[Board] preparing the GEO - OSGeo partnership

[Dirk Frigne]

Hi Cameron,

Thank you for helping me. Good idea!
I'll set up a wiki page tomorrow (or actually, later today :-) when I
have a fresh mind.

D.

On 30-08-16 22:39, Cameron Shorter wrote:
> Hi Dirk,
> 
> Thanks for the background.
> 
> In looking for a basis of text for the MOU, I suggest using something
> similar to the MOU with the OGC:
> 
> https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/OSGeo_signs_Memorandum_of_Understanding_with_OGC
> 
> 
> (Putting your first draft in a wiki would probably be a good idea to
> help collaborative editing).
> 
> Some text which you might want to use:
> 
> GEO and OSGeo both recognise that Open Source Geospatial Software
> provides valuable tools to efficiently build, integrate and share
> environmental information at local, national and international levels.
> 
> It is in the interests of both parties to support and promote the use
> and development of Open Source Geospatial Software.
> 
> As such, both parties agree to identify opportunities and to collaborate
> together to promote use of Open Source Geospatial Software within
> environmental and related programs.
> 
> 
> 
> On 31/08/2016 2:23 AM, Dirk Frigne wrote:
>> Hi Cameron,
>>
>> Thank you for your question.
>> my 2c:
>>
>> First some context, then what I would like to obtain.
>>
>> GEO Vision
>>
>> To realize a future where decisions and actions, for the benefit of
>> humankind, are informed by coordinated, comprehensive and sustained
>> Earth observation information and services.
>>
>> GEO Mission
>>
>> GEO’s mission is to connect the demand for sound and timely
>> environmental information with the supply of data and information about
>> the Earth.
>>
>> Advocacy for broad, open data policies helps ensure that the data
>> collected through national, regional and global observing systems is
>> both made available and applied to decision-making for global priorities
>> including The Sustainable Development Goals, The Paris Agreement on
>> climate change, The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and
>> Aichi Targets of The Convention on Biodiversity.
>>
>> What is GEO:
>> Established in 2005, GEO is a voluntary partnership of governments and
>> organizations that envisions “a future wherein decisions and actions for
>> the benefit of humankind are informed by coordinated, comprehensive and
>> sustained Earth observations and information.” GEO Member governments
>> include 102 nations and the European Commission, and 103 Participating
>> Organizations comprised of international bodies with a mandate in Earth
>> observations. Together, the GEO community is creating a Global Earth
>> Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) that will link Earth observation
>> resources world-wide across multiple Societal Benefit Areas -
>> Biodiversity and Ecosystem Sustainability, Disaster Resilience, Energy
>> and Mineral Resources Management, Food Security and Sustainable
>> Agriculture, Infrastructure & Transportation Management, Public Health
>> Surveillance, Sustainable Urban Development, Water Resources Management
>> - and make those resources available for better informed decision-making.
>>
>> As an organisation they need infrastructure, and a lot of the data is
>> handled by different proprietary software solutions, often not really
>> interoperable. There is a need and will to use more open software. OSGeo
>> could become a partner of GEO to outreach to the 102 nations and speak
>> about our open source solutions. Providing a live environment, so the
>> different initiatives can start detecting our projects.
>> Explain why open source software is important for creating and
>> distributing decision support systems.
>>
>> So I think becoming a partner and spread the word about who we are and
>> what GEO could do with our softwaare solutions and how they can support
>> our community to empower their goals, could be a good step forward to
>> support our mission: "empower everyone with open source geospatial".
>>
>> But that are just my 2c,
>> I am open to hear other voices
>>
>> D.
>>
>> On 30-08-16 13:10, Cameron Shorter wrote:
>>> Hi Dirk,
>>>
>>> A question I suggest asking when drafting a MOU is "What is the point of
>>> the MOU?"
>>>
>>> What are both organisations hoping to achieve which can be done better
>>> by working together than separately?
>>>
>>> Likely there will be some goals which both organisations share, and if
>>> organisations align, then the combined resources will achieve the goals
>>> faster.
>>>
>>>
>>> On 30/08/2016 7:02 PM, Dirk Frigne wrote:
>>>> Dear board,
>>>>
>>>> as decided on the board meeting, I will work on a partnership between
>>>> OSGeo and GEO.
>>>>
>>>> Here are some points that can be embedded in the MOU (or
>>>> partneragreement)
>>>>
>>>> If you have any suggestions, comments, please let me know, so I can
>>>> take
>>>> these with me.
>>>>
>>>> (Draft version)
>>>>
>>>> 1.    OSGeo promotes collaborative development of open source
>>>> geospatial
>>>> software.
>>>> 2.    GEO Promotes Broad Open Data Policy
>>>> 3.    GEO through the GEOSS Common infrastructure has access to approx
>>>> 150 Open data data providers reaching approx 200.000 ml resources.
>>>> 4.    OSGeo has, as an organisation of individual members, a very
>>>> strong
>>>> network for outreach trough our mailing lists, code sprints and FOSS4G
>>>> conferences.
>>>> 5.     OSGeo has through her GEO4All channel the possibility to address
>>>> students and academic researchers with training material and OSGeo
>>>> software tools.
>>>> 6.     OSGeo and GEO through their partnership could benefit each other
>>>> in leveraging the use of the resources for applications using open
>>>> source software and open data.
>>>>
>>>> Dirk
>>>>
>>>>
> 

-- 
Yours sincerely,


ir. Dirk Frigne
CEO @geosparc

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