• Links to the program: Real Media MP3 (If those links fail, here's a local copy)

There is a little bit of a discussion about "safeguards" and "controls" that seems to veer off a little into areas that are not really relevant since the data being broadcast are selected by the broadcaster. It's not as though receivers can task the satellites themselves. Donald Hinsman points out that WMO's policy is free and open access.

Read more about GEONETCast at EUMETSAT's information page and an article on CBC. There's also an information page on the GEO web site.

Lorant talks about the importance of having systems set up in developing countries so that when the disaster relief organizations have to go in, there is already a capability and technology in place. Training is also important so that people can handle the information that is provided. Connectivity is key. Lorant also mentions that a good addition to GEONETCast would be to be able to send high resolution imagery on an as needed basis.

The data volume from EO satellites is increasing 10-fold every six years or so. GEONETCast is one way to provide more of this data to developing countries.

GEONETCast does not yet have global coverage, largely because it's being broadcast from commercial communications satellites and there are areas that do not have access to the satellites, such as Oceania.

During a crisis, map data is being updated quite rapidly, as teams go out and collect more data on a daily or hourly basis.

In answer to the question of how GEONETCast could have prevented loss during the Indian Ocean tsumani, Donald Hinsman is quick to point out that GEONETCast is not a detection system but that it could be used to provide an alerting capability.

The conversation inevitably goes to Google Maps... does that sensitize people about privacy issues? In actuality Google Maps, etc. makes the whole area of geospatial information more accessible and understandable to people. This is not just an issue in developing countries. In the US there was difficulty in getting people to use and understand this kind of data during Katrina. By being familiar with these popular sites and with what is available, it helps when there is a disaster so people are not starting from having to ask what the information is good for.

Near the end of the program, Erin Klein specifically asks Mikael Rattenberg about EUMETSAT and how it works to help developing countries. EUMETSAT provides operational meteorological data to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Contributing to GEONETCast is a natural extension of its environmental monitoring programs.