Climate Sense

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bserving

, P

redicting

and

rOjecting

limate

OnditiOns

are being coordinated with ground-based systems for

validation and they will build, as appropriate, upon

existing observations and products from satellites,

aircraft, and surface-based instruments.

Strengthening observing systems

The GEO membership is working to maintain and

expand the terrestrial, oceanic and atmospheric observ-

ing systems, both in-situ and space-based, underpinning

scientific efforts to understand the climate. These

systems are also central to the construction of GEOSS

and to advances in other societal benefit areas.

The Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS) and

others are developing the intergovernmental mecha-

nisms for coordinating the terrestrial observations needed

for climate studies and forecasting. In addition, GTOS is

supporting the preparation of guidancematerials, standards

and reporting guidelines for terrestrial observing systems. It

is also promotingwork on the associated data, metadata and

products that are needed to expand the comprehensiveness

of current networks and to facilitate the exchange of data.

The Global Ocean Observing System, the Partnership

for Observation of the Global Oceans and the Institute of

Electrical and Electronic Engineers, supported by another

GEOCommunity of Practice (on coastal zones), are enhanc-

ing the coordination of coastal and open-ocean observations

andmodelling initiatives. Related activities include: improv-

ing the global coverage and data accuracy of coastal and

open-ocean observing systems, as well as the management

Terrestrial Observing System’s Global Observation of Forest and

Land Cover Dynamics.

This programme is building a rigorous forest carbon monitoring,

reporting and verification capacity by integrating data from various

optical and radar Earth observation satellites. It uses agreed method-

ologies and models for estimating carbon content. The methodology is

validated by in situ observations of the carbon content of forests and soils.

Combining data from different radar frequencies makes it possible to

map the forest canopy and thus the biomass and carbon it contains. This

sophisticated radar imagery can then be overlaid with optical imagery to

provide the most complete remote representation of the forest possible.

The tools developed for this project could be mixed and matched to

suit the particulars of any given forest while enabling forest managers and

investors to demonstrate or confirm the accuracy and comparability of

the carbon measurements. This service has the potential to support the

emerging carbon markets while contributing to efforts to track whether

particular forests are net carbon emitters or net carbon sinks.

Meanwhile, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the US

National Aeronautics and Space Agency, the European Space

Agency and others are fostering the use of space-based greenhouse

gas (GHG) observations. They are consolidating data requirements

for the next generation of GHG monitoring satellite missions and

establishing an international group in close cooperation with the

CEOS Atmospheric Composition virtual constellation and the

GEO Community of Practice (an informal grouping of organiza-

tions sharing an interest in a particular societal issue) on the carbon

cycle. They are initially focusing on the end-to-end use of space-

based GHG data, particularly those of Japan’s Greenhouse Gases

Observing Satellite, which was launched in early 2009. These efforts

The Global Earth Observation System of Systems

The Global Earth Observation System of Systems provides decision-support capabilities and end-to-end services that support science-based

decision making on major global challenges