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CONTENTS10th Anniversary Celebration in Berlin
Report from CEOS 8th Plenary in Berlin---This page
10th Anniversary Celebration in Berlin
Integrated User Data Requirements for Global Change Research
CEOS Special Report on Successful Applications of Earth Observation Satellite Data (Pilot Version)
Advancing Global Topographic Kowledge: Significant Progress, but CEOS Members Can Help Greatly
Advancing Global Topographic Kowledge: Significant Progress, but CEOS Members Can Help Greatly(continued page)
CEOS Activity Plan for 1995/News Highlights/CEOS Meeting Calendar
Report from CEOS 8th Plenary in Berlin
Volker Liebig
Head of Division, Earth Observation Utilization
German Space Agency (DARA)
The eighth CEOS Plenary meeting was held at Berlin, Germany on September
26-28, 1994. The meeting was hosted by the Deutsche Agentur fur Raurnfahrtangelegenheiten
(DARA), the 1994 CEOS Chair. A total of 91 participants representing 32
organisations attended the meeting.
Participants of the 1994 CEOS Planary in Berlin
- Dr. Jan-baldem Mennicken, CEOS chairman 1994 and Director General of
DARA opened the Plenary which was co-chaired by Prof. Stoewer, Managing
Director of DARA. In his welcome speech Dr. Mennichen noted that CEOS may
serve as a model for a flexible modern organi ation without its own staff
and buildings, but with much work being accomplished through the organization
by the CEOS agencies and the secretariat. He noted that the accomplishments
of CEOS depend on the members' work and consensus, so that CEOS can function
as a forum within which the agencies work together.
The first day of the Plenary forcused on CEOS activities in support of Developing Countries and data policy. The central part of the second day was the discussion of the working group reports and 5 year implementation plans for the future strategy of CEOS. The final day summarised and formally set down the achievements of the meeting.
Membership Issues
By consensus of the members the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) was welcomed as a new Affiliate, and the Commission of the European Union changed its status from Observer to Member.
Future CEOS Strategy
The Plenary discussed and produced a final version of the Draft Future
CEOS Strategy document which was prepared by DARA and BNSC on the basis
of the 1993 paper of the latter. New elements of the paper which was endorsed
by the Plenary were the goals related to developing countries and an analysis
of member and non-member programmes.
Regarding the developing countries' subject, the fundamental aim of
CEOS was expressed to encourage the creation and maintenance of indigenous
capabilities, which are integrated into the local decisionmaking process,
thereby enabling developing countries to obtain the maximum benefit from
Earth Observation. CEOS members are urged to use their influence, both
within the framework of CEOS and in their own individual activities, to
ensure that efforts are maintained in support of developing countries,
and indeed increased wherever practicable.
An analysis and planning process was agreed to encourage the development
of a space segment with minimal gaps and overlaps. This should be based
on CEOS efforts to consult the user communities in order to define the
suite of measurements needed for sustained Earth observation and monitoring
from space.
The Plenary decided that a task force shall be formed co-chaired by
a representative from the research side and the perations side to identify
where
* prograommes and plans are adequate;
* there are gaps or deficiencies in proposed programmes;
* there are unde sirable overlaps (nothing that some redundancy may
be desirable);
* Dr. Ichtiaque Rasool and Dr. Bizzarro Bizzarri were nominated as
co-chairs.
CEOS Activities in Support of Developing Countries
The Plenary discussed and revised the action plan resulting from the
INPE organised Workshop on Developing Countries' Activities in Brazil (see
CEOS newsletter No. 3) of May 1994 together with the CEOS Strategy towards
Developing Countries prepares by DARA.
The main points of the Plenary decision were:
* to establish links between CEOS and developing countries, both directly
and through non-CEOS organizations
* to facilitate the communication among CEOS participants regarding
developing country activities
* to work to identify mechanisms to facilitate access to satellite
data
* to compile a set of sample data from CEOS missions for training (CSIRO)
Finarlly there was support for the offer from DARA to perform a feasibility
study on a possible Space Information System. Some participants expressed
interest in supporting this study.
Data Policy
IGBP reported on the progress of the High resolution Data Exchange Pilot
Project (see CEOS newsletter No. 2). The project is now in the stage of
data delivery. Scientific results will began to flow in mid-1995. A workshop
is planned for early 1996.
The Plenary endorsed the Resolution of "Principles of Satellite Date
Provision in Support of Operational Environmental Use for the Public Benefit"
which resulted from the Ad hoc Data Policy Meeting held in April 1994 in
Washington, DC.
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