International travel resumes: CSIRO to re-connect with key Earth observation players and advance our priorities

With CSIRO resuming international travel plans, the Centre for Earth Observation (CCEO) has had the pleasure to participate in several overseas Earth observation events late 2022. November saw CCEO staff  travelling to Vietnam to attend the 28^th Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum, and to Biarritz (France) for the 36^th CEOS (Committee on Earth Observation Satellites) Plenary hosted by CNES, the French Space Agency.

APRSAF, Vietnam

In Vietnam, participants attended workshops, could hear updates on regional activities, and discussed on how earth observation data could be used to benefit society. Dr. Amy Parker and Dr. Alex Held actively contributed and joined panels with colleagues from the Australian Space Agency, Asian Development Bank, Japan Cabinet Office and Philippine Space Agency to discuss “Satellite Applications Challenge for Space Innovation in Asia Pacific Region” for instance.

The CCEO is leading other projects in Vietnam and South East Asia that will lead to further engagement opportunities with regional stakeholders.

CEOS Plenary, France

A week later, together with Flora Kerblat, Alex represented CSIRO at the inter-Agency Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), to provide high-level Agency’s updates, hold around 10 bilateral meetings with key partners, and advance our priorities such as calibration and validation, analysis ready data strategy, data analytics and interoperability. CSIRO also continues to support CEOS efforts towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (side-meeting, and high-level presentation showcasing the publication of four EO Support sheets to help countries access and use satellite data for reporting on water extent (6.6.1), urbanisation (11.3.1); Coastal eutrophication (141.1a) and Land degradation (15.3.1)). 

While CSIRO contributed to the CEOS Plenary and the Oceania Geospatial Symposium (OGS), an event simultaneously held in New Caledonia), CSIRO supported CNES, GEO, and others in hosting a Special live session between the two communities. As a co-lead of the GEO Pacific Islands Advisory Group (PIAG), CSIRO actively supported the event (see previous post ) and facilitated the session with CEOS to increase the Pacific’s voice on the international EO stage.

Both communities (OGS participants and CEOS Agencies) warmly welcomed this opportunity to connect directly. The Pacific Islands (via PIAG) agreed to collect specific satellite data requirements for CEOS to later assess and discuss with relevant Agencies.

 

We look forward to what 2023 brings to the CCEO and our partnerships!