The European Environmental Agency (EEA)  has recently started coordinating geographical data flow to be used for Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) services.

GMES is a joint initiative of the European Union and the European Space Agency (ESA), providing timely environmental and security related information trough space observation, monitoring and analyses. It is one of three key European initiatives, alongside SEIS and INSPIRE, that respond in different ways to new pressures in the environmental information marketplace — new environmental issues, changing citizen expectations, more complex policy instruments, and the need to reduce costs.

The EEA has recently signed a contract with the European Commission to coordinate in situ data flows concerning ground, sea and air observations over the next three years, and it will develop a framework making the data accessible; the initiative represents an important step towards the take-off of the GMES project from its pilot phase.

The EEA will focus on:

• promoting cooperation with relevant networks, with a particular focus on the links with SEIS (Shared Environmental Information System) and INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community);
• clarifying the data requirements of the GMES services; 
• designing long-term sustainable solutions to meet data needs; 
• case studies and quick wins.

Further information:

• Original news item – EEA website
• GMES website
• SEIS website
• INSPIRE website
• ESA website