# Presentation: 131351

## International Remote Sensing Organizations Relevant to SERVIR

- Compiled by Danielle Adams
- National Space Science and Technology Center
-  Huntsville, Alabama
- dradams@mit.edu	February 16, 2005

## Contents

- Earth Observation Summits
- _[GEO](slide4.xml)_
- _[GEOSS](slide6.xml)_
- _[IWGEO](slide8.xml)_
- United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and its Programs
- _[UNOOSA](slide11.xml)_
- _[COPUOS](slide13.xml)__ _
- _[PSA](slide14.xml)_
- _United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Land Cover Initiatives_
- _[UN-GLCN](slide16.xml)_
- _[UN-GTOS](slide20.xml)_
- _[UN-Geonetworks](slide21.xml)_

## Earth Observation Summits GEO, GEOSS, IWGEO

## GEO: Group on Earth Observations http://earthobservations.org/ 

- An international organization of environmental officials and representatives from 53 countries
- Formed during three meetings called the *Earth Observation Summits* on the following dates.
- July 31, 2003 Washington, DC
- April 25, 2004 Tokyo, Japan
- February 16, 2005 Brussels, Belgium
- Goal of Summits: Develop a 10-year action plan for Earth Observation and a Framework Document on how to continuously monitor the environment.

## GEO: Group on Earth Observations http://earthobservations.org/

- Six meetings of GEO have been held
- GEO Co-chairs (as of 09/2004)
- Achilleas Mitsos
- Director General for Research, European Commission
- Akio Yuki
- Deputy Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan
- Conrad Lautenbacher
- Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, United States
- Rob Adam
- Director-General, Department of Science and Technology, South Africa

## GEOSS: Global Earth Observation System of Systemshttp://epa.gov/geoss/basic.html

-  An infrastructure connecting international efforts at Earth Observation
-  Will allow scientists to look at measurements of the land, water and air made from the ground, the air or space in conjunction
-  Will bring together existing observation hardware and software, make it compatible and offer data at no cost

## Officially started in April, 2004 at the second Earth Observation Summit in Japan

 Includes the Registry of EPA Applications and Databases (READ), a detailed list of EPA systems, programs and info sources in the areas of Measurement, Modeling, Decision Support and Programs for all major environmental components. 

-  Includes the _[Registry of EPA Applications and Databases (READ)](http://epa.gov/geoss/eos/text_tool.html)__, a detailed list of EPA systems, programs and info sources in the areas of Measurement, Modeling, Decision Support and Programs for all major environmental components. _

- GEOSS: Global Earth Observation System of Systems_[http://epa.gov/geoss/basic.html](http://epa.gov/geoss/basic.html)_

## IWGEO: Interagency Working Group on Earth Observationshttp://iwgeo.ssc.nasa.gov/

- A US organization formed in response to the international appointment of GEO to oversee the US contribution to GEO and GEOSS
- Mirrors GEO by developing a 10-year plan for the US work with Earth Observation
- Co-Chairs: Ghassem Asrar, Cliff Gabriel, Greg Withee

## IWGEO: Interagency Working Group on Earth Observationshttp://iwgeo.ssc.nasa.gov/

- 15 Member federal agencies (Including NASA)
- Some of IWGEO’s Roles and Responsibilities
- Develop US plan for EOS
- Coordinate with Academia and Private Sector
- Formulate US position and input to GEO

## United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and its ProgramsUNOOSA, PSA, COPUOS

## UNOOSA: United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairshttp://www.oosa.unvienna.org/index.html 

- A UN office that promotes international cooperation in peaceful uses of space
- Implements the decisions of the UN and, in particular, the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
- Secretariat for COPUOUS, implements/organizes _[Programme on Space Applications](http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/sapidx.html)_

## Objectives include
Assisting developing countries in using space technology for development
 Using space technology in disaster management and prevention  
Giving workshops in basic space science in developing countries 
Maintains Register of Objects Launched into Space 
Collects Space Activities of Member Nations

- Assisting developing countries in using space technology for development
-  _[Using space technology in disaster management and prevention  ](http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/os1810.doc.htm)_
- _[Giving workshops in basic space science in developing countries ](http://www.seas.columbia.edu/~ah297/un-esa/index.html)_
- Maintains _[Register of Objects Launched into Space ](http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/SORegister/regist.html)_
- Collects _[Space Activities of Member Nations](http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/natact/index.html)_

