Group on Earth Observations (GEO)

MORE ABOUT GROUP ON EARTH OBSERVATIONS

What is GEO?

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is an intergovernmental partnership of 113 member governments, 135 international organisations and thousands of passionate individuals and businesses. GEO provides a unique forum where governments, businesses, the research community, not-for-profits and all other groups come together to create solutions, to share, and to cooperate.

The GEO community uses Earth observation data about our planet to drive sustained and inclusive growth. GEO promotes open, coordinated and sustained data sharing and infrastructure for better research, policy making, decisions and action across many disciplines. The GEO community focuses on four global priority engagement areas:

the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
the Paris Climate Agreement
the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
The United Nations New Urban Agenda

GEO also works across the following eight societal benefit areas where Earth Observations play a key role in decision making:

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Sustainability
Disaster Resilience
Energy and Mineral Resource Management
Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture
Public Health Surveillance
Infrastructure and Transport Management
Sustainable Urban Development
Water Resources Management

GEO’s Pacific Island Advisory Group (PIAG): A voice for the Pacific, by the Pacific

A number of key challenges remain to be overcome in order for the PICTs to take full advantage of services, information and knowledge available via the GEO community. In recognition of this, in 2020, the GEO Executive Committee established the PIAG to propose a strategy for engaging PICTs into GEO. Participation in PIAG is open to GEO members and GEO Participating Organizations.

PIAG seeks to work closely with both the GEO and PICT communities, in the following areas:

SCOPE the EO needs and priorities of the Pacific
CONSULT with PICTs to understand needs, barriers and opportunities for engagement
CONNECT technical EO activities in the PICTs and GEO with one another
ALIGN with relevant United Nations agendas
ADVISE GEO governance on how to strengthen the links between PICTs and GEO

PIAG will work to advocate for the needs for the Pacific to the GEO Executive Committee and the broader GEO Work Programme until the end of 2024, at which its term as an advisory group will conclude.

What are the interests for OGS?

Increasing engagement between the Pacific and the international GEO community will strengthen the existing EO capabilities and capabilities within the region. Access to new techniques, infrastructure, skills, expertise and data residing across the global EO community will enhance the PICT’s ability to manage natural resources, respond to natural events in an increasingly dynamic and changing world and support the delivery of important regional and global agendas.

Why a dedicated session at the OGS?

After almost two years of PIAG’s operation, the OGS comes at a crucial time in which PIAG must determine its future direction. It is essential that this this discussion happens in the pacific to ensure that the PICTs are fully engaged and can lead the future direction.

Increasing engagement between the Pacific and the international EO community via the intra governmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO) will strengthen the existing EO capabilities and capabilities within the region. Access to new techniques, infrastructure, skills, expertise and data residing across the global EO community will enhance the PICT’s ability to manage natural resources, respond to natural events in an increasingly dynamic and changing world and support the delivery of important regional and global agendas.

SCHEDULE

01 Dec 2022/12/01 (GEO)

7h30 - 8h30

Welcome coffee

8h30 - 10h30

GEO, PIAG and the PICTs

Hybrid session

10h30 - 11h00

Coffee Break

11h00 - 12h30

PICTs & PIAG

12h30 - 13h30

Lunch

13h30 - 16h00

Future of PIAG

Session A: for decision makers – round table discussion
Session B: technical leaders/EO practitioners – whiteboard session on how to strengthen links into GEO activities, and why

16h00 - 16h30

Coffee Break

16h30 - 17h30