ACTION TEAM FOR RECOMMENDATION NO. 1

"Develop a comprehensive worldwide environmental monitoring strategy"

State(s) leading the action team

Iran, Syria

Members

States:

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Brazil, China, France, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Kingdom, United States of America.

Organizations:

European Space Agency (ESA),

International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS),

Manila Observatory,

Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC),

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division,

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP),

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE),

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),

United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP).

Objectives

Address the needs and requirements for use and protection of environment through improvement and control methods approved by different countries, and develop a comprehensive worldwide environmental monitoring strategy for long-term global observations by building on existing space and ground capabilities.

Organizational structure

Presently Iran and Syria coordinates the activities of the action team jointly. The secretariat of the action team is in the Iranian Remote Sensing Center (IRSC) based in Tehran, Iran.

Principal products to be delivered

• Undertake and demonstrate pilot projects related to, for example, environmental monitoring in national and regional as well as global levels
• Host a global UN supported Conference on the subject in 2003 which venue will be agreed by the members.
• Preparing a report demonstrating the practical utility of space-based monitoring systems

Note: Assessment Report should

  1)   Analyze the current structure of environment monitoring by different countries and NGEs.

  2)   Develop a preliminary assessment of the establishment such a system technically and economically.

  3)   Clarify the benefits, advantages and disadvantages of such a strategy.

Propose a 2-year work plan beginning from March 2002 to conduct the efforts of the team.

Work plan

• Establish Team: Contacts from Member States an 3^rd parties  

                                                                                     Apr 15, 02

• Develop first draft of Preliminary Report                    Jun 1, 02(?)
• Develop draft of Assessment Report                                  Oct 02
• Develop final draft of Assessment Report                           Jan 03
• Prepare Presentation for S&T Subcommittee                      Feb 03
• Obtain Subcommittee inputs/direction                               Feb 03

Activities that have been carried out since the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee held its thirty-ninth session, in 2002

Since the first action team meeting held on 1 March 2002 on the margin of the 39th Scientific and Technical Subcommittee Meeting of Committee of the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), a report of which was presented to the Working Group of the Whole, some activities have been carried out a description of which is given below:

• Following the agreement between the action team coordinators from the Islamic Republic of Iran and Republic of Syria on the place of the secretariat of the action team, the secretariat began its work in the Iranian Remote Sensing Center (IRSC) based in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.  

• The Questionnaire of the action team #1 was prepared by the secretariat and after receiving the approval of the coordinators from Iran and Syria, was distributed to the members according to the list the members. The members were requested to complete and return the questionnaire by 15 May 2002. By now only France and the Islamic republic of Iran has responded and it is expected the other members supply their inputs before the second meeting of the action team on 6 June 2002. A copy of the questionnaire is attached to this report.   

• As the co-chairperson of the Action Team 1 meet Dr. Stephen Briggs, Head of ESA's Earth Observation Applications Department (ESRIN, Italy) and Dr. Gibson from ESA during 29th International Symposium of Remote Sensing on Environment (ISRSE) that was held at Buenos Aires, Argentina from 8 to 12 April 2002. We negotiated on the activities of the International Global Observing Strategy (IGOS), and closeness of the goals of both IGOS and the Action Team 1 of the recommendations of UNISPACE III "Develop a comprehensive worldwide environmental monitoring strategy". They expressed good interest for cooperation and expressed readiness to arrange for support the action team meeting in June at Vienna on the margin of 45^th COPUOS Meeting. They also asked for further contacts with them for cooperation.  

• Communication with Mr. Richard L. Ohlemacher, of NOAA’s International & Interagency Affairs, Mr. Josef Aschbacher of ESA, Dr. Stephen Briggs of ESRIN, Mr. Toshihiko Oida, Director of NASDA Bonn Office, and Mr. Ian Downey of British National Space Centre was carried out on further involvement of their relevant organization in the activities of the Action Team #1, with no particular response from them.

·    Concerning sharing of information, cooperation and cross-participation between the Action Teams #4 “Enhance weather and climate forecasting” and 1, the correspondence was carried out between Dr. Filipe Duarte Santos, Chair of Action Team # 4 and I confirming the continuation of the cooperation and information sharing.

• The Second Action Team Meeting will be held in morning on Thursday 6 June 2002 on the margin of 45^th COPUOS Meeting. The agenda of the meeting is attached.

Measures that have been taken to encourage the participation of non-governmental entities

No particular commitment.