CEOS Strategic Implementation Team (SIT) Report

2009 Accomplishments and Lessons LearnedAgenda Item 9

Mary KiczaSIT Chair 2007-2009

NOAA

1The 23rd CEOS Plenary I Phuket, Thailand I 3-5 November 2009

SIT Objectives and Goals for 2009

• SIT Objective:– To demonstrate real progress and provide tangible results in

SIT contributions to GEO and GEOSS

• SIT Goals for 2009:– Continue to strengthen CEOS linkages to GEO and GEOSS– Advance the CEOS Virtual Constellations for GEO– Address potential observational gaps through identification of

a handful of topics for strategic consideration in 2009 and beyond

– Align SIT to meet these goals

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Continue to Strengthen CEOS Linkages to GEO and GEOSS

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• At December 2009 Remapping Meeting in Geneva, CEOS, SIT, and GEO Secretariat representatives met to address results of November 2008 CEOS and GEO Plenaries and to discuss next steps with regard to implementing the space segment of GEOSS

• January 2009: 2nd CEOS Actions in Support of GEO Remapping Workshop – WG Chairs, Constellation Co-Leads, and CEOS SBA Coordinators, with the SIT

Chair, identified actionable actions that have a direct relation and traceability to GEO Task/Sub-Tasks of GEOS 2009-2011 Work Plan

– 85 actions addressing 36 GEO Tasks/Sub-Tasks were identified; 63 of those 85 have been characterized as Category 1 or 2

– Addressed candidate Thread topics for observational gaps analysis for key GEOSS data gaps

• Secured CEOS Principals’ and CEOS entities’ commitments to leading/making key contributions to GEO Tasks/Sub-Tasks– SIT-23 Tour de Table; SIT Chair and CEOS Chair telecons with CEOS Agency

Principals in advance of SIT-23 and SIT-24

Advance CEOS Virtual Constellations for GEO

• CEOS Land Surface Imaging (LSI) Constellation Portal for Mid-Resolution Optical LSI Satellite Information and Enhanced Data Access released March 2009

• Ocean Colour Radiometry and Ocean Surface Vector Wind Constellations established and Implementation Plans finalized

• The Next 15 Years of Satellite Altimetry: Ocean Surface Topography Constellation User Requirements Document released October 2009

• Significant involvement of Constellation Co-Leads in CEOS GEO Actions identification and completion

• Planning the Use of Satellite Wind and Wave Products for Marine Forecasting Workshop

• Quarterly tag-ups with Constellation Co-Leads• Constellation Leadership Changes:

– LSI: Welcome Tom Holm (USGS), Good-bye to Bryan Bailey (USGS-retired)– OCR: Welcome Mark Dowell (EC-JRC) and Paula Bontempi (NASA) , Good-bye to Nick Hoepffner

(EC-JRC)

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Topics for Strategic Consideration

• Identified key CEOS deliverables (including Forest Carbon, Greenhouse Gases, and Data Democracy) for GEOSS, G8/G20, and Climate Conventions

• Addressed candidate “Thread” topics for observational gaps analysis for key GEOSS data gaps– Climate, Carbon, Water, and Cryosphere/Sea Level Rise– Determined best addressed by GEO with its broader charge– Formally forwarded Candidate Threads Proposal to GEO Secretariat

on 28 April 2009

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SIT Alignment• Two highly successful and engaging SIT meetings

– SIT-23: March in Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA; Agency Principals confirmed commitment to CEOS actions in support of GEO

– SIT-24: September in Darmstadt, Germany; working level meeting

• Continued excellent working relationship with the CEO• Monthly tag-ups and progress reports to CEOS Chair• SIT Agency Principal tag-ups in preparation for SIT meetings

– Winter 2009: Connected with 17of 31 Total SIT Agency Principals – Summer 2009: Connected with 17 of 25 Active SIT Agency Principals

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SIT-23 Participants, Cocoa Beach SIT-24 Participants, Darmstadt

Lessons Learned• SIT is a key mechanism within CEOS for identifying and assuring

timely completion of CEOS Deliverables for GEO/GEOSS, G8/G20, and UNFCCC/CoP/SBSTA

• During last two years, SIT Chair has kept CEOS Agency Principals accountable for meeting Agency commitments to SIT actions– One-on-one discussions with Agency principals, in advance of SIT meetings (to

confirm Agencies are on-track with their actions) appear to have been effective– This relationship building in advance of the meetings seems to have made the

dialog within SIT/CEOS meetings go more easily

• SIT Chair needs to remember that – while CEOS SIT activities/issues are something SIT Core Team will deal with regularly – this won’t be the case for the CEOS Agencies– SIT Chair needs to take this into account as SIT considers how to prepare for and

implement discussions within SIT/CEOS meetings

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Lessons Learned (con’t)• Virtual Constellations provide an outstanding vehicle to demonstrate the

value of the CEOS forum. As such, SIT/CEOS should embrace the opportunities for additional Constellations.– Outside entities are approaching SIT and existing Constellations with

requests for assistance on creating new Constellations– CEOS has an opportunity to make major contribution to achieving GCOS

Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) by both strengthening existing Constellations and encouraging the initiation of new Constellations

– Possible candidates for new Constellations:• Sea Surface Temperature• Radio Occultation• Sea Ice

• Regular interaction with CEOS Chair, SIT Vice-Chair, and CEO has been valuable in keeping everyone in synch. It is also been helpful for SIT Chair to have regular interaction with GEO rep(s) to maintain awareness of GEO priorities and/or concerns.

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