In this issue we overview the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) and how GENESI-DEC is contributing to it. In particular, the integration of GENESI-DEC into the GEO Web Portal enables the users to discover and access millions of heterogenous data. This issue also provides an overview of the Supersites initiative and how GENESI-DEC technology can serve the needs of the geohazard scientific community involved in this initiative.

This is the first issue of the GENESI-DEC newsletter, which contains an excerpt from International Innovation Magazine introducing the project.

Digital Earth is a visionary concept for the virtual representation of the Earth that is spatially referenced, interconnected with the world’s digital data repositories, and encompassing all its systems and forms, including Earth Sciences, Natural Resources Management, Environmental Monitoring system and human society dimensions. The GENESI-DEC project will establish open data and services access, allowing European and worldwide Digital Earth Communities to seamlessly access, produce and share data, information, products and knowledge. This will create a multi-dimensional, multi-temporal, and multi-layer information facility of huge value in addressing global challenges such as biodiversity, climate change, pollution and economic development. GENESI-DEC evolves and enlarges the platform developed by the predecessor GENESI-DR project by federating to and interoperating with existing infrastructures. GENESI-DEC involves key partners of ESFRI projects and collaborates with key actors of Digital Earth and Earth Science initiatives, including the International Society of Digital Earth and GEO-GEOSS.

in International Innovation "Connected earth", an article in International Innovation magazine, focuses on GENESI-DEC.

"In 1998, then U.S. vice president Al Gore unveiled a visionary concept called Digital Earth, a virtual and spatially referenced representation of the planet connected to the world's digital knowledge archives. This was an outcome of the space era in which Earth observation data was revolutionised by satellites and computer technologies. Current projects like Ground European Network for Earth Science Interoperations-Digital Earth Community (GENESI-DEC) are responding to this vision today, building a worldwide infrastructure to gather and share data addressing global challenges such as biodiversity, climate change, pollution and economic development."

in International Science Grid GENESI-DEC's hub of connected digital repositories is one of the resources seen as providing the tools and knowledge to remedy climate change.

"Collaboration, sharing of ideas and a hub of comprehensive scientific data is a key requirement in facing the global challenges of our planet's fast-changing climate and ecosystems and how this will affect us all."