Capacity Building Mandate“We, the participants…recognize the need to support:

“…A coordinated effort to involve and assist developing countries in improving and sustaining their contributions to observing systems, as well as their access to and effective utilization of observations, data and products, and the related technologies by addressing capacity-building needs related to Earth observations…”

Declaration of the Earth Observation SummitAdopted 31 July 2003

Capacity Building TOR

Purpose…[D]evelop for the 10-year implementation plan a long-term

capacity building strategy for a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained Earth observation system[s]…taking into account existing activities and building on existing systems and initiatives.

ObjectivesEstablish a framework within the 10-year implementation plan to

facilitate a coordinated effort to involve and assist countries, with emphasis on developing countries, in improving and sustaining their contributions to observing systems, as well as their access to and effective utilization of observations, data and products, and related technologies.

Capacity Building TOR (con’t.)

Approach and Functions• Identify and examine existing and proposed Earth

observation capacity building activities by national governments, participating organizations, and other relevant institutions.

• Identify priority areas in which Earth observation capacity building would have significant impact and benefit.

• Identify mechanisms for leveraging, developing and coordinating Earth observation capacity building initiatives.

• Recommend strategies for resource mobilization.• Recommend a long-term capacity building strategy for

the 10-year implementation plan.

GEO-3 Capacity Building Issue

GEOSS-identified priorities, informed by participating countries’ own objectives, must drive focused capacity building efforts. How do we ensure that countries’ capacity building objectives are considered?

GEO-3 Subgroup Recommendation

As the 10-year plan is developed, capacity to achieve the objectives of the GEOSS will need to be identified, including education, training, institutional networks, communication, and outreach. GEOSS capacity building efforts will focus primarily on education and training for the development of human, institutional, and technical capacities for observations and data utilization.

Capacity Building Priorities for Implementation Plan

• Identify existing Earth observation education and training opportunities, including exchange of experts.

• Enhance the capacity of the technical and scientific community in developing countries on the operation and maintenance of observation systems, data access, data standards, quality assurance, data management, analysis, project planning and data applications.

• Support integration of local observations into larger, and even global networks, to contribute to observing systems.

• Determine infrastructure requirements that enhance key abilities to implement GEOSS goals, and promote sharing of infrastructure.

• Address operational hindrances such as insufficient awareness of decision makers, insufficient funding, and insufficient local capacity to benefit from GEOSS.

Capacity Building Next Steps

• To advance the identification of priority activities, a critical gap analysis should be performed of capacity building programs• At global, regional, sub-regional, and national levels• Seek wide participation for input on needs• Coordinate with other Subgroups• Identify linkage with GEOSS socio-economic benefits

• Builds on preliminary inventory of international capacity building programs (March 2004) contained in GEO Report of the Subgroup on Capacity Building

• Reflect previous gap analyses (ex. GCOS, IGOS-P, WMO)

• Develop and implement appropriate capacity building activities to meet GEOSS goals

Gap Analysis Issues

• Who will perform gap analysis?

• How will Capacity Building gaps be integrated with gaps identified by other Subgroups?

• How to integrate Capacity Building gaps, opportunities, and priorities identified in other sections of the Implementation Plan?

• Is sufficient time available for a comprehensive gaps analysis?

• How will this analysis help countries and institutions prioritize GEOSS capacity building activities?