Group on Earth Observations

July 2024 was the second-warmest July globally on record, with an average surface air temperature of 16.91°C, only 0.04°C lower than the previous high set in July 2023. 🌡️🌇

Earth also experienced its two hottest days on record on 22 and 23 July. 🥵

The rise in extreme heat events poses a growing threat, especially to cities and urban areas.

But there's a notable data gap as current methods for mapping and predicting heat dangers may not always be appropriate for cities.

Read about how we're addressing this with the Global Heat Resilience Service ⤵️
https://earthobservations.org/solutions/incubators/global-heat-resilience-service

The GEO Symposium and Open Data & Open Knowledge (ODOK) Workshop are coming in September.

📋 Here's everything you need to know:

The Symposium and ODOK are happening in China. These in-person events will bring together people from the GEO community to develop a plan for implementing our Post-2025 Strategy.

ℹ️ You can read a summary of our strategy here (PDF) ⤵️https://earthobservations.org/storage/app/media/documents/Events/GEO-Week-2023/GEO%20Post%202025%20Strategy%20Summary.pdf

ℹ️ Details of sessions and speakers are now up on our website ⤵️
https://earthobservations.org/events/geo-symposium-and-odok-workshop/schedule

Participants will also get to network, showcase their work and share knowledge. 🤝

Registration is closed, but we'll share key stories from the week on our social media channels, especially about impact and innovation.

ℹ️ In the meantime, check out the event page on our website ⤵️
https://earthobservations.org/events/geo-symposium-and-odok-workshop

Engaging youth today is essential for building a resilient, informed future.

On , Asian Disaster Preparedness Center - ADPC's Chinaporn Meechaiya shared a message about integrating youth voices into Earth observations to drive innovation, inclusivity and sustainability.

📷 USAID Asia

Chinaporn Meechaiya was part of a panel of youth experts who spoke on a GEO EDI webinar.

Later today, there will be another session featuring Earth observations stories from young people. Register here: https://blb.as/geo-edi-youth--2-2024

Join us Monday on 🌍 for two webinars featuring youth perspectives on Earth observations:

🌏 Asia-Oceania & Africa @ 9am CEST: https://blb.as/geo-edi-youth-1-2024
🌎 Americas & Europe @ 7pm CEST: https://blb.as/geo-edi-youth--2-2024

Arid rangelands support a significant portion of the world's human population and biodiversity. 👨‍👩‍👧🦁🐦🍃

But these landscapes are threatened by degradation through loss of vegetation and the spread of invasive species, such as the false umbrella thorn tree and mother-in-law's tongue plant.

Through a project funded by GEO Mountains, invasive species and land cover were mapped in the Mount Kenya region.

Data analysis showed warming temperatures favour invasive species, which could dominate study areas unless greenhouse emissions are reduced, highlighting the need for strategies to protect biodiversity and communities.

GEO Mountains - Monitoring Landscape Changes and Invasive Species Mapping around Mt Kenya The Mountain Research Initiative is an international network that promotes research on mountain regions across borders and disciplines through connection and collaboration – with a view to supporting pathways towards sustainable development.

📆 Join us on Friday on for a webinar to discuss how Earth observations can support Indigenous communities.

Learn about Indigenous Peoples' perspectives and their deep knowledge of sustainable resource management, ecosystems and biodiversity.



Register here ⤵️

GEO EDI Webinar Indigenous Aug24 The theme of the 2024 International Day of The World's Indigenous Peoples is Protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact. In this webinar GEO EDI and GEO Indigenous Alliance invite representatives from the GEO Indigenous Alliance community of indigenous peo...

🧊 First, the science bit: When we talk about cryosphere-groundwater interactions, we're referring to the complex relationships between frozen water (cryosphere) and water beneath the Earth's surface (groundwater).

⛰️ With contributions from GEO Mountains, new research argues that the traditional understanding of the mountain water cycle has largely ignored the role cryosphere-groundwater interactions play.

