GMES enters pilot phase
The European Commission launched the pilot phase of Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme on 14 November, pressing ahead with plans to introduce the first earth observation services. Extreme weather events and natural or manmade crises constantly appear in the news, while increased security needs only reinforce the case for improved monitoring systems. The European Commission believes that the EU should offer solutions that provide a basis for a response in these situations and, in the longer-term, seek to prevent their recurrence. The EU itself needs a capacity that allows it to evaluate its own policy responses. A comprehensive Earth observing system using space-based and in-situ techniques (land, air and sea) is key to ensuring sustainable and high quality environmental and security monitoring. Commission Vice-President responsible for Enterprise and Industry, Günter Verheugen, welcomed the launch of the pilot phase, saying: 'GMES will improve our capacity to respond to natural catastrophes. At the same time it will promote the competitiveness of the European space industry.' In its Communication (COM (2005) 565), published on 14 November, the European Commission sets out a strategy for delivering GMES. The document explains the process for defining the scope of these services in conjunction with the users, and sets out the Commission's goal to ensure continuity of service. It also discusses the establishment of appropriate management structures linked to each phase of the programme. In the short term and as a first step in this strategy, the Commission will set up a GMES organisational structure, operating within the Commission, to strengthen the management of GMES, including the development of three pilot services to be ready in 2008: - The Emergency Management service aims to reinforce the European capacity to predict and respond to crises and emergencies associated with natural and man-made disasters. - The Land Monitoring service will deliver timely, important information on land use and land cover changes for a number of identified areas at European, national and local scale. - The Marine Services will provide data, information products and indicators on the condition of the seas. The final objective of GMES is to provide reliable and timely services related to environmental and security issues in support of public policy makers' needs. GMES is an EU-led initiative, in which ESA will implement the space component and the Commission will manage actions for identifying and developing services. After GALILEO, GMES has become the second EU flagship space programme. It will gather relevant data, for example concerning environmental pollution, floods, forest fires or earthquakes. It will provide the foundation for evidence-based environmental policy making, as well as the information required to ameliorate its effects on citizens.