The Global Geodetic Observing System: Facilitating Opportunities for Strategic Outreach, Collaboration, and Engagement with External Stakeholders

The vision of the International Association of Geodesy’s Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) is “Advancing our understanding of the dynamic Earth system by quantifying our planet’s changes in space and time.” This mission, as well as work toward the goals and objectives of the GGOS Strategic Plan, is partly supported by targeted engagement with external stakeholders, managed as a component of the GGOS Coordinating Office. GGOS External Relations includes a work portfolio that focuses on advocacy, visibility, and collaboration to ensure geodesy is a visible, valued, and sustainable worldwide asset.

Working toward proactive engagement with the broader Earth observations community, GGOS external outreach and engagement centers on advocacy for interoperable, discoverable, and openly available geospatial data; promoting infrastructure development; identifying geodetic contributions to United Nations frameworks, as well as working with external partners to leverage the use of geodesy in broader Earth Observations campaigns.

We present an update on how GGOS participation in diverse stakeholder organizations works to identify synergies, making connections across organizations in the name of geodesy and mutual benefit. How GGOS participation and leadership – often on behalf of the IAG – works to ensure Earth observation organizations are aware of their dependency on geodetic infrastructure for applications such as climate change and disaster risk reduction will be discussed.

Opportunities for the geodesy community to engage with and benefit from GGOS external relations activities will be presented.