United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence
UN campus in Bonn, GermanyIn 2020 the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) welcomed and supported the offer from the Federal Republic of Germany to establish and host a Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence (UN-GGCE) at the United Nations Campus in Bonn, Germany. With the conclusion and signing of the Agreement on the Operationalization of the UN-GGCE by the United Nations and the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community, UN-GGCE is ready to start of work. The State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) Juliane Seifert emphasizes:
"With the successful conclusion of the Agreement for the United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence Germany once more proved itself to be a reliable international partner. The Centre of Excellence is going to provide important contributions to a UN Member State agreed worldwide geodetic infrastructure. This infrastructure is the reliable long-term foundation for applications like satellite navigation, space-borne Earth observation as well as monitoring of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030."
"With the successful conclusion of the Agreement for the United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence Germany once more proved itself to be a reliable international partner. The Centre of Excellence is going to provide important contributions to a UN Member State agreed worldwide geodetic infrastructure. This infrastructure is the reliable long-term foundation for applications like satellite navigation, space-borne Earth observation as well as monitoring of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030."
Recognizing the growing need for a high quality and sustainable Global Geodetic Reference Frame (GGRF) to support good policy development and decision-making for inclusive social progress, increasing environmental sustainability and vibrant economic development, the General Assembly on 26 February 2015 adopted resolution 69/266, entitled 'A Global Geodetic Reference Frame for Sustainable Development'. The resolution recognizes the importance of international cooperation, as no one country can do this alone, to realize the GGRF and services to underpin global navigation satellite systems technology and provide the framework for all geospatial activity, as a key enabler of geospatial data interoperability and data integration, and sustainable development. The resolution also recognizes the economic and scientific importance of and the growing demand for an accurate and stable global geodetic reference frame for the Earth that allows the interrelationship of measurements taken anywhere on the Earth and in space, combining geometric positioning and gravity field-related observations, as the basis and reference in location and height for geospatial information, which is used in many Earth science and societal applications, including sea-level and climate change monitoring, natural hazard and disaster management and a whole series of industrial applications including mining, agriculture, transport, navigation and construction) in which precise positioning introduces efficiencies.
UN-GGCE's overarching goal is to assist Member States and geodetic organizations to coordinate and collaborate to sustain, enhance, access and utilise an accurate, accessible and sustainable GGRF to support science, society and global development. The objective is to support, within available resources, the implementation of General Assembly resolution 69/266 through strengthening and advancing: global geodetic cooperation and coordination; worldwide geodetic infrastructure; standards and policies; education, training and capacity development; and communication and awareness.
The Secretariat of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM), in collaboration with the Federal Government of Germany, through its Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) and the Federal Agency of Cartography and Geodesy (BKG), hosted the Opening Ceremony of the United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence (UN-GGCE) on 29 March 2023 at the UN Campus in Bonn, Germany.
Following a series of collaborative and productive consultations over the past two years, in November 2022 an Agreement between the United Nations and the Federal Republic of Germany, which defines the modality of operationalization of the UN-GGCE, was finalized and signed. This Agreement forms the foundation for the establishment and initial operations of the UN-GGCE. The Centre's overarching goal is to assist Member States and geodetic organizations to coordinate and collaborate to sustain, enhance, access and utilize an accurate, accessible and sustainable Global Geodetic Reference Frame (GGRF) to support science, society and global development. The objective is to support within available resources the implementation of General Assembly resolution 69/266 through strengthening and advancing: global geodetic cooperation and coordination; worldwide geodetic infrastructure; standards and policies; education and capacity development; and communication and awareness, while also coordinating measures and overseeing their implementation.
Over one hundred invited guests including members of the inaugural International Advisory Committee of the UN-GGCE and the UN Subcommittee on Geodesy attended the Opening Ceremony. Guests came from every continent on Earth, except Antarctica. There was someone from each of the five regional committees of UN-GGIM, and the eight functional groups and four thematic networks that report into the UN-GGIM. The momentous occasion was graced by a number of invited dignitaries that included: Ms. Juliane Seifert, State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community of Germany; Ms. Kjersti Bjǿrnstad, State Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development of Norway; Ambassador Peter Thomson, United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean and United Nations Global Geodesy Ambassador; Ms. Melanie Grabowy, First Deputy Mayor of Bonn; Ambassador Rainer Lassig of the UN Campus Liaison Office, Federal Foreign Office of Germany; together with Prof. Paul Becker, President of BKG and Mr. Stefan Schweinfest, Director of UN Statistics Division.