🤷‍♂️ Why this is a big deal: The oversight could lead to incomplete or inaccurate predictions of water availability in mountain regions.

📒 Understanding these interactions is crucial for predicting how climate change will impact water resources and developing sustainable water management strategies.

Read more here: https://mountainresearchinitiative.org/news/uncovering-the-link-between-meltwater-and-groundwater-in-mountain-regions-is-a-priority-for-sustainable-water-management/

📷 Marit van Tiel

“The world must rise to the challenge of rising temperatures.”

We welcome UN Secretary-General António Guterres's Call to Action on .

This initiative brings much-needed attention to the major risk of extreme heat.

Extreme heat is deadly, causing significant disruption to economies and societies, with almost 500,000 heat-related deaths annually.

We plan to meet the UN Secretary-General's Call to Action by developing the Global Heat Resilience Service, aiming to help every city understand the dangers of extreme heat.

This will be a long journey and we urge representatives from governments, local authorities, organisations, civil society and the private sector to work with us on this vital initiative. 🤝

Find out more about our work ⤵️
https://earthobservations.org/solutions/incubators/global-heat-resilience-service

🙏 In Mohawk, Ohenten Kariwatekwen, meaning “the words that are spoken before all others”, is an ancient thanksgiving address usually spoken at important events.

💦 Recited in Haudenosaunee schools, the speech gives thanks to all the waters of the world.

🤔 Indigenous Peoples were among the first to notice and understand complex changes in the environment around them.

🧠 Today, their knowledge can provide valuable insights for addressing challenges like changes in Earth’s water systems.

Learn more and hear about an upcoming webinar on this topic featuring Dr Dawn Martin-Hill and other Indigenous speakers ⤵️

https://earthobservations.org/news/indigenous-earth-observations-can-advance-water-quality-monitoring

🌞 July 21, 2024, was the hottest day in Earth's recorded history, according to Copernicus ECMWF ERA5 data.

🌡️ The average global surface air temperature was 17.09°C (62.76°F). This is potentially the planet's warmest day in over 100,000 years.

🔴 Extreme heat causes 500,000 extra deaths a year globally.

🌇 Every city should understand the dangers of extreme heat

Read about the Global Heat Resilience Service to find out more about how we're helping cities access vital data to develop better plans for managing extreme heat events: https://earthobservations.org/solutions/incubators/global-heat-resilience-service

Access to clean water is a basic human right.

Decades of misuse and contamination have led to water stress worldwide.

In Australia and Africa, extreme weather worsens water security.

This Geoscience Australia intiative tracks water availability using satellite imagery. 🛰️

This data, now used in Colombia & Africa, helps us understand water patterns & impacts of climate change.

Using data, decision-makers can better understand the effects of increased rainfall or severe drought.

These insights can help to prevent risk to communities and critical infrastructure.

🔗 https://www.ga.gov.au/news/landsat-supporting-greater-international-water-security

Resilient is essential for a sustainable future. 🌇

GEO's initiatives in and address this head-on.

How? 🤔

By leveraging Earth observation data, we can provide critical data that supports the development of resilient infrastructure and effective urban planning strategies.

One way is through satellite data 🛰️ to monitor urban growth, assess infrastructure resilience, and predict disaster impacts.

These insights are invaluable for city planners and policymakers, helping them to design cities that can withstand environmental stresses and improve the quality of life for residents.

What other applications for sustainable urban planning are you working on?

Find out more about what we’re doing ⤵️

Group on Earth Observations | GEO The Group on Earth Observations is a global collaboration dedicated to understanding our Earth in all its complexity. As a collaborative intergovernmental body, GEO is dedicated to co-producing user-driven Earth Intelligence solutions.

❄️⛰️ This GEO Mountains-supported project reconstructs high-resolution snow data for Central Asia’s mountains to improve water resource management and climate studies.

