Kopernikus to take environmental monitoring one step further

Published: Sep 16, 2008 Last modified: Apr 13, 2011

The Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative is today being re-launched under a new name: Kopernikus. To mark the start of its pre-operational phase, a major Conference on this initiative is taking place under the French Presidency of the EU at Lille. Kopernikus will contribute to the better collection and dissemination of environmental data, core tasks of the European Environment Agency (EEA).

Comprehensive, accurate and timely information is essential for action to protect and improve the environment. Since the 1990s, Europe has been working on integrating, through GMES, the environmental data obtained from satellite observation and terrestrial monitoring with analysis to deliver information services to public authorities, businesses and citizens. Alongside SEIS (Shared Environmental Information System) and INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information), Kopernikus aims at improving environmental information in response to new pressures, such as responding to climate change, meeting increasing expectations from citizens and the growing interdependence of social economic and environmental factors.

The EEA will be a key partner in Kopernikus and expects to make a big contribution to its effective operation, particularly in facilitating the provision of non-space data to the services. The Agency has been engaged from the start in the design and operation of the information services to be provided under Kopernikus. These services will cover land, marine environment, atmosphere and emergencies.

The long-term development of the Kopernikus initiative will be outlined in a communication by the European Commission later this year. EEA will help to address the major challenges that remain in moving from a research-based initiative to sustainable service provision.