11

Helen Wood, Secretariat Director

GEO-6 Forward Planning:Decisions and Documents

|2

Forward Planning for GEO-6 (1)See Overview Document (600-3)

1. Assent to the draft GEO-WMO Standing Arrangement (GEO 604)

2. Assent to draft Secretariat Purpose and Function (GEO 605)

3. Assent to the draft Secretariat Transition Plan (GEO 606)

|3

Forward Planning for GEO-6 (2)

4. Assent to the draft 2006 Work Plan Development Document (GEO 607)

5. Decision on Executive Committee Options (GEO 608)

|4

Guidance Needed From GEO-6

1. Long-term funding approaches

2. Science and technical mechanism options (GEO 610)

3. User interface mechanism options (GEO 611)

55

GEO Secretariat

GEO–WMO Standing Arrangement (GEO 604-6)

|6

Purpose and Origin of Standing Arrangement

• Details arrangements for WMO’s hosting of the successor GEO Secretariat

• GEO-6 is invited to adopt the Resolution at Appendix A, signifying GEO’s assent to the Standing Arrangement

• Formulated following detailed discussions in Geneva between representatives of WMO and the ad hoc GEO Secretariat, as directed by GEO-5

|7

• Sufficient space and services with minimaladministrative burden

• Mechanisms for accountability

• Sufficient autonomy and independence

• Co-location with other Earth observation initiativesand related international organizations

Goal: Effective Administrative Environment

|8

• Independent decision-making structure

• Efficient, flexible funding mechanism

• Recruitment, hiring, and human resource services,including benefits and diplomatic immunities andprivileges

• Administrative support services as defined in aService-Level Agreement

Key Elements Contained in Standing Arrangement

99

GEO Secretariat

Secretariat Purpose and Functions (GEO 605-3)

|10

Secretariat Purpose

• Support GEO activities

• Consist of co-located, well-qualified, professional and administrative staff

|11

Secretariat Functions (1)

a. Prepare and submit the Annual Work Plan and Budget to GEO Plenary 

b. Oversee the execution of the Annual Work Plan and expenditure of the Budget 

c. Provide annual reports on the performance of GEOSS

|12

Secretariat Functions (2)

d. Organize, prepare, and support meetings

e. Seek consensus on and develop plans for joint projects and programmes  

f. Carry out follow-up activities to secure funds

 

|13

Secretariat Functions (3)

g. Oversee the implementation of the GEO communication strategy

h. Organize the GEOSS user and other fora as require

i. Facilitate overall cooperation and liaison with the Earth observation community

 

|14

Secretariat Functions (4)j. Recommend and report on the

execution of the annual Secretariat operating plan  

k. Facilitate and coordinate the updating of the 10-Year Implementation Plan as directed by the Plenary 

l. Conduct the day-to-day administrative activities of the Secretariat

m. Other duties as assigned by GEO

1515

GEO Secretariat

Secretariat Transition Plan (GEO 606-3)

|16

Secretariat Transition Plan Purpose

Details the transition of the ad hoc GEO Secretariat to the successor GEO Secretariat

|17

Secretariat Transition Plan:Key Decisions (1)

1. Scope and Timing from March to December 2005 (Section 2)

2. Transition Management by ad hoc GEO Co-Chairs and ad hoc Secretariat (Section 3.1)

3.  Finalization of Key Agreements (Section 3.2)

|18

Secretariat Transition Plan:Key Decisions (2)

4. Transition Costs and Funding (Section 3.3)

5. Director Recruitment and Placement (Section 3.4)

6. Office Relocation (Section 3.5)

7. Transition Staff Plan (Section 3.6)

|19

Secretariat Transition Plan Detail:Transition Management (1)

• GEO Co-Chairs, supported by ad hocSecretariat, manage transition until creation of Executive Committee

• GEO Co-Chairs authorized to approve Service-Level Agreement for the Transition Period

|20

Secretariat Transition Plan Detail:Transition Management (2)

• GEO Co-Chairs authorized to recruit and select Director, and approve interim staff including secondments

