Earth observation is critical to our global population and global economy. Measuring the value of predictions however is contingent on society’s use of those predictions to make better decisions. The failure of our society to make these better choices also has economic implications, implications typically felt most significantly by populations already at the greatest risk. The 2017 Earth Science Decadal Survey itself shows just how important the relationship is between earth observation and the economy as the words economy, economic, or socio-economic are mentioned over 200 times across it’s narrative and referenced publications.

I had little awareness about this connection before 2014, I just knew that I was so enamored by the amazing work done at NOAA and NASA, I felt I needed to advocate for more funding for that work. I was co-founding a new budget coalition I called the Coalition for Aerospace and Science and asked Dr. Bill Hooke for advice. He sent me to Dr. Molly Macaully, at Resources for the Future.

Like so many of us, there are few life changing events like meeting Molly. I asked her to advise this new NASA and NOAA budget coalition and she explained the rationale for increasing investments in earth observation in a simple way – it was the Value Of Information.

As a non-scientist, non-meteorologist, non-engineer, I reduce complex ideas from those experts to simple terms for a living, especially when I’m explaining it in Washington. In this session, I plan to simplify not just this complex topic to several key points, but also cover the research on the value of earth observation from simulations (data inclusion or denial), historical analysis, and market analysis.

Economies are driven by choices based on enormous volumes of information fed into governments, businesses, and individuals, and earth observation data is hard to ignore or exclude given 60 years of science and advancement. We have to understand how the limitations of the scientific method ought to not also limit the public’s awareness of how they are enabled by that same science.

Following an introductory presentation including a series of animations and graphics, we’ll engage our expert panel for more depth of perspective and thought provoking Q&A.

Note: Earth observation will not limited to space in this session, but rather all forms of observation – this should be timely given the expected publication this year as well of the revised National Plan for Civil Earth Observation.