Under the theme “Global Action for Local Impact,” the GEO Virtual Symposium 2022 explored how the portfolio of Group on Earth Observations (GEO) products and services can provide insights and evidence for policy development and decision making.

The symposium fostered dialogue among local stakeholders, GEO Work Programme (GWP) activities, and other partners to discuss transversal environmental and societal issues, and to identified potential integrative Earth observation-based solutions in selected regions. It was intended to strengthen synergies among GWP activities and enhance their capacity to support decisions in a real-world scenario and inform the development of the 2023-2025 GWP.

The symposium also:

• shared good practices and lessons learned;
• discussed survey findings on GWP activities and their role in building linkages with the United Nations and other international organizations and supporting GEO’s engagement priorities; and
• consulted the GWP community regarding the work of the Expert Advisory Group on the concept of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) while understanding the current state and future efforts relating to EO capabilities.

A partnership of over 100 national governments and more than 100 Participating Organizations, GEO is a unique global network connecting government institutions, academic and research institutions, data providers, businesses, engineers, scientists, and experts to create innovative solutions to global challenges informed by coordinated, comprehensive, and sustained Earth observations. GEO aims to create a GEOSS to better integrate existing and planned observing systems around the world and support the development of new systems where gaps currently exist. GEOSS facilitates the sharing of environmental data and information collected from the large array of observing systems contributed by countries and organizations within GEO. GEO’s global priorities include making progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, climate action, and disaster risk reduction.

The symposium tok place virtually from 2-5 May 2022. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin provided daily digital updates beginning on Monday, 2 May, and a summary report will be available on Saturday, 7 May.