a. Implementation plan
The SC recognized that GTOS should operate with two levels of activities. First, it must meet the needs for short-term analysis, because decision-makers need to have better information on the environment for decisions they must take on a regular basis. Secondly, it must be able to provide long-term data sets to the scientific community.
The SC noted that the Planning group (STPG) had suggested a number of activities for GTOS. The SC affirmed the importance for GTOS to begin modestly and earn the respect of governments and the science community. Hence, it is critical that the SC set priorities for itself, both for the technical and administrative aspects of the programme. It was suggested that GTOS have a short-term as well as a long-term strategy. The SC agreed to take use existing panels, activities, and pilot projects where possible and to form working groups to deal with other priority issues.
· Follow-up actions:
Secretariat to prepare a work programme with priorities for 1997;
Steering Committee to form a working group to develop a draft implementation plan before the next SC meeting.
b. Information on sites
A first step was to identify existing organizations, programmes, and sites that could contribute to GTOS. It was reported that UNEP had begun such an exercise some years ago and that the STPG had expanded on it. The committee was informed about the Terrestrial Ecological Monitoring Sites (TEMS) database, which was assembled primarily to serve the needs of the site selection process for the GTOS. This database is still under development has a listing of over 1000 sites that registered information related to terrestrial observations. It was pointed out there are still many gaps in the coverage both geographically and in terms of ecosystem coverage. Members of the SC expressed a willingness to provide additional information on sites that they know about as a way to begin to fill the gaps.
· Follow-up actions:
Secretariat to provide members of the SC with a listing of the sites that have already been contacted for the TEMS data base, as well as a copy of the questionnaire that was sent out;
Steering Committee members to provide the Secretariat with information on sites and/or networks in their respective geographical area;
Secretariat to transfer TEMS to FAO (GTOS Secretariat), "populate" the data base with additional information and identify gaps;
Secretariat to make initial contacts with potential partners of GTOS.
c. Relations with CEOS
The SC was informed that GTOS had been invited to associate itself with the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) which has three primary objectives: 1) To optimize the benefits of space-borne earth observations through co-operation of its members in mission planning and development of compatible data products, formats, services, application and policies; 2) To aid both members and the international user community by inter alia serving as the focal point for international co-ordination of space-related earth observation activities, including those related to global change; 3) To exchange policy and technical information and encourage complementarity and compatibility among space-borne earth observation systems currently in service or development, and the data received from them. The SC agreed that GTOS should be represented on the CEOS.
· Follow-up action:
Chairman to send a letter to the chairman of CEOS saying that GTOS accepts affiliation and nominating Michael Gwynne as the GTOS representative to CEOS.
d. Working groups
The SC identified some priority areas for the next six months and established six Working Groups accordingly. Each of these working groups, by the next meeting of the SC, should have develop a strategy for dealing with their specific issue. The working groups are: Societal Concerns, Coastal Zones, Biodiversity, Earth Sciences, Site Criteria, and Implementation Plan (See Appendix 3). These working groups are to correspond by e-mail and through a list server that FAO will provide .
· Follow-up actions:
Secretariat to set up a list server to facilitate communications for the working groups;
Secretariat to help Christopher Magadza and André Bassolé to have e-mail facilities.
e. Pilot projects
Three pilot projects that could provide GTOS with considerable help are in various stages of development.
As mentioned in section V.b., a proposal has been submitted to the Government of Norway which has the objective of "Defining and Demonstrating Operational Aspects of GTOS, GCOS, and GOOS" in close co-operation with the relevant institutions of six widely varying developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and two developed countries in Europe.
A second project has been developed by the TOPC to demonstrate the tier concept and assist in developing a data and information management system for the South East Asia region. It was pointed out that this proposal had received extremely wide review and had become rather diffuse; it was in need of sharpening.
The third project was to develop a global soil carbon data base. This project is in the conceptual stage of development by the TOPC.
· Follow-up actions:
Secretariat to inform the SC on the results of the Norway proposal;
Steering Committee to send comments on the South-East Asia proposal to GTOS Secretariat by 30 January 1997. The Secretariat would then re-draft the proposal and review it with GCOS and GOOS;
Secretariat to inform members of developments in regard to the soil carbon project as more details become available. The individual SC members would then send comments to the Secretariat.
