Gy. Tóth | 2020-10-25

October 2020

General Announcements

  • Toward the creation of a Global Geodetic Center of Excellence 
  • Germany invites all member states to contribute
  • IVS Infrastructure Development Plan 2030: Request for feedback

Meeting Calendar

IAG Sponsored Meetings

  • ILRS Virtual World Tour 2020
  • 43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly
  • EUREF 2021 Symposium
  • 19th International Symposium on Geodynamics and Earth Tides (G-ET Symposium 2021)
  • IAG Scientific Assembly
  • IGS Workshop "IGS 2021: Science from Earth to Space"
  • 2nd International Symposium of Commission 4: Positioning and Applications

IAG Related Meetings

  • 22nd meeting of the Consultative Committee for Time and Frequency (CCTF)
  • AOGS Annual 18th Meeting

General Announcements

Toward the creation of a Global Geodetic Center of Excellence 

Brief report on the UN-GGIM 10th session

The tenth session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) was held in a scaled down virtual format, consisting of three two-hour meetings, on 26-27 August and 4 September 2020. Full details regarding the agenda can be found here: https://ggim.un.org/meetings/GGIM-committee/10th-Session/documents/. 

Of interest to our association is the Agenda item #6, dealing with the Global Geodetic Reference Frame (GGRF). The Subcommittee on Geodesy (SCoG) has prepared a full report describing its activities during the intersessional period, including the responses of the IAG Services to the questionnaire on the geodetic infrastructure that was prepared by the lead of the corresponding Working Group (the author of this brief report). The SCoG has also prepared and submitted to the 10th session, for discussion, a Position Paper on Sustaining the Global Geodetic Reference Frame, as well as a Concept Paper on establishing a Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence (GGCE). The aim of the GGCE is to improve collaboration and coordination amongst Member States, in coordination with the IAG, in sustaining the global geodetic reference frame, and in particular its geodetic infrastructure.

An offer to host the office of the GGCE for the UN-GGIM was submitted by the Federal Government of Germany (coordinated by the Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy - BKG) which is intended to be located at the UN Campus in Bonn. The offer has received a number of supports from Member States, as well as from IAG (see the letter of support of IAG President here). 

In its statement (available here: https://ggim.un.org/meetings/GGIM-committee/10th-Session/documents/Proforma_Agenda-item-6-IAG-Statement.pdf), the IAG emphasized the need for detailed and clearly defined work program of the GGCE, in agreement with the recommendations of the GGRF roadmap, and in cooperation with the Committee of Experts, the Subcommittee on Geodesy and the relevant geodetic organizations, including our association.

In its Decision 10/104, the Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management recognized the essential role of  the  geodetic  services  provided  by  the  International  Association  of  Geodesy.

Respectfully,

ZUHEIR ALTAMIMI, 
IAG President

Germany invites all member states to contribute

The United Nations Member States welcomed and supported the proposal from Germany to host a Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence (GGCE), and Germany invites all member states to contribute.

The Centre will provide coordination, counselling and assistance to Member States that works to sustain, enhance, access and utilize the Global Geodetic Reference Frame.

UN-GGIM 10th SESSION: Prof. Paul Becker presented the German proposal at the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management’s (UN-GGIM) tenth session 26th August. Photo: BKG/Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy

“I’m  excited that our proposal to host the Centre of Excellence at the UN Campus in Bonn was accepted by the UN-GGIM Committee of Experts. In the long-term the centre supports the sustainability and quality of the Global Geodetic Reference Frame (GGRF). The GGCE will contribute to a globally coordinated geodetic infrastructure. I’m grateful that many Member States, the International Association for Geodesy (IAG) and other organizations expressed their support”, says Prof. Paul Becker, president of the Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy in Germany. 

The co-chairs of the UN-GGIM Subcommittee on Geodesy, Alexey Trifonov (Russia) and Nicholas Brown (Australia) are both thankful and proud of the massive support from Member States and organisations.

Open to the requests and needs of all Member States

“The unanimous support of its establishment indicates that there is a need for such a Centre and great expectations for its work. The Centre should be equally open to the requests and needs of all Member States, and become an appropriate governance structure in order to effectively implement the GGRF Road Map, particularly with respect to its being owned and driven by Member States”, says Alexey Trifonov.

“For the Global Geodetic Reference Frame to be sustainable, all countries need to play a role. In this spirit I would like to invite all Member States to contribute to the Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence (GGCE) as it will cater for multiple contributors and partners including multiple sources of funding”, says prof. Becker.

The UN-GGIM tenth session decision to support the establishment of the GGCE is a major event in the history of global geodesy – and of significant importance, according to the co-chairs.

 “The importance of a Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence is hard to put into words. I am so proud of the work done. The Centre will help improve collaboration and coordination to leverage the great work is done by UN Member States and organisations such as the International Association of Geodesy, International Federation of Surveyors”, says Nicholas Brown.

The Global Geodetic Reference Frame (GGRF) is the foundation for evidence-based policies and decisions, it underpins the collection and management of nationally integrated geospatial information and is used to monitor our dynamic Earth. Thus the GGRF has direct societal relevance. 

http://unggrf.org 

ANNE JØRGENSEN, 
02.10.20

Links:

IVS Infrastructure Development Plan 2030: Request for feedback

The final version of the IVS Infrastructure Development Plan 2030 is now available on the IVS Coordinating Center website at  https://ivscc.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/strategic/IVS-InfrastructureDevelopmentPlan2030_2020-09-28.pdf. This document presents a vision for the IVS on a path into the future. 

IVS stakeholders and those in related organizations such as the IAG are welcome to comment (please email axel dot nothnagel at tuwien.ac.at). In addition, stakeholders, active or new ones, are encouraged to come forward with concrete proposals for taking over responsibility and commitment for missing components as listed in the IIDP2030. There are plenty of areas where also small groups can start building up visibility in the global geodetic environment.

NANCY KOTARY
IVS Office of Outreach and Communications

Link: https://vlbi.org/2020/10/07/ivs-infrastructure-development-plan-2030-request-for-feedback/ 


Meetings Calendar

IAG Sponsored Meetings

IAG Related Meetings

Further details are available in the IAG Event Calendar at: http://www.iag-aig.org/events.



The IAG Newsletter is under the editorial responsibility of the Communication and Outreach Branch (COB) of the IAG. It is an open forum and contributors are welcome to send material (preferably in electronic form) to the IAG COB (newsletter@iag-aig.org). These contributions should complement information sent by IAG officials or by IAG symposia organizers (reports and announcements). The IAG Newsletter is published monthly. It is available in different formats from the IAG new internet site: http://www.iag-aig.org.

Each IAG Newsletter includes several of the following topics:

  1. news from the Bureau Members   
  2. general information
  3. reports of IAG symposia
  4. reports by commissions, special commissions or study groups
  5. symposia announcements
  6. book reviews
  7. fast bibliography

DOCUMENTS
IAG_Newsletter_October_2020.pdf

IAG Events

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