Linking Strength for Sustainable Earth Observation

14 August 2007, 10:24am

1st GEO Donor Capacity Building Symposium
10-11 September 2007, Sevilla, Spain

The intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is leading a worldwide effort to build a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) over the next 10 years. GEOSS will work with and build upon existing national, regional, and international systems to provide comprehensive, coordinated Earth observations from thousands of instruments worldwide, transforming the data they collect into vital information for society.

GEO’s capacity building efforts aim to build a global partnership between those whose capacity needs development and those who are able to assist in the process, recognizing that activities have intertwined social, environmental and economic impacts.

The following guiding principles underpin capacity building within GEO:

• build on existing efforts and best practices;
• focus on user needs;
• foster global collaboration and partnership;
• concentrate on end-to-end Earth observation needs in each of GEO’s societal benefit areas, including user requirements; data access, collection, archiving and analysis; and product development and exchange;
• enhance the sustainability of existing and future Earth observation capacity building efforts;
• facilitate the development of comprehensive, sustainable capacity building efforts that address infrastructure, education and training and institutional capacity.

OBJECTIVES

The 1st GEO - Donor Capacity Building Symposium aims to establish a mutual dialogue between users, providers, facilitators and potential financial contributors. This will be achieved by:

• highlighting the benefits of Earth Observation for sustainable development;
• strengthening dialogue between different stakeholders;
• demonstrating the current status of capacity building in GEO and providing examples of successful end-to-end cooperation;
• exchanging information on donor strategies, priorities and needs; and
• establishing a road map for the way forward for sustainable capacity building especially in developing countries.

PARTICIPANTS

The Symposium is open to senior officials from the following organizations:

• National development and environment ministries
• National and regional development agencies
• International and regional development banks
• Academic, research and training institutes
• National and regional Earth observation-related agencies, non-governmental organizations and associations
• Private foundations

Funding will be made available to participants from developing countries. For further information, please visit the GEO website: http://www.geocbsymposium.com

The language of the workshop will be English.

SYMPOSIUM SESSIONS

• Benefits of coordinated Earth Ob servation
• Capacity building in Earth Observation
• Earth Observation for societal benefit
• Funding mechanisms, priorities and needs
• The value of working together
• Enhancing the dialogue: thematic break-out groups
• A partnership for the future: the Seville roadmap

The Symposium will have a Plenary Session and working group sessions on ongoing and future capacity building activities on the nine GEO Societal Benefit Areas.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

• potential areas for partnership based on mutual understanding of needs and priorities;
• better understanding of donor priorities;
• sustainable dialogue established with the donor community to match longer term capacity building priorities with donor priorities.

SCHEDULE

Opening date for registration - 6 July 2007
Closing date for registration of participants in need of a visa* - 6 August 2007
Closing date for registration - 15 August 2007

For registration, please visit the Symposium website: http://www.geocbsymposium.com
For more information, write to: geocbsymposium@inm.es or call: (+34) 915819766; 915819864; 915819642

* A letter of invitation will be provided to participants in need of a visa. This will be sent after registration has been made.

GEO represents the global scientific and political consensus of 72 countries, the European Commission and 46 international organisations on Earth observation. It is organised to support decisions and actions related to the environment through the provision of coordinated Earth observation in the following GEO Societal Benefit Areas:

• Disaster reduction
• Human health improvement
• Energy resource management
• Water resource management
• Understanding and adapting to climate variability and change
• Improved weather forecasting
• Management and protection of ecosystems
• Sustainable agriculture
• Understanding and conserving biodiversity

The Symposium will have a Plenary Session and working group sessions on ongoing and future capacity building activities on the nine GEO Societal Benefit Areas. This Symposium is a GEO event, supported and organized by the Spanish Ministry of Environment
GEO website: http://www.earthobservations.org

www.geocbsymposium.com

Geo: International