Hellenic Group on 
In the context of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), which took place from 30 November to 12 December 2023 at Expo City in Dubai, the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy organized a series of specialized events at its pavilion.
This year's GEO Week (6-10 November) in Cape Town, South Africa, which also hosted the Ministerial Summit on Earth Observation, was successfully concluded in early November.
The EuroGEO 2023 Workshop was concluded last week between 2-4 October, with great success, in Bolzano, Italy.
The Urban Heritage Climate Observatory (UHCO) GEO pilot initiative was presented on 12 May during the Multiplier Event CLIMATE CHANGE – Threats to Cultural Heritage and Security in Brussels.
In a recent interview by “Horizon Magazine for Environment”, APCG members had the chance to present the outcomes of the e-shape Pilot S2P3 on the combination of Earth Observation, socio-economic and health data to address urban health issues related to air pollution.
GEO Week 2022, hosted in the capital of Ghana, Accra, was successfully concluded last week (31 Oct - 4 Nov).
We have exciting news! The Urban Heritage Climate Observatory (UHCO) is now featured in an eBook! UHCO: Protecting World Heritage properties through Earth observation
We are pleased to inform you that the upcoming EuroGEO 2022 workshop will take place with physical presence in Athens, from 7 to 9 December 2022.
The Living Planet Symposium 2022 took place during May 23-27, 2022 with great success and participation of representatives from academia, research, industry, policy, etc.
Presentation of UHCO GEO Community Activity at STRENCH 2nd International Conference
The Greek GEO Office (GGO) participated in the 2nd TMM_CH International Conference on "Transdisciplinary Multispectral Modelling and Cooperation for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage: Rebranding the World in Crisis through Culture", that was held at the Eugenides Foundation in Athens, Greece.
On 22-26 November 2021, just a week after and in the aftermath of the conclusions of the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) on Climate Change, the GEO Community met to collectively decide on its next step.
In Brussels on 2 November 2021, the Greek Government through the Coordination Unit of the Greek Initiative at UN level for the protection of cultural and natural heritage from climate impacts.
EuroGEO 2021 Annual European Conference «Environmental Observation-based solutions to support the EU Green Deal»
Presentation of UHCO at the 4th meeting of EU OMC group "Strengthening cultural heritage resilience for climate change" 13-14 September 2021, by the Director of the Greek GEO Office Dr E. Gerasopoulos.
“We do not have the luxury of first losing our cultural property and then dealing with the situation. We must take action now “, says Dr. Evangelos Gerasopoulos, director of the Greek Geo Office (GEO). “A few years ago, widespread fires in Greece reached the gates of the archeological site of Olympia, making us realize how threatening such extreme events can be for ancient monuments”.
The School of Applied Arts and Sustainable Design of the Hellenic Open University and the Academy of Athens through its Research Centre for Atmospheric Physics and Climatology, launch the online course MSc “Protection of Cultural Heritage and Monuments of Nature from the Effects of Climate Change”: Innovative approaches to Natural and Cultural Heritage Protection under Climate Change.
The Greek GEO Office (GGO) on 1-2 July 2021 participated in the event organized by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and ECMWF presenting the GEO Community Activity “Urban Heritage Climate Observatory” (UHCO) and discussing the Cultural and Natural Heritage community needs and requirements related to C3S products and services.
The launch event of the Urban Heritage Climate Observatory (UHCO), the new GEO Community Activity, coordinated by the Greek GEO Office and UNESCO World Heritage Cities, was completed with absolute success on Monday, 26 April 2021.
The Greek GEO Office hosted the virtual two-day launch event and consortium convening for the Urban Heritage Climate Observatory (UHCO), a new Community Activity within the GEO Work Programme in collaboration with UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre.
Climate change is one of the most critical issues of our time and its impact on World Heritage properties is more evident than ever. How can Earth observation data and tools support and promote actions to improve heritage protection, particularly in urban areas?
SCiO will receive financial and technical support to upscale their LUP4LDN (Land Use Planning for Land Degradation Neutrality) tool.
The Greek Group of Earth Observation Office (GGO) on 9 March 2021 participated in this interdisciplinary event entitled “Cultural Heritage and Climate Change” presenting the Community Activity “Urban Heritage Climate Observatory” and discussing the management of the evolving challenges of Cultural Heritage protection.
The interested parties were remotely gathered on 18 February 2021, as dictated by the pandemic restrictions, to formalize the substantial initialization of a Memorandum of Cooperation, whose signature was completed on 30 December 2020.
Early Warning for Epidemics Webinar using dynamic models, AI and space technology.
A new one-day virtual workshop for “Early Warning for Epidemics” will take place on the 9th and 14th of July 2020, under EuroGEO working group: EO for epidemics of vector-born diseases.
Open invitation by GEO Member Greece in collaboration with UNESCO
The Group on Earth Observations is announcing an initial, open invitation to gauge the interest and support of the GEO community to propose a Community Activity, incorporating urban cultural heritage aspects into the 2020-2022 Work Programme, in cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Three new, thematic working groups within GEO were formed and Greece is actively represented through highly esteemed members of its EO community.
GGO Director and Head of the Greek Delegation Dr. Evangelos Gerasopoulos is highlighting the role of Earth observation monitoring in Cultural Heritage Protection from the Impacts of Climate Change, during the GEO Ministerial Summit and Plenary in Canberra (Australia).