Central Asia depends on mountain snowpacks for its water resources, essential for hydropower and agriculture.

But the discontinuation of systematic surveys in the 1990s and limited current observations have led to a significant knowledge gap in the region.

This lack of data hinders understanding of how climate change affects snow accumulation and melt, as well as downstream water supply.

Led by researchers from the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), the SWECA project tackles the issue by reconstructing high-resolution snow water equivalent (SWE) data (showing the amount of water available in the snow) from 1979-2016 in Central Asia’s mountainous zones.

The main output is a daily, 1 km resolution SWE dataset for 1979-2016. A paper on this dataset is in development, and a model description has already been published.

Find out more ⤵️
https://geomountains.org/projects-impact-stories/small-grants-projects/2905-small-grants-23-muller

Image by Daniel Müller & Atabek Umirbekov

Want to take on one of our most exciting and forward-looking portfolios? We are hiring for a Climate and Biodiversity Coordinator.

You'll work with a diverse community of experts, data scientists, conservationists, policymakers and other stakeholders to drive climate action, biodiversity, and sustainable development, all while leading the coordination of the groundbreaking Global Ecosystems Atlas initiative.

Interested? Apply by 11 August or share with a colleague who would be up for the challenge.

🔗 https://erecruit.wmo.int/public/hrd-cl-vac-view.asp?jobinfo_uid_c=39256&vaclng=en

Indigenous Peoples were among the first to notice and understand complex changes in the environment around them. 👀 🍃

Today, their knowledge can provide valuable insights for addressing challenges like changes in Earth’s water systems. 💧

This information helps us understand the water cycle, water quality, water courses, and the impacts of climate change, such as floods and droughts.

What opportunities exist to better incorporate Indigenous knowledge into Earth observations, and what are the main challenges?

Learn more and hear about an upcoming webinar from GEO Indigenous Alliance and GEO Aquawatch ⤵️
https://earthobservations.org/news/indigenous-earth-observations-can-advance-water-quality-monitoring

In the face of ongoing conflict and environmental crises, Ukraine leveraged to monitor agricultural conditions. 🛰️🚜

This approach – a collab between GEOGLAM and the Ukrainian
Ministry of Agriculture, with support from NASA Harvest, ESA WorldCereal, VISTA Remote Sensing in Geosciences GmbH and Planet – helped provide real-time data for decision-making and resource allocation.

Despite speculation that the conflict would severely impede the harvest, the initiative revealed an unexpected reality: about 94 % of the winter wheat across the nation was successfully harvested, surpassing estimates.

Data-driven approaches can enhance resilience and recovery in regions facing multifaceted challenges.

For more insights like this, read our latest Highlights Report ⤵️
https://earthobservations.org/news/geo-highlights-unlocking-impact-through-earth-observations

Today, on , we're thinking about the role Earth observations can play in addressing population challenges.

Earth observations provide crucial insights into urban growth, migration patterns and resource distribution through satellite data and advanced imaging.

Here are some examples:

🏙️ Urban planning: Guiding sustainable city development and preventing overcrowding.

🌪️ Disaster response: Offering real-time data for quick and effective humanitarian aid.

🌱 Environmental monitoring: Tracking impacts on populations.

🌾 Agriculture management: Enhancing by monitoring crop health and yields.

What other ways can Earth observations help build resilient communities? 💚

Find out more: https://earthobservations.org/solutions

Image credit: freepik

Extreme heat is a major threat to human health and wellbeing, especially for the most vulnerable. ❤️‍🩹

Action is needed.

The Roadmap for Global Heat Resilience, a new consensus statement from The Physiological Society and partners, provides a framework for addressing this issue ⤵️
https://www.physoc.org/policy/climate-change-and-health/roadmap-for-global-heat-resilience/

At GEO, we’re also actively working to address this challenge through the Global Service ⤵️
https://earthobservations.org/solutions/incubators/global-heat-resilience-service

Let's work together to protect our communities.

