GEO: The Full Picture

Group on Earth Observations (GEO)

Ministers and officials from over 100 governments and international organizations are assembling in Cape Town, South Africa from 28 to 30 November 2007 to advance an internationally agreed plan for building a Global Earth Observation System of Systems, or GEOSS. GEOSS is coordinated by GEO, the Group on Earth Observations consisting of 72 governments, the European Commission and GEO's 46 participating organisations.

A full-colour publication detailing selected early achievements and other Earth observation projects and services of GEO has been published for all Ministerial Summit participants.

The Centre for Geo-Information (CGI) is one of the 21 sponsoring organisations of 'The Full Picture', as well as the early GEOSS achievements.

ESG is increasingly contributing to GEO and GEOSS through its activities such as the

• Assessment of Biodiversity from Space (ECOCHANGE - Michael Schaepman, Sander Mucher (CGI)) (see page 258 ff in The Full Picture)
  Biodiversity Observation Network Workshop (jointly with DIVERSITAS, GBIF, GTOS and GEO)
• Global Soil Observing System (eSOTER - Vincent van Engelen (ISRIC)), and
• Design of a plan for an integrated biodiversity observing system in space and time (EBONE - Rob Jongman (CL)) amongst others.