Group on Earth Observations

It links existing and planned Earth observation systems and supports the development of new ones in cases of perceived gaps in the supply of environment-related information.

It aims to construct a global public infrastructure for Earth observations consisting of a flexible and distributed network of systems and content providers.

To be useful, the raw data collected must be processed, archived, interpreted, and made available via easy-to-use channels in the form of information comprehensible not only by remote sensing experts.

GEO focuses on facilitating access to Earth observation data for nine priority areas: natural and human-induced disasters, environmental sources of health hazards, energy management, climate change and its impacts, freshwater resources, weather forecasting, ecosystem management, sustainable agriculture, and biodiversity conservation.

[4] These high-level meetings recognized that international collaboration is essential for exploiting the growing potential of Earth observations to support decision making in an increasingly complex and environmentally stressed world.