Press Release: EU space missions to strengthen earth observation for Climate and Security

In 2005, the EU made the strategic choice to develop an independent European space borne earth observation capacity to deliver services in the environmental and security fields, called Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES). This capacity is designed in a way that is firmly rooted on existing capacities led by the European Space Agency (ESA), Eumetsat and individual countries, complemented by additional EU components to ensure its global dimension. Together these three activity strands are forming the GMES space capabilities. A Communication, adopted on 28 October 2009 by the European Commission, deals with the achievements and the next steps to bring GMES in a fully operational stage in the most cost efficient way. It however covers only the space component, since it defines largely the scope of the programme as well as of the in situ infrastructure and the overall financial costs.

ESO: Background information: European Commission Website: Global monitoring for environment and society (GMES) http://www.europeansources.info/record/website-global-monitoring-for-environment-and-society-gmes/

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