Group on Earth Observations

GEO and Rio+20

GEO Joint Committee MeetingSalzburg, Austria September 2011Lawrence Friedl, GEO UIC Member

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD)

June 2012: Ministers and top government officials will be in Rio de Janeiro for the UNCSD. Rio+20 is a one in a series of major United Nations conferences emphasizing sustainable development as a top priority on the agenda of the United Nations and the international community.

» 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro

Resulted in Agenda 21 and helped craft the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity

» 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg

Sources: www.uncsd2012.org, wikipedia

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

UNCSD Earth Summit 2012

Basic Information

Dates: 4-6 June 2012

Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Secretary-General of Rio+20:Mr. Sha Zukang, United Nations Under-Secretary-General of Economic and Social Affairs

50,000 participants expected

Source: www.uncsd2012.org

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

UNCSD Earth Summit 2012

Objective and Themes

Objective is to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development, and address new and emerging challenges

Two themes:(a) a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication

(b) the institutional framework for sustainable development

Source: www.uncsd2012.org

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

UNCSD Earth Summit 2012

Member Countries & “Major Groups”

Agenda 21 formalized nine “Major Groups” as the overarching categories through which all citizens could participate in the UN activities on achieving sustainable development.

» Business and Industry » Children and Youth» Farmers » Indigenous Peoples » Local Authorities » NGOs» Women » Workers and Trade Unions » Scientific and Technological Community

Source: www.uncsd2012.org

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

UNCSD Earth Summit 2012

Major Group: Scientific and Technological Community

Organizing Partners:- International Council for Science (ICSU)

- World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO)

ICSU and UNESCO have organised a series of Regional Science and Technology Workshops in preparation for the UNCSD Rio+20

Source: www.uncsd2012.org

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

UNCSD Earth Summit 2012

Calendar of Remaining Meetings

2nd IntersessionalWill be held from 15-16 December 2011 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

3rd IntersessionalWill be held from 5-7 March 2012 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

3rd Preparatory CommitteeWill be held from 28-30 May 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the week immediately before the UN Conference on Sustainable Development

Source: Wikipedia

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

GEO and Rio+20

GEO Website

“GEO was launched in response to calls for action by the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and by the G8 leading industrialized countries. These high-level meetings recognized that international collaboration is essential for exploiting the growing potential of Earth observations to support decision making in an increasingly complex and environmentally stressed world.”

“The 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg highlighted the urgent need for coordinated observations relating to the state of the Earth.”

Source: GEO

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

GEO and Rio+20

GEOSS 10-Year Implementation Plan

Section 3.1 Purpose: GEOSS is a step toward addressing the challenges articulated by United Nations Millennium Declaration and the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development ...

Section 5.6 Capacity Building:The GEO capacity building strategy follows the World Summit on Sustainable Development concept of a global partnership between those whose capacity needs development and those who are able to assist in the process, ...

Source: GEO

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

GEO and Rio+20

UN Participating Organizations in GEO

FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations UNCBD: United Nations Convention on Biodiversity UNECA: United Nations Economic Commision for Africa UNEP: United Nations Environment Programme UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNFCCC: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNITAR: United Nations Institute for Training and Research UNOOSA: United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs UNU-EHS: United Nations University, Institute for Environment and Human Security WMO: World Meteorological Organization

RCMRD: Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (estab. under UNECA)

Source: GEO

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

Rio+20 =

(Rio+10)+10

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

Rio+20 =

WSSD+10

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

GEO and Rio+20

Proposal for GEO Action

GEO could use the Rio+20 event to showcase the progress made in fulfilling the statements of the Rio+10 WSSD

» Activities to showcase Earth observations» Inform community about role of Earth observations» Events to discuss with participants state of Earth observations » Language in Rio+20 Statement about progress, value, and need

Japan is sponsoring a GEO Exhibit at Rio+20 Earth Summit

Coordinate with ICSU and UNESCO

Note: GEO Plenary in 2012 is also in Brazil.

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

GEO and Rio+20

Proposal: Possible Items to Highlight

Data sharing principles

Earth Observations & Sustainable Development» Where Earth obs. and data sharing can enable more progress in SD » Where SD may be held back because of lack of data & data sharing

Data Democracy

UIC: Very Preliminary Suggestions for Possible Exhibit Topics» GEO BON » Forest Carbon activities » Health » Water Availability and Quality

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

GEO and Rio+20

Request to Joint Committees

A. Discuss/Approve the approach to focus on Rio+20» make recommendation to Executive Committee

B. Identify 1 person per Committee for ad hoc planning group to scope possible items; include GEO Secretariat Rep. and Japan

C. Meeting of in Istanbul, including Japanese exhibit planners

D. GEO Secretariat Office to organize efforts following Istanbul» Make updates to Executive Committee» Involve appropriate GEO organizations and people as needed

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Group on Earth ObservationsRio+20 Conference

EYE ON EARTH SUMMIT