- UNOOSA: United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs_[http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/index.html](http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/index.html)__ _

## COPUOS: Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Spacehttp://www.oosa.unvienna.org/COPUOS/copuos.html 

- A UN committee that meets annually and make recommendations to the UN General Assembly
- Two subcommittees
- _[Scientific and Technical Subcommittee](http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/COPUOS/stsc/index.html)_
- Legal Subcommittee
- Topics considered include
- Space-system-based telemedicine
- Remote sensing of earth and applications for developing countries
- Space-system-based disaster management

## PSA: Programme on Space Applicationshttp://www.oosa.unvienna.org/sapidx.html 

- Program implemented by UNOOSA
- Improves use of space science and technology in developing nations
- Activities include
-  Conducting training courses, workshops, conferences and seminars on space applications for social advance in developing countries
- Capacity building through technical assistance for space applications such as remote sensing, satellite meterology, and satellite navigation

## United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Land Cover Initiatives

- GLCN, GTOS, Geonetworks

## UN-GLCN: Global Land Cover Networkhttp://www.glcn-lccs.org/ 

- An initiative with the following objectives
- Standardize land cover mapping methods through a global classification system called _[Land Cover Classification System (LCCS)](http://www.glcn-lccs.org/index.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=3&page=1)_
-  Harmonize land cover mapping at national, regional and global levels
-  Generate data that benefits other UN development programs
-  Connect Remote Sensing staff with workers in environmental arenas

## UN-GLCN: Global Land Cover Networkhttp://www.glcn-lccs.org/ 

- Background
- Conceived in 2002 _[meeting ](ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/004/y3726e/y3726e00.pdf)__of UN Food and Agricultural Organization (UN-FAO) and UN Environmental Program (UNEP)_
- Coordinator John Latham, based in Rome, Italy in the UN-FAO
- Recent regional land data workshops
- Ecuador and South Africa (Fall, 2004)
- India (Feb 15-19, 2005)

## Africover: the first regional program under GLCN
Africover Eastern Africa Module (1995-2002)
First operational component of Africover
Included 10 countries
MADE (Multi-purpose Africover Database for Environment): Baseline information for GIS users looking for environmental data

- Africover Eastern Africa Module (1995-2002)
- First operational component of Africover
- Included 10 countries
- _[MADE ](http://www.africover.org/MADE.htm)_(Multi-purpose Africover Database for Environment): Baseline information for GIS users looking for environmental data

- UN-GLCN: Global Land Cover Network

- _[http://www.glcn-lccs.org/](http://www.glcn-lccs.org/)_

## UN-GLCN: Global Land Cover Networkhttp://www.glcn-lccs.org/

- _[Software tools](http://www.glcn-lccs.org/index.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=12)_
- _[LCCS](http://www.africover.org/LCCS.htm)_: A scale independent method of classifying land cover
- _GeoVIS_ (Geographical Vector Interpretation System): visual interpretation for GIS data
- _MAP_ (Mapping Accuracy Program): statistical program for calculation of mapping accuracy
- _[ADG](http://www.africover.org/use_softw.htm)__[ ](http://www.africover.org/use_softw.htm)__(Africover Database Gateway): recombination of land cover polygons_
- _[AIMS](http://www.africover.org/interpret_softw.htm)__[ ](http://www.africover.org/interpret_softw.htm)__(Africover Interpretation and Mapping System): Combines different types of data in geographically linked windows_
- _[AID](http://www.africover.org/use_softw.htm#aid)__[ ](http://www.africover.org/use_softw.htm#aid)__(Africover Interactive Database): Guides land cover interpretation_

## UN-GTOS: Global Terrestrial Observing Systemhttp://www.fao.org/gtos/ 

- A program for observations, modeling, and analysis of terrestrial ecosystems to support sustainable development
- GT-NET (Global Terrestrial Observing Network): a network of satellite and ground data sets on terrestrial ecosystems
- Activities
- Networking among like-minded groups
-  Sponsors two regional programs
- Central and Eastern Europe
- Southern Africa
- Coordinates Demonstration projects such as NPP and TCO

## UN-Geonetworkhttp://www.fao.org/geonetwork/ 

- A web-based application that allows users to find interactive maps, GIS datasets, satellite imagery, etc.
- Purposes:
- Support decision making in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and food security
- Promotes multidisciplinary approaches to sustainable development
- Enhances understanding of the benefits of geographic information
- For more info, see this link.