What is EuroGEO?
EuroGEO is Europe’s part of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) - a worldwide network working to build a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).
On 3 July 2019 during the annual EuroGEOSS workshop, EuroGEOSS (as launched on 23 October 2017) was renamed EuroGEO following a decision by the GEO XV Plenary (2018). The other regional initiatives have also made this change.
EuroGEO enables Europe to position itself as global force in Earth observation thanks to the vast knowledge gained through running the Copernicus programme and others.
GEOSS is a worldwide system which aims to use earth observation data to improve the lives of citizens and help governments make good, evidence-based decisions.
GEOSS is operated by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO).
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO)
GEO is a partnership of more than 100 national governments, over 100 participating organisations and the European Commission.
GEO is helping build GEOSS, the global Earth observation system of systems. It envisions a future where decisions and measures for the benefit of humankind are informed by coordinated, comprehensive and sustained Earth observations.
To implement this vision, GEO has divided the world into five regional areas. Europe is one of them and EuroGEO is the framework to combine the contributions of European GEO members.
You can read more at the Group on Earth Observations website
Earth observation in Europe today
Earth observation in Europe is performed on a local, national and European level. It is based on a range of monitoring capacities including space-based, airborne, seaborne or land-based observation systems, including observations coming from citizens.
EuroGEO aims to provide a coherent picture of environmental and Earth observation in Europe by combining existing Earth observation assets and initiatives.
You can find more information on Earth observation in Europe in the environment section of the research and innovation website.
Focusing on users – who will benefit?
The main challenge for GEO and for EuroGEO in particular is to move from a data-centric approach to a user-driven one.
EuroGEO will better match the user-driven demand for Earth observation information.
It will mainly target four European user types
- European, national and local government decision makers/policy officers
- researchers and scientists performing environmental related analyses
- private-sector companies requiring Earth observation applications for market development and developing applications
- citizens who want to know more about their environment and surroundings (land development, air quality etc.)
Other regional GEO initiatives
Contact EuroGEO
You can contact EuroGEO at the email address RTD-EUROGEOSS
ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (RTD-EUROGEOSS[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)