Plan before the third Earth Observati::m Summit to be hosted by the
European Umon in early 2005.

We rrnew our mvitation to other governments to Jom us in thiS initiativl. We also invite the governing
bodies of international and regional organizations sponsoring existing E rth observing systems to support
our action.

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