Group On Earth Observations Launches Worldwide Competition ‘Aim Is To Turn Data Into Decisions’

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The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) just launched the GEO Appathon 2014, a global competition to develop mobile “apps” to help people make smarter decisions about the environment. (www.geoappathon.org) Competitors from more than 15 countries – and growing – are competing for $20,000 in prizes being offered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

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 membership includes 89 nations and the European Commission, and 77 Participating Organizations comprised of international bodies with a mandate in Earth observations.

GEO Appathon 2014 is designed to create new, exciting and easy-to-use Apps using Earth observation data available through GEO’s Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).  GEOSS is a unique, web-based clearinghouse that provides access to more than 65 million data records from archives spread across the globe. (www.geoportal.org)