| |
Group on Earth Observations (GEO)
|
 |
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) consists of 55 countries,
the European Commission and 41 international organisations,
committed to increasing the level and sharing of information
gleaned from observations of weather and the environment around
the globe. |
|
In July 2003, at the inaugural Earth Observation Summit,
33 countries and the European Commission adopted a declaration
to develop comprehensive, co-ordinated and fully supported
Earth observation systems. The Earth Observation Summit
established an ad-hoc Group on Earth Observations, tasked
with developing a 10-year implementation plan. The GEO was
established as a formal grouping at the Third Earth Observation
Summit in February 2005, supported by an agreed Framework
Document defining the scope of a Global Earth Observation
System of Systems (GEOSS).
The GEO is tasked with:
-
ensuring countries work more closely
to fund, create and sustain Earth observations;
-
filling gaps in observational capabilities;
-
capacity building in developed and developing
countries.
Establishing a GEOSS will:
-
improve the exchange and sharing of
data;
-
support improved data assimilation;
-
support system modelling, monitoring
and analysis;
-
support other global meteorological
and environmental programmes such as THORPEX.
|
|
The Met Office is already committed to supporting global
initiatives and, along with Defra — the lead UK governmental
department — plays a key role in the UK's involvement
in GEO.
This includes:
-
representing the UK at GEO Plenary meetings;
- encouraging funding from the UK Government;
-
reviewing the UK observation network;
-
chairing UK delegation meetings.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home
