The Full Picture

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Delivering GEOSS – the value and the vision

Dr Susan L. Barrell, Australian Bureau of Meteorology

t is said that information is power. In terms of the global envi-

ronment, however, shared information is even more powerful

– and the more effectively data can be shared, the greater and

more widely distributed are the benefits.

Earth system observations are made and compiled for good reasons –

because of a need to answer a question, to understand or explain an

outcome or a trend, to confirm or refute a thesis, or to support a predic-

tive model or a management process. The characteristics of the data

gathered, that is, the quantity measured, its value at a point in time, its

rate of change and spatial distribution, the accuracy and frequency with

which it is measured, and many other attributes, are intimately related

to the nature of the questions posed and, historically at least, gathered

just for that reason. In some cases, the questions are large-scale and

require the establishment and maintenance of extensive networks of

data gathering systems and considerable continuity across the systems

in both space and time. In other cases, the questions, once asked and

answered, might be resolved and retired, the observations ceased and

either discarded or kept for later research or historical reference.

The earth system is complex, multidimensional and highly interde-

pendent, changing and changeable on all spatial and temporal scales.

For example, meteorological events occur from the smallest local scale

through to near global long-term climate events, impact on health, agri-

culture, ecosystems, energy generation and many other

societal activities, and they influence and inform decision-

making processes from individuals through to global

policy development. The meteorological and other envi-

ronmental observing systems that exist now, and that are

under development for the future, represent the evolution

of our understanding about the environment and our need

to repeatedly, for many different reasons, compare the

present with the past and predict the future.

The establishment of the Group on Earth Observations

(GEO) and its decision to plan and implement a Global

Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) reflects

the growing recognition that informed decision-making

on all matters relating to the environment benefits from

access to and use of a wide range of environmental, biolog-

ical, economic, statistical and other data and, more

importantly, the ability to integrate, analyse and evaluate

different types of data within a common framework.

It is through the mechanisms for sharing information

that GEOSS will add its greatest value and deliver the

greatest benefits. GEOSS can add value above and beyond

that of the individual observing and data acquisition

systems in a number of ways, including through bringing

together data providers and users across a wide range of

socio-economic benefit areas to develop integrated state-

ments of requirements and to facilitate the sharing of data

and lessons learned across the various sectors. Two aspects

are critical to the immediate and long-term success of

GEOSS, and will enable GEOSS to add value to the overall

data access, utilization and service delivery processes: a

realistic and achievable interoperability framework to

support the exchange and utilization of data across multi-

ple users and socio-economic benefit areas; and the

long-term GEOSS governance mechanism.

The GEOSS interoperability framework

GEO does not itself own or operate observations

systems; rather it aims to facilitate access to and utiliza-

tion of the data that are available through the systems

that are owned and operated by its members. Similarly,

the data access, distribution, data management and

processing systems are contributed by the members,

groups of members and the participating organizations,

many of which themselves have an even broader

membership than GEO. Where new needs for data are

identified, GEO may facilitate the enhancement or

strengthening of existing systems (including observing,

information, dissemination systems, etc.) or the estab-

The Global Observing System, which is coordinated by the World Meteorological

Organization’s World Weather Watch and operated by its members, contributes

to GEOSS observations that are essential to many socio-economic benefit areas

beyond simply weather and climate

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