Unusually hot temperatures 🌡️ in May increased evapotranspiration, exacerbating global conditions.

Compiled by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the global drought report for May underscores the urgent need for monitoring and mitigation efforts to address the impacts of drought ⤵️

https://earthobservations.org/news/may-2024-global-drought-report-highlights-urgent-need-action-protect-ecosystems-agriculture-and-livelihoods

🚨 Registration for the and Open Data & Open Knowledge Workshop has been extended to 12 July.

Register asap to allow time for arranging flights, hotels & visas.

This is your chance to collaborate and shape the future of Earth intelligence.

Group on Earth Observations | GEO The Group on Earth Observations is a global collaboration dedicated to understanding our Earth in all its complexity. As a collaborative intergovernmental body, GEO is dedicated to co-producing user-driven Earth Intelligence solutions.

The use of data can help unlock economic growth and environmental sustainability.

The World Economic Forum's recent insight report highlights how is already making waves in various sectors.

Read the report: https://www.weforum.org/publications/amplifying-the-global-value-of-earth-observation/

Read more about our work: https://earthobservations.org/news/geo-highlights-unlocking-impact-through-earth-observations

We often talk about “resilient cities”, but what does that really mean? 🤔

ℹ️ are urban areas designed to deal with stresses & shocks, which can be economic, environmental, social or institutional.

Various strategies can make cities resilient.

Read more about our work on resilient cities ⤵️
https://earthobservations.org/mission/priorities/resilient-cities-human-settlements

Today is Day.

These stripes show how temperatures have increased globally since the industrial revolution.

Urgent Action is needed, and insights are essential for enhancing climate models to guide policy decisions.

At GEO, we offer an informed, actionable, and transformative approach to tackle the complexities of .

Show your stripes: https://showyourstripes.info/

Find out more about the work of the Group on Earth Observations: https://earthobservations.org/mission/areas/climate-change

Water quality is essential for human health 🏥 , ecosystems 🐟 , and the economy 💸 . Poor water quality can cause disease outbreaks, harm aquatic life, and disrupt industry.

GEO AquaWatch, part of the Group on Earth Observations, champions using Earth Observation data to manage water resources and improve global water quality monitoring and management.

Learn about how GEO Aquawatch is advancing water quality management: https://www.geoaquawatch.org/

Image: CCI Ocean Colour: Daily Satellite observations of ocean colour from the ESA Ocean Colour Climate Change Initiative project: https://climate.esa.int/en/projects/ocean-colour/

As cities around the world face rising temperatures, it's crucial to develop plans that adapt to heat.

Why is this so important?

Extreme heat ☀ is already the deadliest weather event, surpassing other natural disasters.

With the right strategies, we can prevent many of these deaths and illnesses, ensuring safer, healthier communities. 😃

Read about GEO's Global Heat Resilience Service: https://earthobservations.org/solutions/incubators/global-heat-resilience-service

A GEO project highlights a concerning rise in wheat pests and diseases across Asia, Europe, and North America.

Rust and aphids are projected to affect about 25 million hectares of crops, with implications for global wheat yields.

This underscores the need for improved pest and disease management strategies to ensure .

Read more in our new blog: https://earthobservations.org/news/geo-project-forecasts-global-wheat-pest-and-disease-implications

The climate and nature crises are a major threat to the planet for the next generation, warned GEO Secretariat Director Yana Gevorgyan in a presentation to comms directors from unis across the EU.

But the good news is: Nature can come back – and guides the way.

All crises are a communication crisis. As the Earth system itself, our comms must drive systems change using to illuminate the path from challenges to solutions.

Getting students involved now is crucial.

We’re calling on universities to use tools like educational campaigns, student projects, and engagement in GEO’s work through EuroGEO to help protect our planet for this generation: https://eurogeosec.eu/