Opening SlideGlobal Terrestrial Observing Global Terrestrial Observing

SystemSystem

linking the world’s terrestrial linking the world’s terrestrial monitoring systems to provide a global monitoring systems to provide a global

vision of the Earth we sharevision of the Earth we share

Mission statement

To provide policy makers, resource managers and researchers with access

to the data they need to detect, quantify, locate, understand and warn of changes (especially reductions) in the capacity of terrestrial ecosystems to support sustainable development.

GTOS Mission StatementGTOS Mission Statement

Key areasFocuses on five issues of global concern:

1. changes in land quality (cover, use)

2. availability of freshwater resources

3. loss of biodiversity

4. climate change

5. pollution and toxicity

GTOS promotesintegrated analysis bio-physical and socio-economic data

interaction between monitoring networks, research programmes, and policy makers

data exchange and application

quality assurance and protocols to harmonize measurements

... and provides guidance in data analysis

GTOS promotes:GTOS promotes:

GTOS is not...

NOT a source of funding(but does assist others in seeking fundsfor scientifically sound work consistentwith its objectives)

NOT a source of primary data

NOT a research programme

GTOS is GTOS is NOT:NOT:

StructureGTOS StructureGTOS Structure

GCOS & GOOS

Data users and providers

Country Activitie

s

SecretariatSteering Committe

eSponsors

GT-Net Panel

Roster of

Experts

SponsorsFood and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

International Council for Science (ICSU)

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

United Nations Educational, Scientific andCultural Organization (UNESCO)

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

GTOS SponsorsGTOS Sponsors

Steering CommitteeAdvises the Sponsors and the Secretariat on the scientific and technical content and direction of the programme. It can create subsidiary bodies, such as Working Groups and Panels, for specific purposes as required.

It is composed of about 10 experts, invited by the Sponsors to participate in their personal capacities and on a voluntary basis, augmented by one representative of each of the sponsoring organizations.

GTOS Steering CommitteeGTOS Steering Committee

SecretariatProgrammeDirectorGTOS Secretariatc/o FAO, SDRNviale delle Terme di CaracallaRome 00100 ItalyTel: (+39-06) 5705 3450Fax: (+39-06) 5705 3369E-mail: gtos@fao.orgInternet: http://www.fao.org/gtos

GTOS SecretariatGTOS Secretariat

IOC of UNESCOUNEPWMOICSUFAO UNESCO

GTOS GCOS GOOS

Biodiversity Atmosphere Ocean services

Pollution, toxicity

Land surface/

hydrologyOcean & climate

Pollution/coastal zone

Cryosphere Marine living sources

Terrestrial ecosystem structure &

function

Global observing systems - convergence of interest

Joint PanelsJoint PanelsJoint Panels

GTOSGTOS GCOSGCOS

GOOSGOOS

TOPCTOPC

JDIMPJDIMPGOSSPGOSSP

CoastalCoastal OOPCOOPC

Users/providers of dataGTOS users and providers of dataGTOS users and providers of data

Governments Scientific programmes

UN Organizations

International agreements

GCOS&

GOOS

NGOs &

Private sector

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands - 1971

World Cultural and Natural Heritage Convention - 1972

Convention on Trade in Endangered Species - 1973 (CITES) Conservation of Migratory Species Convention - 1979 (CMS)

Basel Convention on Hazardous Wastes - 1989

Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) - 1992

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) - 1993

Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) - 1994

Convention on Prior Informed Consent - 1998 (Hazardous chemicals and pesticides)

GTOS and the ConventionsGTOS and the Conventions

Origins of GTOSOrigins of GTOSOrigins of GTOS

Rio Declaration & Agenda 21 (1992)Fontainebleau Workshop (1993)Scientific and Technical Planning Group (1993-95)GTOS Secretariat, FAO HQ - Rome (March 1996)GTOS Steering Committee (December 1996)Implementation Plan (1997)

Value-added of GTOSValue-addedValue-added

Common framework for databases, sites, networks

Harmonization of measurements & terminology

Improved access to environmental data & information

Deeper understanding of terrestrial ecosystems & global change processes

Better collaboration between ecological networks

Stronger links between science and policy

GT-Net PanelOperational activities Operational activities

•Global system of terrestrial observation networks (GT-Net)•Terrestrial carbon observation initiative (TCO)•Global observations of forest cover project (GOFC)•Net primary productivity project (NPP)•Central and eastern European programme•EU NoLimits project•Southern and eastern Africa programme•Terrestrial ecosystem monitoring sites meta database (TEMS)

GT-Net (scope)GT-Net: A globalGT-Net: A global system of system of networksnetworks

ObjectiveObjective: to better understand global and regional change by linking

existing terrestrial monitoring networks.

