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.