Global Earth Observations: Why This Matters

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Global Earth Observations Why This Matters

• Forum on Earth Observations
• Washington, DC
• 22-23 September 2004
• Anthony C. Janetos
• The Heinz Center

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Whats Important About GEO?

• A priori assignment of environmental benefits
• Attempting to understand what observations are
  needed to realize those benefits
• Understanding what science and technological
  development is needed to deliver those
  observations routinely, objectively, and usefully
• Balancing domestic and international requirements
  on an issue-basis
• Balancing in situ and remotely observed
  information

3
So What?

• Challenges in todays world
• Natural resource management
• Vulnerability to natural disaster
• Energy supply
• Health

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Land-Use Change

• Biggest changes over past 40-50 years
• Acknowledged to be the biggest contributor to
  losses of biological diversity
• Major contributor to increase of CO2 in the
  atmosphere
• What sort of changes can we document over the
  past few decades?

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Main areas of deforestation and forest
degradation over the last twenty years
(1980-2000) - World
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Natural Hazards

• Financial damage from natural disasters rising
  sharply over last several decades
• Much damage is preventable in principle
• Need continued improvement in knowledge of
  seismic hazards and ability to forecast severe
  storms

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Energy in Todays World

• Fossil fuels drove most of the growth were
  almost 80 of supply in 2000.

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Human Health

• Water-borne diseases extremely common in
  developing world
• Malaria remains a scourge
• Travel, trade, land-use change all lead to
  extremely rapid spread of infectious disease
• Millennium Development Goals emphasize reduction
  in disease burden, provision of drinking water

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So What?

• Challenges of tomorrows world
• Population growth
• Development needs
• Atmospheric change and climate

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World Population Growth
Population growth, 1750-2050
1999 6 Billion
Sources Before 1950 PRB estimates 1950-2050
UN, World Population Projections to 2150, 1998
(medium scenario).
2
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Population Pressure

• In excess of 6 billion people globally
• Projections of population today have two
  characteristics
• Top out around 8-9 billion in next 50 years
• Stay fairly steady
• Most growth in developing world, BUT
• US has shown 2-3 growth per year

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Population density in 1995 and most populated and
changing cities in 1990-2000 - world
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(No Transcript)
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Global CO2 Concentration
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Possible Uses of GEO

• Development of indicators of change necessary
• Periodic reporting on state of ecosystems on
  which we depend
• Periodic assessment of state of knowledge and
  understanding
• Development of mitigative and adaptive strategies
  based on best science and observations

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US and GEO in a Global Context

• Perception of US leadership
• Investment in science and training
• Technology development and trade
• Potential to reduce inequity of impacts,
  especially in developing world
• Potential to increase economic and human security

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Whats Needed To Make GEO Work?

• Understanding of who benefits
• Public good
• Private sector
• Developing world
• Recognition of how the link between observing
  systems and benefits can be strengthened
• Connection to research and technological
  enterprises
• Benefit of multiple perspectives and points of
  view in system design, operation, and oversight