Send article to a friendPrint

GMES

Logo GMES

Global Monitoring for Environment and Security

Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) is a joint initiative of the European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA). Its objective is to create an autonomous system for global environmental and security monitoring. It aims to employ European cooperation and bring together the skills available in Europe to set up a permanently available and user-friendly system to support decision-makers in politics, public administration and the economy.

GMES combines the potential of satellite-based earth observation with ground-, air- and sea- based measurements as well as other data sources and modern data processing. In this way, reliable services can be provided to support environmental and climate protection, regional planning, transportation, disaster relief, development aid and security-related issues.

Inspired by the use of meteorological satellites for weather forecasts, GMES will employ the technology of space-based earth observation in the service of society. This is also reflected in the fact that in Germany, the responsibility for GMES has been transferred from the Ministry of Economics and Technology to the Ministry for Transportation, Building and Urban Development.

The objectives of GMES are:

• To set up an autonomous European system for environmental and security monitoring in order to enhance the efficiency and transparency of political decision-making in Europe
• To provide user-friendly earth observation services on a permanent basis, to support the EU and its member states in complying with their legal duties and their EU/UN reporting obligations in environmental management, regional planning, transportation, civil defense and disaster relief
• To contribute to the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy by creating a European market for innovative Earth Observation-based services
• To provide a European contribution to international programs, particularly the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), which aims to meet the information needs of the international environmental conventions of the United Nations and to assist developing countries
• To support Germany's interests in economic and science policy and to create a tool to support the national reform program to implement the strategy of Lisbon