Chapter 2
ACTIVITIES OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
IN EARTH OBSERVATION
Part of a common European strategy
Alan Cross
1
European Commission, Brussels, Belgium.
1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
A European success story
The European Earth Observation (EO) sector has reached a pivotal stage.
Over the past two decades, Europe has developed an outstanding
technological base for EO through both the co-operative programs of
Member States in ESA, and through the various national space programs.
EUMETSAT successfully operates weather satellites for European
meteorological services and contributes to related activities worldwide. The
European Commission has made a substantial effort in stimulating EO
applications through its Research and Technology Development (RTD)
programs, including the major contribution of the Center for Earth
Observation. As a result of these and other initiatives, European industry and
research bodies have developed and demonstrated a wide range of EO
applications. EO is increasingly seen as a useful and sometimes essential
component of the technological infrastructure of the ’Information Society’.
Synergies with other space technologies such as telecommunications and
navigation can only enhance this role. The potential social, economic and
strategic importance of EO over the coming decade is considerable:
1 The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and they should not be regarded as
an official position of the Commission.
7
M.M. Verstraete et al. (eds.), Observing Land from Space: Science, Customers and Technology, 7–13.
© 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.
ACTIVITIES OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
IN EARTH OBSERVATION
Part of a common European strategy
Alan Cross
1
European Commission, Brussels, Belgium.
1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
A European success story
The European Earth Observation (EO) sector has reached a pivotal stage.
Over the past two decades, Europe has developed an outstanding
technological base for EO through both the co-operative programs of
Member States in ESA, and through the various national space programs.
EUMETSAT successfully operates weather satellites for European
meteorological services and contributes to related activities worldwide. The
European Commission has made a substantial effort in stimulating EO
applications through its Research and Technology Development (RTD)
programs, including the major contribution of the Center for Earth
Observation. As a result of these and other initiatives, European industry and
research bodies have developed and demonstrated a wide range of EO
applications. EO is increasingly seen as a useful and sometimes essential
component of the technological infrastructure of the ’Information Society’.
Synergies with other space technologies such as telecommunications and
navigation can only enhance this role. The potential social, economic and
strategic importance of EO over the coming decade is considerable:
1 The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and they should not be regarded as
an official position of the Commission.
7
M.M. Verstraete et al. (eds.), Observing Land from Space: Science, Customers and Technology, 7–13.
© 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.