Geospatial Industry Forging Ties with GEOSS: A Value Proposition Dialogue Forum

Co-organizer

Since the year 2005, GEO has been striving to bring together government and regional/international agencies in order to increase collaboration for use of earth observation data to support decision making. The 'GEOPortal' offers a single Internet access point for users seeking data, imagery and analytical software packages relevant to all parts of the globe. The GEOSS platform aims at addressing earth observation data needs of nine key vertical domains, including Disasters, Health, Energy, Climate, Water, Weather, Ecosystems, Agriculture and Biodiversity. These sectors use earth observation data for constant monitoring, tracking change and preparing for unforeseen circumstances. Use of GEOSS platform will enable governments to avoid duplicity of work, save cost and effort and maximize resource utilization.

As is recognized by GEO, the private sector, both commercial data providers and the value adding companies have a huge potential to exploit GEOSS platform and in return contribute to its growth, popularity and relevance to a wide audience worldwide. However, as yet, the reach of GEO is limited within the private sector, especially in the SME community, which creates value from earth observation data by reaching out to the end user community with innovative solutions and services. Geospatial World Forum, which serves as a connecting ground for geospatial commercial sector with government/policy makers and users, is an ideal venue for GEO to engage with the private EO sector and some users, in order to understand perspective of commercial sector- their needs and requirements, widen their outreach to private sector and gain further support for this initiative. It will also serve as an ideal occasion for private sector to understand the GEOSS programme and way in which they stand to benefit from it.

Value of the Programme for GEO

• To understand expectations of private sector to contribute to and derive benefit from GEOSS
• To display the uniqueness and importance of GEOSS platform to the private sector
• To strategies on future plan of action for incorporating relevant changes/improvements in the GEOSS platform enabling better usage by the commercial sector
• To understand the user needs with respect to EO data

Value of the Programme for GEO Value of the Programme for Private Industry

• To understand the value of GEOSS platform and how it can be capitalised upon
• To understand user needs and to strategise on developing more relevant, user-friendly products using GEOSS data
• To communicate their needs/requirements to GEO in order to forge stronger alliance
• To understand the developments in EO sector and how it can grow in coming years