Excerpt from GEOSS *Strategic Plan:
Observations providing information for human health and well-being are essential for human life, economic growth to support life, and to foster methods to assure the vitality of ecosystems that support life. From a social and economic perspective, observations to generate information for human uses, such as sustainable development, industry, agriculture, water quality and waste disposal, air quality, and the protection of human and ecosystem health, are critical. With continued growth in human population and associated resource use, the need for enhanced observations, information, tools and models, and decision support systems to inform decision-makers and the public is paramount.

The Human Health and Well-Being discipline is on the cusp of having a number of opportunities coming into place to advance this societal benefit. The future is bright and a number of opportunities are suggested below and in the associated technical reference document. Examples of these opportunities include the air quality field, where AirNow/AQI predictions are carried in daily papers. In addition, opportunities are emerging to deal with such air and water quality issues as asthma, water quality for recreational swimming and harmful algal blooms. Monitoring of the global availability, use, and cost of resources, as well as their influences on human health and the environment, is an important requirement for developing sound decisions. Observation and analysis of consumption and supply through the integration of technologies and sustainable design techniques is increasingly important for managing resources and decision-making that influences human health and well-being.

These parameters of interest vary geographically, making local and regional monitoring critical. Future growth of the world’s economies will depend on sustained, secure, and reasonably priced resources, as well as accurate forecasts of needs. Improved forecasting can help reduce costs of many activities. For example, it is known that the use of improved weather forecasting accuracy is critical for food production and its timely, safe and cost effective transport to people. The beneficiaries of improved monitoring, information, and decision support systems will be society as a whole. However, in order to assess the efficacy of existing systems, and identify gaps and future needs, we first must understand who the critical users are, and identify their needs.

The observing systems, data systems, associated tools, and the community of users of the information will constitute the components of an Earth information system, which is the end goal of the GEOSS. The observing systems must be linked to an integrated data system that provides full and open access, which in turn links to tools that support the generation and access to information needed by the health community including researchers, service providers, and policy makers.

Users of data and information include government agencies, industry, universities, public institutions, non-governmental organizations, and the public. Applications include research and operations, policy for adaptation and mitigation, as well as decision making by businesses, organizations, and individuals, applied in local, regional, national, and international contexts. Coordination of Federal acquisition of information and support for applications is an ongoing activity.

SERVIR Health Links

• Red Tides
• Food Security