13 November 2015: The Twelfth Plenary Session of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO-XII) and the 2015 Mexico City Ministerial Summit concluded with the adoption of the Mexico City Declaration and the approval of the GEO Strategic Plan for 2016-2025. Other important decisions adopted during the meetings include: revised criteria for admitting new Observers and Participating Organizations (POs); the lifting of the temporary moratorium on new Observers and POs; revised rules of procedure; and adoption of a transitional work programme for 2016.
GEO-XII convened from 11-12 November 2015, in Mexico City, Mexico, and was followed by the 2015 Mexico City Ministerial Summit on Friday, 13 November. The events brought together approximately 410 delegates, representing 87 entities, including 41 countries, 37 POs, two official Observers and eight guests. Side events, working meetings and meetings of the caucuses were held starting on 9 November, prior to the Plenary and Ministerial Summit. The GEO Executive Committee (ExCom) convened on 10 November.
The opening plenary acknowledged Ecuador, Kenya, Somalia, Viet Nam and Zimbabwe as new Members (Plenary Document 2). The opening session concluded with the adoption of the GEO-XI report (Plenary Document 4).
During GEO-XII, delegates considered, inter alia: the findings and recommendations of the Sixth and Summative Evaluation of GEOSS Implementation; lessons learned in 2005-2015; the GEO Strategic Plan 2016-2025: Implementing GEOSS; changes to the ‘Revised Criteria for Observers, Participating Organizations and Moratorium’; an update on the strategy for stakeholder engagement; and the 2016 Work Programme.
The GEO Mexico City Ministerial Summit approved the Mexico City Declaration, which affirms, among other things, that GEO and its Earth observations (EOs) and information will support the implementation of, inter alia, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) 2015-2030, the UN System of Environmental and Economic Accounts, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
GEO is a voluntary partnership consisting of Members and POs that are coordinating efforts to build the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). GEO Members are the European Commission (EC) and any UN Member State that formally endorses the GEOSS 10-Year Implementation Plan. POs are intergovernmental, international and regional organizations with a mandate in EO or related activities who have formally endorsed the GEOSS 10-Year Implementation Plan and been approved by the GEO Plenary. Currently, GEO consists of 99 member countries and the EC and 87 POs. [IISD RS Coverage of GEO-XII and the GEO 2015 Mexico City Ministerial Summit] [GEO-XII Website] [Mexico City Declaration]