Remote sensing data as Global Public Goods. A founding concept for the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)

Paper number

IAC-07-B1.5.01

Author

Dr. Simona di Ciaccio, Italian Space Agency (ASI), Italy

Coauthor

Dr. Giovanni Rum, Switzerland

Year

2007

Abstract

This paper has to be considered as an initial investigation of the possibility that products of space activities for civil applications, namely Remote Sensing data, be regarded as global public goods. Remote sensing data for civil applications may be considered as ‘non rival’ products since the ‘marginal cost’ from an additional use is close to zero. Indeed, remote sensing data is a form of scientific knowledge and as such has an important public good trait. Furthermore, since we consider environmental resources as global public goods and natural disasters as international public bads, then remote sensing data – that are essential to develop and run applications needed to protect environment and human lives - shouldn’t be considered as private goods. 
We will start examining the base concept of public good and its recent evolution in global public good. By exposing some socio-economic and environmental benefits deriving from the use of remote sensing data, we wish to show that  remote sensing data are goods. We will finally give the rationale to explain why they can also be considered public and global. 
To demonstrate that remote sensing data have the potentiality to be considered as global public goods has significant implications. Indeed, global public goods provide a rationale for international collective action, which is the only way to produce and share them, given that a global governmental authority does not exist. 
The paper will then recall examples of international initiatives and programs that are based on data sharing principles implying full and open exchange of data and implicitly recognizing that remote sensing data are global public goods, such as the Group on Earth Observation (GEO), established in 2005 with the objective to put in place the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) and having today 68 member Countries and 46 participating Organisations. 

Abstract document

IAC-07-B1.5.01.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-07-B1.5.01.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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