Reimer Böge wins Environment MEP Award

The geoland stakeholders, European environmental authorities, researchers, and service providers, particularly welcome this decision, as it highlights the key role of LIFE+ programme actively designed by Raimer Böge.geoland is the European Commissionâs GMES integrated project for European and Global Land Monitoring services. Funded under the coordination of DG Enterprise and Industry within the 6th framework programme, geoland successfully demonstrated together with key European user organisation a range of geo-information services. These support the implementation of a range of European policies and directives, including Natura2000, the Water Framework Directive, or the Soil Thematic Strategy.Now, the next step needs to be the operational implementation of the accepted services within the framework of existing programmes supporting European member states and regions in implementing environmental monitoring and protection measures.One key instrument for the implementation of the objectives of the 6th EAP is LIFE+. Specifically the management and designation of Natura 2000 sites in accordance with Council Directive 92/43/EEC shall be supported by LIFE+. Further activities may include the activation of the next INTERREG programme and the implementation of a European Land Monitoring Core Service for common cross-cutting needs.Raimer BögeA farmer for more than 30 years, he knows a lot about e.g. managing land and the environment. Geoland wants to highlight his strong engagement for strengthening EUâs Natura 2000 habitats under the Life+ programme through additional â¬100m over the next seven years and championing Natura 2000 during the long financial perspective debate.LIFE+DG Environment programme that supports Europeâs member states and regions in implementing European Environmental Directives. It will also support them to implement new geo-information services seen as key tools to efficiently and effectively comply with the geo-spatial monitoring requirements of directives like Natura 2000, the Water Framework Directive, etc.GMESPublic decision makers need innovative and cost-effective tools to answer the questions of Europeâs citizens, like· How productive is our land consumption â do we still have enough open space?· How attractive is our living environment (for people and/or investment)?· How secure are our resources in crops, fish stock, water, energy?· How likely are natural or human disasters and are we prepared?· What are the impacts of political decisions (in agriculture, infrastructures, spatial planning)? Which alternative scenarios are there?In order to successfully answer these questions and implement the related policies, the European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA) have jointly established the European GMES initiative (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) as a concerted effort. The scope is to establish operational services integrating Earth Observation data and in-situ measurements to support public decision makers â across a range of policy sectors, and from local management to European-level policy impact assessment.geolandgeoland has been selected as one of the very first Integrated Projects under FP-6 to support the implementation of the GMES initiative of the European Commission. Through strong engagement and commitment of more than 130 European partners from 24 European Member States, outstanding demonstrations of the capabilities of a range of reliable and affordable geo-information services for the support of the implementation of European policies and directives could be achieved - not only in the area of nature protection but also for water protection or spatial planning. All partners use up-stream synergies by defining common European and Global Land Monitoring core services to achieve cost-efficient and interoperable services.

Author: Mareike Doepke

Bio.: Infoterra GmbH

For more information visit:

www.infoterra.de