The existing Earth observations landscape is undergoing a period of significant change, including rapid growth of private sector participation, new data demands for AI/ML, and significant changes to funding sources. New platforms, products, and services from the private, academic, and nonprofit sectors have expanded the scope and complexities of Earth observations and applications from existing data.

An issue paper will be prepared to consider the sector-specific strengths, limitations, incentives, and requirements for the public, private, academic, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors for Earth observations. This paper will focus on the production and provision of Earth observations (e.g., data collection platforms, analysis, curation, and dissemination).

Specific topics to be discussed may include:

• Description of the public, private, nonprofit, academic, and philanthropy sectors’ contributions to the production and provision Earth observations, including identification of significant distinctions within these sectors with regard to the provision of Earth observations within the U.S. and insights from alternative approaches globally (e.g., U.S. state vs federal private sectors).
• Characteristics and capabilities of a robust Earth observations system, for use in considering sectoral contributions to Earth observations (e.g., innovation, flexibility, financial support, data ownership / access, stewardship, reliability).
• Assets, strengths, incentives, and limitations for each of these sectors (U.S. and international) to contribute to a multisectoral Earth observations system.