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Since
the Rio Conference in 1992, international conferences on the
environment have repeatedly called for integrated global observations
on the environment. This is because effective monitoring of
the planet requires cooperation on a global scale. In June
1998, a group of global observing systems, international science
organizations, United Nations agencies and national space
programmes joined to form the Integrated Global Observing
Strategy Partnership (IGOS-P). This partnership marks a new
level of collaboration: it brings together the major surface
and space-based observing systems to produce a harmonized,
comprehensive report on the planet's health. For a complete
listing of the partners, please refer to the IGOS-P
website.
A thematic
approach
In search of a practical strategy to analyse the entire world
by space and land, the partnership has adopted a thematic
strategy. The partners select a priority area of study, or
theme, and create parameters for programme implementation.
For example, they agree on a common set of essential observations
and their technical characteristics, identify relevant space-based
and in situ observing systems that are already in place,
create mechanisms for user communities to participate and
recommend an institutional framework. Finally, the partners
designate a team consisting of the leaders and organizations
that will execute the programme. Thus far the partnership
has advanced an ocean theme, a carbon theme, and an atmospheric
chemistry theme. Themes in Atmospheric chemistry, Carbon,
Coastal area, Ocean, and Water are at various stages of development
with carbon and oceans among the most advanced.
Terrestrial Carbon
GTOS is a member of the IGOS Integrated Global Carbon Observing
theme and leads the Terrestrial
Carbon component (TCO). The overall objective is to develop
a flexible and robust strategy for global carbon observations
over the next decade. Both remote and in situ observations
will be used to integrate the terrestrial, oceanic and atmospheric
components. The carbon theme team is flexible enough to incorporate
new observational requirements as science and measurement
technologies develop. The Terrestrial Carbon Observations
component has more specific objectives over the next decade,
including the determination of terrestrial carbon sources
and sinks with increasing accuracy and spatial resolution.
Land
Theme
In addition, GTOS with the University of Maryland is leading
the development of the Integrated
Global Observations for Land (IGOL) of IGOS. The established
land team has the responsibility to design a cohesive programme
of activities which will provide a comprehensive picture of
the present state of terrestrial ecosystems, and build capacity
for long-term monitoring of those ecosystems.
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