• Should the selection process extend beyond GEO-I, the responsibility to select the Director would pass to the newly created Executive Committee (The GEO may actively choose this delay)

|21

Secretariat Transition Plan Detail:Transition Costs• Continuity of existing operations in Washington

(director, staff, equipment, website hosting, communications, etc.) until Geneva office is established

• Establishment of new operations in Geneva, including temporary relocation of some Washington office staff

• Support for interim staff per diems (including Work Plan Manager), and some salaries and new Director’s salary in 2005

|22

Secretariat Transition Plan Detail:Required Transition Funding

• Although much of the contributions will be provided by secondments and other in-kind support, there is an urgent need for financial contributions

• Call for contributions (financial) from GEO Members and Participating Organizations, totaling USD 1 million

|23

Secretariat Transition Plan Detail:Secured Transition Support• US funding continuing for duration of Washington office not

to exceed 30 September 2005

• Switzerland equipping Geneva office

• ESA supporting publication of Plan and Reference Document

|24

Secretariat Transition Plan Detail:Director Recruitment• Co-Chairs appoint a recruitment panel

• Call to community for letters of interest

• Interviews conducted by recruitment panel and Co-Chairs if necessary

• Director selected

• WMO Secretary General appoints Director as WMO staff member

|25

Secretariat Transition Plan Detail:Required Transition Staff

• Director of Ad Hoc Secretariat continues until appointment of new Director

• Administrative staff including an Executive Officer, Transition Coordinator, and two additional support staff

• Work Plan Development staff of 3-4, including Work Plan Manager as leader, supported by external experts and internal staff

2626

GEO Secretariat

2006 Work Plan Development (GEO 607-3)

|27

GEOSS Annual Work Plan / WP 2006Annual WP - Purpose, Scope, Assumptions

• Presented by (future) Director for approval by GEO II

• 3 categories of activity GEOSS has responsibility GEOSS and partner organisations have joint responsibility GEOSS has indirect role

• Starting point is 10 Year GEOSS Implementation Plan Reference Document- with 2, 6, 10 year targets

|28

GEOSS Annual Work Plan / Work Plan 20062006 Work Plan

• Submitted in Dec 2005 to GEO Plenary

• Work Plan development overseen by Work Plan Manager

• Assumes Director in post in time to guide final stages of Work Plan development

• Use of seconded experts to support Work Plan Development

|29

Work Plan 2006Proposed Approach

• Appoint temporary “ Work Plan Manager” and team ASAP• WPM supported by 3-4 (full-time) people “Definition Group”, plus part-

time specialists to cover 9 societal benefit areas• First draft of WP 2006 by July, second draft by Sep

Resources• 80 staff-months plus 350-400K USD• Requires urgent contributions from Members and International

Organisations

|30

Work Plan 2006

3 Recommendations

1. Experienced WP Manager is appointed (by 4 Co-Chairs), starting ASAP

2. Small Definition Group is put in place to support WPM, possibly through secondments

3. Minimum funding level of USD 350-400K is secured to cover activities for timely preparation of WP 2006

3131

GEO Secretariat

Executive Committee Options (GEO 608-3)

|32

Executive Committee Options: Overview

• OBJECTIVE: to suggest a logical approach to addressing the various decisions needed to enable GEO to start functioning immediately with GEO-I

• SIX DECISION POINTS contained in GEO 608; GEO-6 is invited to indicate its preferred solution on each point.