Key activitiesKey activities:• to share and exchange environmental data;• to define clear policies on data and information access;• to develop standards for metadata & local, regional and global in situ data sets;• to undertake demonstration projects (e.g. Net primary productivity, Terrestrial carbon).

GT-Net StructureGT-Net StructureGT-Net Structure

GTOS

Secretariat Steering Committee (GTSC)

GT-Net

GT-Net Panel

Biodiversity Permafrost Glaciers Hydrology SouthernAfrica

SouthernAsia

Thematic Networks Regional / National Networks

Central Europe

GT-Net MembersNetworks participating in NPP Networks participating in NPP projectproject Arab Centre for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD) Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Fluxnet International Cooperative Programme on Integrated Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Ecosystem (ICP IM) Organismo Autonomo Parques Nationales Réseau d’Observatoires de Surveillance Ecologique à Long Terme (ROSELT) UK Environmental Change Network (ECN) US Long-term Ecological Research Networks (LTER) Worldwide Network of Biosphere Reserves (MAB-BR)

GT-Net PanelGT-Net Panel GT-Net Panel

The GT-Net Panel will provide the GTOS Steering Committee with scientific and technical guidance on matters relating to the implementation and operation of GTOS observation programmes, including practical advice on means to facilitate their on-going operation.

It will be composed mainly of scientists designated by the regional networks participating in GTOS and some members of the GTOS Steering Committee. A few independent scientists of distinction, who may have no direct role in GTOS and its network, will also be invited as members.

In this way, active terrestrial and aquatic scientists of the forefront of their fields can keep GTOS abreast of current scientific findings and applications.

GT-Net (demonstration project)GT-Net demonstration projectGT-Net demonstration project

GT-Net will undertake projects which demonstrate the effectiveness of linking existing terrestrial networks to generate data sets which are useful in studying global change. This will serve as a test bed for collaboration among networks and sites, including data sharing and exchange, and obtaining the experience needed for further network development.

The first project concentrates on improving estimates of global terrestrial primary productivity. It adopts a hierarchical approach and uses models which combine satellite data with in situ observations. A set of output products, which have Net Primary Production (NPP) as their common foundation, will be produced. The NPP project has two primary goals: (1) to distribute a standard global NPP product to regional networks for evaluation; and (2) to derive regionally specific crop, range and forest yield maps for land management applications.

GT-Net (demonstration project)Net Primary ProductivityNet Primary Productivity

The calculation of NPP requires input data which are valuable long-term observations in their own right:

Leaf Area Index (LAI)

Land cover

Soil water holding capacity and nitrogen content

Temperature

Rainfall

TEMS meta-database•A directory of meta-data on monitoring stations

•Its objective is to register information about long-term terrestrial monitoring sites around the world

•It contains information on more than 700 sites

•It can be searched on the Web

http://www.fao.org/gtos/

Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring Sites Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring Sites (TEMS)(TEMS)

TEMSTEMSMeta-Meta-databasdatabasee

GT-Net (demonstration project)Constraints & OpportunitiesConstraints & Opportunities

ConstraintsConstraintsTerrestrial data and information is:

- highly fragmented;- has a variety of owners;- and numerous gaps in coverage.

Financial support for making in situ terrestial observations is limited at all levels.

Most monitoring and assessment is targeted at specific issues (e.g. food security, deforestation) and is of a limited duration.

OpportunitiesOpportunitiesTechnology advances are allowing more investment in and use of decision-support tools.

Some policy bodies are recognizing the value of science and investing in environmental data and information.

Scientists are interested to collaborate among themselves and, to some extent, with policymakers (e.g. IGOS).