Terms of Reference for Advisory Group on Land Cove and Land Use
Revised Terms of Reference
ISO TC211 Advisory Group 13 on Land Cover Land Use
2 February 2021
The classification of land cover and land use are some of the primary measures driving climate science and
are critical for addressing many of the UN Sustainability Goals, including the estimation of world agricultural
production. Information on Land Cover and Land Use is also crucial for addressing the requirements of the
major International Conventions of the UN system i.e. UNFCCC, UNCBD, UNCCD and the UN Forum on Forest
The ISO/TC 211 Land Cover & Land Use Advisory Group Terms of Reference are:
The AG LCLU is established to: advise ISO/TC 211 on the application and implementation of the ISO/TC 211
standards on Land Cover Land Use in the UN and other transnational organizations and to reach out to the
context of broader UN initiatives for this purpose.
The AG on LCLU shall: comprise the ISO/TC 211 Chair, the working group convenor of WG7, and each P-and O-
member and A-liaison can nominate experts in the group.
The AG LCLU shall remain in existence : while the 19144 suite of standards are evolving : 19144 -2 LCML and
19144-3 LUML (and a potential future 19144-4 on Registration and Implementation Aspects) and until a
possible higher level coordination committee on Land Cover Land Use is established in cooperation with the
UN and other transnational organizations. (likely a minimum of 36 months).
The AG LCLU recognises: the intricate relationship between LC and LU and their interdependency.
The AG LCLU is will advise ISO/TC 211 on the application and implementation of the ISO/TC 211 standards on
Land Cover Land Use in the UN and other mature LCLU initiatives from other international stakeholders
worldwide.
The AG LCLU shall: ensure that the ISO/TC 211 LC and LU initiativesand evolving standards are brought to the
attention and discussed with other UN agencies involved with the SDG’s and those agencies’ which utilise LC
and LU indicators and also report, in a reciprocal way, with the broader UN-GGIM framework.
Specifically, the AG LCLU will: - capture user requirements and provide feedback before proceeding with a
work to generate outreach resources. It will be focussed on increasing the awareness of the process and the
migration of LC and LU standards and their uptake of standards related to these thematic domains:- including
creating awareness, enabling education and training, facilitating adoption and implementation, The AG LCLU
will: furthermore, capture user requirements and feedback and generate outreach resources. It will also focus
on attracting participation in and grow the community of advocates for the evolving 19144 suite of standards.
The AG LCLU will: advise ISO/TC 211 in providing input to the UN and other agencies with respect to
geospatial standards.
The AG LCLU is responsible for inter alia:
- the AG LCLU will assess the user requirements and market needs for LCLU information, the
benefits and objectives of the committee work. The AG LCLU is also responsible to monitor the
external environment for emerging standardization opportunities of LCLU that have influence
on the ISO/TC 211. The AG LCLU should collect, and make accessible global, regional, and
country level classification schemas, metalanguages, data models, data specifications, etc.
- Inform, the UN and other mature LCLU initiatives from other international stakeholders worldwide,
the development of a LC and LU taxonomy and vocabulary in collaboration with other
initiatives.
- Inform, the UN and other mature LCLU initiatives from other international stakeholders worldwide,
the development of a best practices for LCLU and the efficiency of EO data applications in
collaboration with other initiatives.
- Collect lessons learnt and communities’ requirements at the International, regional, nation
and sub national level that require consistent LC and LU information sustainability in
countries that choose to support the programme
- Communication, information and knowledge transmission to other international institutions.