Earth Science Information Partners, the global community steward for Earth science data professionals, has announced Operational Readiness Levels (ORLs) aimed at making earth science data more trusted and to improve data-driven decision-making during disaster response and recovery.

The group says the new ORLs will empower data professionals and operational decision-makers to turn the massive amount of data available today into vetted information that can be used to inform decisions during evolving disasters and crisis situations.

The announcement was made in Canberra on the sidelines of this week’s GEO Week, the international gathering of the Group on Earth Observations bringing together ministers from GEO’s 105 Member governments, business leaders, heads of international non-profits and other experts.

“Trusted data is crucial to advance the global use of Earth observation data,” said Gilberto Camara, CEO Secretariat Director. “GEO welcome the initiative of ESIP to develop the Earth data Operational Readiness Level framework and their interest to launch it to the global audience at GEO Week 2019.”

“One of the most difficult challenges during a disaster is getting trusted data and information into the hands of decision-makers quickly,” said Tom Moran, Executive Director, All Hazards Consortium. “The ORL framework is the first of its kind and is helping operational decision makers and GIS professionals improve the collective understanding of what constitutes reliable GIS data and how to create more reliable data products and dashboards for their information and decision-making needs.”

GEO Week continues through 9 November and features a new Industry Track component that organisers say aims to capitalise on Australia’s blossoming space-adjacent industries in order to highlight the promise of Earth observation capability.