Provisional agendaPhoto gallery
First Meeting of the International Advisory Committee
Second Consultative Meeting on the Global Geodesy Development Plan
Second Meeting of the UN-GGCE International Advisory Committee and the Fourth Plenary Meeting of the Subcommittee on Geodesy
- Concept note and provisional agenda Logistical and information note
Provisional list of participants
Summary of Decisions (Second meeting of the UN-GGCE IAC)
Summary Notes (Fourth plenary meeting of the UN-GGIM Subcommittee on Geodesy)
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Agenda and Content, Mr. Nick Brown (Head of Office, UN-GGCE)
Role of the Subcommittee on Geodesy and UN-GGCE, Mr. Fernand Bale (Côte D'Ivoire)
From Global to Regional / National Geodetic Reference Frames: how are they connected and why are they needed?, Mr. Zuheir Altamimi (France)
UN GGIM: Arab States Geodesy working group (GRF) Progress, Mr. Abdullah Al Qahtani (Saudi Arabia)
Progress - AFREF, Mr. Aslam Parker (South Africa)
Report of UN-GGIM-AP WGI-Geodetic Reference Frame, Mr. Basara Miyahara (Japan)
UN-GGIM: Americas update, Mr. Sergio Cimbaro (Argentina) and Mr. Dan Roman (USA)
Community of interest on geodetic reference frames, Mr. Jeffrey Verbeurgt (Belgium)
NASA update, Mr. Stephen Merkowitz (USA)
FIG update on activities, Mr. Ryan Keenan (FIG)
IAG update, Mr. Richard S Gross (IAG)
Expert consultation on Strengthening the Global Geodesy Supply Chain
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Concept note and provisional agenda
Logistical and information note
List of participants
Summary notes
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Agenda and Content, Mr. Nick Brown (Head of Office, UN-GGCE)
Hidden risk to critical infrastructure and the economy, Mr. Nick Brown (Head of Office, UN-GGCE)
Global geodetic observation systems - global challenges to a shared resource, Ms. Nikki Markiel (USA)
Status of VLBI for the ICRF, Ms. Megan Johnson (USA)
The Global Geodesy Supply Chain importance to science and society, Mr. Richard Gross (USA)
An overview of PNT and Geodesy acivity in the UK, Mr. Mark Greaves and Mr. Mark Brammer (UK)
VLBI current status, Mr. Rüdiger Haas (Sweden)
Current status VLBI: German contribution to IAG services (BKG), Mr. Johannes Bouman (Germany)
Current state of global geodesy supply chain, Mr. Stephen Merkowitz (USA)
Current state of Global Geodesy Supply Chain from the ITRF perspective/experience, Mr. Zuheir, Altamimi (IAG)
Documentation
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UN-GGCE Strategy and Operating Plan v1.0 - English | Russian | French | Arabic
UN-GGCE Newsletter
The vision of the United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence (UN-GGCE) is one where all countries have strong political support for geodesy which enables them to - together - accelerate the achievements of the Sustainable Development Goals and derive social, environmental and economic benefits.
One of the first things we are doing is our "Listening World Tour" where we want to hear from you. We are organizing virtual meetings over the next few months with Member States in the Americas, Africa, Arab States, Asia-Pacific and Europe to hear what you need. We will also be reaching out to scientific organizations like the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and - International Organization for Standardization TC/211 (ISO).
Our objective at the UN-GGCE is to work with Member States and geodetic organizations to strengthen our collective impact to:
- Enhance investment in the global geodesy supply chain.
- Improve coordination and collaboration amongst Member States and geodetic organizations.
- Share geodetic data and improve standards, on a voluntary basis, to contribute to the global reference frame and regional densifications.
- Provide greater technical assistance, especially for capacity development in geodesy for developing countries.
- Make geodesy and its benefits more visible and understandable to society.
The Listening World Tour will take place in these regions and organizations the next months:
"Listening Tour" UN-GGCE International Advisory Committee
Documentation (forthcoming)
If you want to be part of these events, please keep a look out on email and social media. Alternatively, please send the UN-GGCE a message and we will let you know which session would best suit you and your organization.
Contact information:
Ms. Sarah KowalUnited Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence
Email: un-ggce@un.org