To identify and anticipate the hazards that threaten communities, a mechanism for real-time data collection and interpretation must be readily available to and usable by scientists, emergency managers, first responders, citizens, and policy makers. While much progress has been achieved in select areas, significant work remains to maximize community resilience and thereby minimize loss of life and property from natural and technological hazards.

The need for improved Earth observations is an international priority. An integrated, coordinated system of Earth observation platforms would improve our ability to provide pertinent, comprehensive, and timely information for all phases of emergency planning and response.

This presentation will briefly summarize the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) initiative and then examine the potential benefit of GEOSS to worldwide disaster reduction, one of the nine socio-economic benefit areas that are the impetus for the initiative. Examples will be drawn from corresponding U.S. efforts to achieve an Integrated Earth Observations System as a contribution to GEOSS, highlighting a U.S. national framework for disaster reduction.

GEOSS will establish the capacity to monitor continuously the state of the Earth, to increase understanding of dynamic Earth processes, to enhance prediction of the Earth system, and to further implement our international environmental treaty obligations. GEOSS is designed to markedly enhance global policy- and decision-making abilities to promote the health of our people, our environment, and our economies. A high-level, intergovernmental initiative, GEOSS will provide an important scientific basis for sound policy and decision making in every sector of our society. In addition, it will enhance our capability to address and reduce losses from natural and technological disasters throughout the world. As progress is made in GEOSS implementation, there will be implications and opportunities for space and ground operations supporting Earth observing systems in both the public and private sectors.