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Securing the Copernicus Programme Why EU Earth Observation Matters

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Securing the Copernicus Programme Why EU Earth Observation Matters Briefing April 2017 Securing the Copernicus programme Why EU earth observation matters SUMMARY The Copernicus programme is a user-driven programme which provides six free-of- charge operational services (atmosphere monitoring, marine environment monitoring, land monitoring, climate change, emergency management and security) to EU, national, and regional institutions, as well as to the private sector. The programme builds on the initiative on global monitoring for environment and security launched in 2001. It aims at filling the gaps in European earth observation capacities. Data is provided from space infrastructures, particularly the sentinel missions developed under the programme, and in situ infrastructure supported by the Member States. Copernicus services are mainly operated by European Union (EU) agencies. Copernicus requires a high level of continuity in data and service provision. A strong political commitment at EU level is required to provide adequate funding for the development of the operational earth observation missions and services. The EU – under the framework programme for research and operational programmes – and the European Space Agency (ESA) have invested more than €7 billion in Copernicus since 2002. By the end of 2017, four of the six sentinel missions should be fully deployed and the last of the six services should become fully operational. As Copernicus reaches its full operational stage, the focus of the programme is shifting towards the uptake of the services and the development of a downstream sector that would provide additional commercial services to the users. This aspect is a key priority of the space strategy adopted by the European Commission in October 2016. The development of the downstream sector is dependent on the long-term continuity of service, to be ensured by improved governance of the programme and renewed long- term political and financial commitments for the next EU budgetary period. In this briefing: Copernicus programme Copernicus definition phase Copernicus operational phase Evolutions and challenges Main references EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service Author: Vincent Reillon Members' Research Service PE 599.407 EN EPRS Securing the Copernicus programme Copernicus programme Objectives and scope Copernicus is a civil programme of the European Union (EU) for earth observation (EO) and monitoring. Established in 2014, it continues global monitoring for environment and security (GMES) initiative activities that started in 2001. The Regulation establishing Copernicus mentions five objectives for the programme: monitor the earth to support environmental protection and civil protection and civil security efforts; maximise socio-economic benefits by promoting EO use in services; foster development of a competitive European space and services industry; ensure autonomous access to environmental knowledge and key technologies for EO; support and contribute to European policies and foster global initiatives. The services offered by the programme can be used in a large range of domains, such as agriculture, forestry and fisheries, energy, public health, transport and urban planning. They cover six thematic areas: atmosphere monitoring, marine environment monitoring, land monitoring, climate change, emergency management and security (see Table 1). Table 1 – Copernicus services Service Main focus Operator Operational Atmosphere Air quality, ozone layer, emissions and surface ECMWF July 2015 monitoring fluxes, solar radiation, climate forcing Marine environment Marine safety, coastal environment, marine Mercator May 2015 monitoring resources, weather and climate Ocean Land monitoring Land cover, use and cover-use changes, JRC - EEA 2012 vegetation state, water cycle Climate change Climate variables, re-analyses and projections, ECMWF 2017 multi-model seasonal forecasts Emergency Risk assessments of floods and forest fires, JRC April 2012 management impact of natural and man-made disasters Security Border surveillance, maritime surveillance, Frontex - 2015 – support for EU external action EMSA – Early 2016 EU SatCen Data source: Copernicus website. ECMWF: European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts; JRC: Joint Research Centre; EEA: European Environmental Agency; EMSA: European Maritime Safety Agency; Frontex: European Border and Coast Guard Agency; EU SatCen: EU Satellite Centre. Mercator Ocean is a French private company. Components of the programme and Copernicus services The Copernicus programme is organised in three components (see Figure 1): a space component ensuring sustainable space borne observations;1 an in situ component ensuring coordinated access to observations from airborne, seaborne, and ground based installations; a service component ensuring delivery of information in the thematic areas. The space component consists of dedicated missions (the sentinels), funded by and operated under the programme. It complements the data produced by contributing missions developed and financed mainly by EU Member States.2 This component is coordinated by the European Space Agency (ESA) and operated by ESA and Eumetsat.3 The in situ component consists of infrastructures operated mainly at national and regional levels within EU Member States and is coordinated by the European Environmental Agency (EEA). Members' Research Service Page 2 of 12 EPRS Securing the Copernicus programme The service component integrates the data provided by the other two components to deliver the services.4 Raw data is transformed into elaborated operational services using tools, models and methods developed under the programme over the last 15 years. This is done mainly by EU agencies under delegation agreement or contractual arrangements. Figure 1 – Organisation of Copernicus and key challenges of the programme Data source: EPRS, based on European Commission documents. Members' Research Service Page 3 of 12 EPRS Securing the Copernicus programme Key characteristics of the programme User-driven programme Copernicus is a user-driven programme. Users are involved in the services’ requirements definition and validation. Copernicus core users are the EU institutions and bodies, as well as European, national, regional or local authorities active in the areas covered by the services. Research organisations, commercial and private users, non-governmental and international organisations are additional users. Continuity of service The programme’s value rests on continuity of service over long periods (several decades) and ensuring data and service availability, reliability, and quality. Discontinuity in data and services would compromise the reliability of services such as the emergency service. It would also render commercial services unavailable, making private investment in applications riskier. Ensuring the continuity of service places specific conditions on the robustness, maintenance and replacement of space and in situ infrastructures, and on the overall long-term funding and governance of the programme. Continuity is essential to fostering the development of a private downstream sector producing commercial applications based Copernicus data and services uptake. Open and free data and services Data collected and services produced under the programme are disseminated on a full, open, and free-of-charge basis. Limitations may apply due to the licensing conditions of third-party data or to protect the EU and its Member States’ security interests. International aspects Copernicus is Europe’s main contribution to the global earth observation system of systems (GEOSS), an international programme of the Group on Earth Observation. GEOSS integrates EO observing systems at the global level to strengthen monitoring of the earth and shares the data produced on a dedicated portal. GEOSS also promotes the definition of common standards to allow data interoperability. Since 2007, Copernicus has also been a key programme for cooperation between the EU and Africa to support sustainable management of natural resources. Copernicus definition phase First initiatives in Europe on earth observation (1970s -1998) As early as 1979, a European Parliament resolution stressed the importance of earth observation capabilities to support key Community policies.5 In 1988, the first European Commission communication on space mentioned EO as one of three main areas for space exploitation, although 'still in its infancy'. A need existed to develop both space and ground EO infrastructures and provide good continuity of service, 'an essential precondition for the development of applications'. The Commission concluded it was 'high time that European efforts in this area GMES and the JRC were given a new dimension and coherence'. The same year, the European Commission The European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) has been involved in the field of earth Joint Research Centre (JRC) began its observation since 1988, with the creation of the involvement in EO with the programme on Space Applications Institute. The JRC plays a role in monitoring agricultural resources (MARS). Copernicus, being involved in the production of the A 1991 expert report for the Commission land and emergency services and providing the recalled that EO, a key space sector for the Commission with tailor-made services based on European Community, suffered from data from the space and in situ components. Members' Research Service Page 4 of 12 EPRS Securing the Copernicus programme significant limitations. The experts recommended that the Commission
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