The Full Picture

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European monitoring service: achievements,

operational perspectives and new challenges

Marc Tondriaux, CEO and Gil Denis, Head of Business Development

GMES Applications and Services, Infoterra Group

limate change and the impacts of human activities on the

Earth and the environment are some of the most signifi-

cant challenges of the 21st century. As a result, the key

focus must be on developing mitigation plans to handle the poten-

tial impacts on environment and life; on water, food security and

natural resources; on the frequency of natural disasters and

humanitarian crisis, and on health and welfare. As these impacts

could potentially shape our future for the next 50 years it is impor-

tant to consider uncertainty management and the value of

information for decision-making and long-term policies.

Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) is a large

European initiative – a joint initiative of the European Space Agency

(ESA) and the European Commission (EC) – aimed at monitoring

our environment globally, for the welfare, health and security of all

the people. GMES is vital to help understand and deal with what is

happening as a result of climate change. It serves as a kind of global

thermometer. Because GMES provides valuable information on the

Earth, our environment and the evolution trends, it is a good measure-

ment tool; reducing uncertainty and supporting better

decision-making. Since 1998, continuous research and development

activities have helped to set up the first operational European services.

Astrium and Infoterra Group have been actively involved from the

beginning, particularly in two of the three GMES core services – land

monitoring and emergency response.

Involvement of Infoterra in GMES and GEOSS

Infoterra is working towards developing Earth observation services

both within and beyond Europe; establishing capability in all aspects

of value-added geo-information services; building a profitable, sustain-

able and expanding business in Earth observation services, and

developing demand in future Earth observation systems.

Infoterra is a European group with three current entities established

in France, Germany and in the United Kingdom. Infoterra also has an

office in Hungary and is planning to open Infoterra Spain. In 2006, the

group’s turnover was EUR50 million, with a current staff of over 300.

Infoterra’s GMES strategy is built on the following principles:

• Involvement of end-users and a tight link with the regional

authorities

• Strategic importance of the continuity of the Earth observations

space infrastructure

• Organisation of a European network of services providers

• Definition of suitable organizational and economic models for the

provision of GMES services at the European level.

In order to achieve these objectives Infoterra is strength-

ening its leading position in two of the GMES fast-track

services. With its partners involved in the ongoing

European GMES projects, Infoterra is setting up and coor-

dinating a network of European service providers

committed to delivering operational GMES services.

The contribution of Earth observation satellites

Satellites play a critical role in monitoring climate change

and evaluating the impact of humans on the environment

at global, regional and local scales. Satellite data already

provides information vital to understanding potential

impacts, including floods and forest fires, biomass, sea

surface rise, land use and land use changes.

Global satellite observing systems are ideally suited for

collecting data in a cost effective way. Satellites are often

the only way to highlight gradual change on a global scale.

They also provide very high-resolution images on a local

scale.

Satellites contribute hugely to:

• Providing routine and continuous monitoring to high-

light gradual environmental change

• Models and computer simulations to help improve

predictions and forecasts

• Emergency responses to natural disasters or humani-

tarian crisis

• Decision-making based on independent and

autonomous information.

Information from Earth observation sources is global and

continuously updated. In addition, these sources provide

coverage for all timeframes: long term to real-time data

in case of emergencies. A key success factor for GMES is

the continuity of Earth observation missions and efficient

coordination between European and national missions.

Foundations of GMES and current status

Important efforts have been made on the development of

prototype services for GMES in Europe. The two main

initiatives, FP6 and FP7, have been launched by the

European Commission (integrated projects) and

European Space Agency (ESA) GMES Services Element

(GSE) programme, with an important investment in the

space and services industry.

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