Draft revisions to CEOS Terms of Reference
(adopted as working revisions by 19th Plenary
but pending clarification at 20th Plenary)

SIT TERMS OF REFERENCE

CEOS SIT will:

(a) Play a central role in coordination of existing and future missions of CEOS agencies, particularly to support GEO in its realisation of the space segment of GEOSS;

(b) At a pace which the progress in GEO allows and requires, develop and execute the CEOS Implementation Plan for Space-based Observations for GEOSS;

(c) With the CEOS Implementation Plan as the focus, develop a planning process which takes account of international users and their requirements from the outset of satellite projects. This process should be based on the requirements arising from the IGOS Themes and the GEOSS Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs). Execution of this plan and its various components should drive the annual activities and meetings of CEOS and its reporting to GEO and other relevant bodies;

(d) Be the principal CEOS interface with GEO and the IGOS Partnership and act as a focal point for all GEO and IGOS-P related matters of interest to CEOS. SIT Chairman will keep the CEOS Chairman regularly informed and briefed, particularly in connection with GEO and IGOS-P meetings, where the CEOS Chairman and the Chairman of SIT will be the formal CEOS representatives;
(e) Monitor and direct the contribution of the CEOS Working Groups in support of the CEOS Implementation Plan , the GEOSS and IGOS;

(f) Seek and monitor implementation of commitments from CEOS agencies in support of the CEOS Implementation Plan, in response to the needs of the GEOSS SBAs and IGOS Themes;

(g) Ensure appropriate 'space component' representation in any implementation initiatives undertaken in support of the various GEOSS SBAs and IGOS Themes - including the IGOS Theme teams. Representatives will report regularly to the Chairman of the SIT, and will look to him for support in carrying out CEOS commitments;

(h) Report to CEOS Plenary on GEO and IGOS-P matters requiring discussion or decision by CEOS Plenary, and arrange for appropriate action to be taken;

(i) Develop, maintain and report (to CEOS Plenary annually for endorsement) progress on each of the CEOS Implementation Plan actions/commitments in support of the GEOSS 10 Year Implementation Plan;

(j) Work to achieve greater synergy between the research satellite and operational satellite communities in building upon proven research instrumentation to develop future generation operational monitoring capabilities;

(k) Take on such other task as Chairman of CEOS and Chairman of SIT consider appropriate.


Participation in SIT meetings is open to any CEOS agency willing and ready to contribute to one or more of the activities being discussed by SIT (eg IGOS Themes). The Chairman may, at his discretion, arrange some sessions exclusively for those agencies discussing co ordination of implementation plans. The Chairman may also invite observers as appropriate to any meeting.


Representatives to SIT should be mandated by the agency they represent to make commitments at or shortly after meetings, in order to facilitate the implementation process.

The SIT Chairman will be elected by the CEOS Plenary for a two-year term. The SIT Chairman will be a senior space agency official, from a different agency than the CEOS Chairman. A SIT Vice-Chairman should also be elected, ideally for a term concurrent with the SIT Chairman, and shall succeed the Chair after the two-year term. The Vice-Chairman role is intended to provide active support to the SIT Chairman. Both the SIT Chairman and Vice-Chairman will be members of the CEOS Secretariat. SIT will be supported by the CEOS Secretariat.

The Chairman will arrange meetings of SIT as needed to strategically address space agency commitments to the CEOS Implementation Plan - as dictated by progress on the underlying SBAs or IGOS Themes - and to address implementation of such commitments. The Chairman will convene each meeting at a time and place which will facilitate the participation of as many interested and active representatives as possible. In each case the Chairman will provide an agenda in good time prior to the meeting, so that representatives may elect to limit their participation to meetings where they have a direct interest. In addition, the Chairman will, as needed, pursue inter-sessional contacts with SIT Member Principals and work together with the CEOS Chairman and CEOS Secretariat to keep all CEOS agencies informed of GEO and IGOS-P activities and issues during the period between CEOS Plenaries.

The Chairman will ensure that Plenary is adequately consulted and informed, but will avoid repetition of lengthy presentations already made in SIT and/or IGOS-P.

(Last update: May 16, 2006)