• Future GEO meetings can modify or amplify the arrangements agreed for GEO-I if they prove inadequate

|33

Executive Committee Options:Key Decision Sequence (1)

i. Confirm Election of Executive Committee to take place at GEO-I (tentative May 2-4)

ii. Decide structure, between:a. Co-chairs (existing or otherwise); or b. Chair & Vice Chair(s) (In either case state how many)

iii. Decide size, between a. Larger e.g. 10-12 members; or b. Smaller e.g. 4-6 members

iv. Representatives of Participating Organizations

|34

Executive Committee Options:Key Decision Sequence (2)

iv. Agree procedure (a suggested way):

A. First step: Co-Chairs/Chair and Vice Chair(s) are chosen (2-Year mandate).

B. Second step: Additional Executive Committee members are chosen (2-year mandate).

|35

Executive Committee Options:Key Decision Sequence (4)

vi. Agree or modify the proposed provisional terms of reference (see text of GEO 608)

3636

GEO Secretariat

GEO Secretariat Long-Term Funding

|37

GEO Secretariat Long-Term Funding:Funding Scenarios

1. Contribution levels are not suggested; or

2. Contribution levels are suggested, e.g.:

A. Flat rate; or

B. An indicative scale

3. Other – Contribution Units?

|38

GEO Secretariat Long-Term Funding:Initial 2006 Cost Estimate and Activities (1)

USD $3.5 million:

• Staff Salaries and Benefits (7 to 10 staff)

• 2006 Work Plan ImplementationActivities and 2006 Annual Report

• 2007 Work Plan Development Activities

|39

GEO Secretariat Long-Term Funding :Initial 2006 Cost Estimate and Activities (2)

• Staff Travel and Supported Travel Costs

• User Fora

• Science and Technical Advisory Meetings

• GEO and GEO subsidiary body meetings

4040

Implementation Plan Task Team (IPTT)

Science and Technical Mechanism Options (GEO 610-3)

|41

Users

Science and observation: a symbiosis

Observations Science

Policy

Assessment

|42

‘Observation science’

• Data assimilation models– Well developed in weather, nascent in

several other fields

• Optimised observation networks

• New technology for observation

|43

The ‘standing committee’ model

Clear line function and fixed budget

Inflexible and unwieldy

GEOSS

Science committee

S/C Disasters S/C Health S/C Weather S/C Biodiversity

|44

The ad hoc panels model

Flexible, minimal and can ‘co-opt’ existing bodiesComplex reporting lines and unpredictable costs

GEOSS

Director

Time

Adhoc panel on Disasters

Tsunamis

Fires

Floods

Adhoc panel on Health

AIDS SARS New disease

Other interestedparties

|45

The final decision on science structures can wait

• Accept that a strong and functional link is needed

• Create what structures are immediately needed with time-bound Terms of Reference

• Some may become standing bodies later

4646

Implementation Plan Task Team (IPTT)

User Interface Options (GEO 611-3)

|47

User Interface Mechanism Options

• Reference text from 10-Year Implementation Plan: 4.2 User Involvement– Benefits of GEOSS will be realized by a broad range of user

communities– GEO will perform a coordination role to address user

requirements– GEO will organize GEOSS User Fora among and within

societal benefit areas– Function of User Fora will be to document and review user

requirements

|48

User Interface Mechanism Options

• Key Considerations:

– Users are essential during formulation of observation requirements for each societal benefit area, as well as cross-cutting areas

– Involvement of users must be an integral part of implementation

– User requirements should be based on clearly specified needs that are recognized or accepted by user communities

|49

User Interface Mechanism Options

• Possible Options:– A User Interface standing committee– Use of existing organizations and structures – Assign user coordination to a single GEO Secretariat

staff person– Assign user coordination to a GEO Secretariat staff

person for a particular benefit area– Use of user surveys and other methods of

communication with user groups

|50

User Interface Mechanism Options

• Possible Options for user fora format:– Use of focused meetings for each societal benefit

area– Use of meetings among several or all societal benefit

areas, cross-cutting requirements– GEO Secretariat identifies cross-cutting requirements

based on outputs from meetings and user fora

|51

User Interface Mechanism Options

• Recommendation – Mechanisms for user interface should include a combination of

the following:• Identify existing or new organizations and structures• Assign user coordination responsibility to each GEO Secretariat staff

person for a societal benefit area• Use of user surveys and other communication• Use of user fora among and within societal benefit areas• Provide feedback opportunities on all GEOSS media• Organized by Secretariat as guided by the annual work plan