In the past 3 years, GEO-CRADLE has been coordinating a multitude of different EO-related activities across the Balkans, Middle East and North Africa regions. This included multiple regional workshops, several analytical studies (e.g. gap analysis, maturity indicators, priorities against regional challenges, etc.) and a set of well-targeted efforts to address specific issues in the region (establishment of Regional Data Hub and networking platform, execution of feasibility studies).
The Liaison Office of GEO-CRADLE (encompassing coordinated actions by the Project Coordinator, the Liaison Officer and the Regional Coordinators), undertook the duty of triggering and facilitating the creation of national GEO focal points, in a number of countries from the consortium, but also within the extended RoI.
In the GEO XV Plenary Meeting in Kyoto, GEO-CRADLE became a Regional Initiave of GEOSS with the approval of the 2018 Work Programme Progress Report.
Greek GEO office is participating in the upcoming GEO week 2018, that will be held in Kyoto/ Japan, from 29 October to 2 November 2018 . This gathering of GEO’s 105 Member governments and 127 Participating Organizations will explore efforts and opportunities for the use of Earth observations for the benefit of humankind, focusing on GEO’s three priority areas: the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Paris Climate Agreement, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Greek GEO office participated in the SmartStatistics4SmartCities Conference, that was held in Kalamata, from 5 to 6 October, 2018. Its Director delivered a presentation unfolding the contribution of EO to the SDGs frame.
The EuroGEOSS workshop, held in Geneva, from 12 to 14 September 2018, brought together European players interested in and actively contributing to the Global Earth Observations System of Systems (GEOSS). The aim was to look for synergies among the participants and to discuss how Europe can contribute to this international effort.
GEO-CRADLE organised the 3rd South-Eastern Europe GEO Workshop on the uptake of GEO and Copernicus, with emphasis on Climate Change, Food Security and Water Extremes, Raw Materials and Solar Energy.
Over 700 people from diverse geographies, sectors and technical areas came together from 23-27 October 2017 in Washington, DC, to explore the use and applications of Earth observations for the benefit of humankind, during the GEO-XIV Plenary .
Greek GEO office participitated through its Director, highlighting its 10-year history, as well as the EO Exploitation at National Level.
In the framework of the Strategic Planning for the Development of the Transnational and Interregional Initiative in Balkans, to achieve the sustainable growth objectives through Earth observation applications, with emphasis on the agro-nutrition sector, the Ministry of Rural Development & Food in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Policy, Telecommunications and Information, the Region of Western Macedonia and the Decentralized Administration of Epirus – Western Makedonia, organize the 1st Roundtable Meeting on “Development of a strategy for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Balkans”.
In the framework of this GEO European Projects Workshop GEO-CRADLE and GEO Secretariat co-organised a dedicated session on Wednesday 21 June, entitled “GEO capacity development, contribution to SDGs and realization of regional impacts derived from GEO European Projects”.
The Greek GEO Office hosted the 6th GEO Program Board Meeting, on 23-24 May 2017, Athens, Greece
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The Greek GEO Office participated in the GEO-XIII Plenary and Exhibition 2016
Greek GEO Office participated in the 10th GEO European Projects Workshop, 31/05-2/06, 2016, Berlin
In October 2014, the 2nd GEO Cooperation Meeting for Members from SE Europe took place at Electra Palace Hotel. This meeting was co-organized by the Greek GEO Office, the National Athens Observatory, the Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences and the BEYOND Program in order to focus on natural disasters in SE Europe.
On June 12 and 13, 2014, The National Athens Observatory and the Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences co-organized in Athens the 8th GEO European Projects Workshop (GEPW-8) which is a basic organization of the European Union – Directorate-General for Research and Innovation.
On June 10 and 11, 2014, the International Conference titled “Adaptation Strategies to Global Environmental Change in the Mediterranean City and the Role of Global Earth Observations” took place in Athens. The conference was the event of the Greek Presidency of the European Council 2014 and was held under the auspices of the General Secretariat for Research and Technology.
From January 12-18, 2014, the annual GEO Plenary as well as the biannual GEO Ministerial Summit were held in Geneva. At the same time, there took place a series of other meetings, such as the meeting of European representatives for the GEO (High Level Working Group), the meeting for the Copernicus Program, etc.
On November16-17, 2011 in Constantinople was held the 8th summit of the GEO (Group on Earth Observations) member Countries. The National Greek Representative and Chairman of the MKF Board Mr. C. Zerefos was represented by the Deputy National Representative and head of the Greek GEO Office Mr. Vasileios Tritakis. The Greek Geo Office operates with the support of the MKF. On November 18, Mr. Vasileios Tritakis represented the Foundation as a guest speaker at the conference of the GEO (Group on Earth Observations) “Strengthening and Development of Earth Observation Activities for the Environment in the Balkan area”, which took place in Constantinople.
The advisor of The MKF Board and representative of the Greek GEO Office Mr. V. Tritakis with the GEO secretary Mrs. Helen Christia took part in the European Group, in the GEO VII Plenary and in the Ministerial Summit which took place in Beijing in November,2010.
The Directorate-General for Research of the European Union, in collaboration with the Greek GEO Office and with the support of Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences organized the “4th GEO European Projects Workshop” which took place between April 29 and 30, 2010, in Athens.
Τhe Greek GEO Office, in collaboration with the International GEO Office, the Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences and the National Athens Observatory, organized an exceptionally important Symposium aimed to explore the cooperation potential among countries of South-Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.
