GEOSS

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GEOSS
SCIENCESERVINGSOCIETY
Global Earth Observing System of Systems

• VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr. US Navy (Ret.)
• Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and
  AtmosphereNOAA Administrator
• June 20 2005

International Symposium on Remote Sensing of
Environment
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GEOSS History
EOS I

• EOS I
• July 31, 2003, Washington, D.C.
• 34 Countries 20 International Organizations
• EOS II
• April 25, 2004, Tokyo, Japan
• 47 Countries EC 26 International
  Organizations
• EOS III February 2005, Brussels
• Nearly 60 Countries EC and 34 International
  Organizations
• 10-Year Implementation Plan
• Commerce Secretary Gutierrez led the US delegation

EOS II
EOS III
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What is GEOSS?
Comprehensive Coordinated Sustained An end-to-end
system of existing systems (both in situ and
remote sensing observation platforms)linked with
new systems
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Societal Benefits of GEOSS
Terrestrial, Coastal Marine Ecosystems
Water Resources
Natural Human Induced Disasters
Sustainable Agriculture Desertification
Energy Resources
Human Health Well-Being
Biodiversity
Weather Information, Forecasting Warning
Climate Variability Change
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Earth Observations Value Agriculture

• Drought costs in U.S. 6-8B annually

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Earth Observations Value Health

• Malaria killed est. 1M people in 2004

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Earth Observations Value Energy
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Earth Observations Value Disaster Mitigation
FLOATS
BUOYS
Better ocean observations more accurate
forecasts effective warnings
GAUGES
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GEOSS Implementation

• Data Management Needs
• New systems mean 100-fold increase in data
• Current systems already face challenges
• Development of browser and visualization systems
  underpinned by core geospatial technologies
• Interoperability through protocols and standards

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GEO IGeneva, Switzerland

• First meeting of new GEO at WMO headquarters in
  early May
• GEO agreed to 12 member Executive Committee
• Committee Structure
• Co-Chairs U.S., EC, China, South Africa
• Members Russian Federation, Japan, Thailand,
  Brazil, Honduras, Germany, Italy, and Morocco
• GEO to meet again December, 2005

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U.S. Contribution to GEOSSAn Interagency Effort
Other Nations Developing Internal Coordination
Initiatives
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Thanks for your efforts!