GEOSS and GWS Overview

The mission of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is to build the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), in order to: “... realize a future wherein decisions and actions for the benefit of human kind are informed via coordinated, comprehensive, and sustained Earth observations. . . The purpose of GEOSS is . . . to improve monitoring of the state of the Earth, increase understanding of Earth processes, and enhance prediction of the behaviour of the Earth system.” (GEOSS 10-Year Implementation Plan) GEOSS will provide the overall conceptual and organizational framework to build towards integrated global Earth observations to meet user needs. GEOSS will be a “system of systems” consisting of existing and future Earth-observation systems, supplementing but not supplanting their own mandates and governance arrangements. It will provide the institutional mechanisms for ensuring the necessary level of coordination, strengthening and supplementation of existing global Earth-observation systems, and for reinforcing and supporting them in carrying out their mandates. The GEO 2006 Work Plan defines several Architecture tasks that are relevant to GWS:

• Establish and maintain a process for reaching interoperability arrangements, informed by ongoing dialogue with major international programmes and consortia.

• Initiate development of a publicly accessible, network-distributed clearinghouse, subject to GEOSS interoperability specifications to date

• Produce practical guidance document on how to converge disparate systems to a higher degree of collaboration and interoperability under GEOSS

• Reach consensus on how the GEOSS architecture will link the components of GEOSS and allow for growth potential.

The GEO homepage: http://earthobservations.org/