ExpectedOutcome:
The successful proposal will be strengthening GEO-related coordination mechanisms at European and national levels. The focus will be on supporting increased innovation, space application development and the reinforcement of a space data ecosystem concept within Europe, whilst pursuing international cooperation to help stimulate the market and promote European technology and services. The successful proposal will be contributing to the European Green Deal objectives by further deploying and exploiting the use of environmental observations[1] and to a strengthened Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)[2].
Proposals are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:
- Support to the EuroGEO[3] community, including supporting and cooperating with the EuroGEO Action Groups, on innovation and services and where possible link with existing and future the GEO/EuroGEO infrastructure components;
- Establishment of organisational support, e.g., coordination of EuroGEO communication activities and events. This includes the increase of synergies among EU funded projects in the context of environmental observations and other topics related to EuroGEO, providing a solid base for evidence-informed allocation of EU research funding through sound monitoring of ongoing research funding activities in Europe and beyond;
- A more developed and better monitored execution of the EuroGEO Implementation Plan in the GEO Work Programme and visibility and exposure to European lead Flagships and Initiatives in the global GEO WP - linking their thematic products and services to relevant European Policy priorities. This includes support to preparing the contribution of EuroGEO to the next GEO Strategic Plan covering the period post-2025;
- Assistance to the development of a sustainability concept for the EuroGEO initiative;
- Further developed research policies, guidelines and where possible standards in close relation with the EC Knowledge Centre on Earth Observation[4];
Scope:
This action aims to prepare the transition of the existing EuroGEO initiative into a sustainable endeavour, by setting up a secretariat.
The successful proposal should propose actions for the secretariat to:
- Further strengthen and promote the three EuroGEO priorities: combining, cooperating and coordinating;
- Serve as the basis for evidence-informed allocation of research funding by monitoring ongoing research funding activities in Europe and beyond;
- Provide professional support in organising EuroGEO events and meetings of EuroGEO bodies (Coordination Group and Action Groups);
- Guide the dialogue with relevant stakeholders and initiatives and (further) build connections, including raising awareness of and interest in the EuroGEO initiative.
The successful proposal should carry out an in-depth investigation resulting into a sustainability plan offering options for the long-term operationalisation and sustainability of the EuroGEO initiative, with the GEO Member States and GEO Participating Organisations of Europe.
The proposed sustainability plan should include a suggested pathway towards implementation, such as the implementation of a European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC)[5].
The organisational and logistical support of a secretariat should maximise the unique and long-term impact of EuroGEO by strengthening Europe's leading role in the successful deployment of Earth Observation applications in the global context.
The maximum duration of the funded project is 24 months.
[1]The capacity to observe the environment, including space-based, in-situ-based (air, sea, land) observation, and citizen observations.
[2]https://www.earthobservations.org/geoss.php.
[3]https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/knowledge-publications-tools-and-data/knowledge-centres-and-data-portals/eurogeo_en.
[4]https://knowledge4policy.ec.europa.eu/earthobservation_en.
[5]https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/europes-digital-decade.
