18 Apr 2025
Blog
As GEO turns 20, we thought it was the perfect moment to share the story behind our recently updated brand identity.
This milestone gives us a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come and where we’re headed. The GEO brand isn’t just a visual refresh – it’s a way to express who we are, what we stand for and how our mission is evolving.
Rooted in our Post-2025 Strategy, the GEO brand brings clarity, consistency and a stronger voice to everything we do, supporting the GEO community, building trust and helping us deliver on our promise of Earth Intelligence for All.
20 Years of GEO
First, a quick history lesson. GEO began in 2005, driven by a shared urgency to better understand and protect the planet.
A global coalition came together, knowing that no single organisation could meet these challenges alone. By sharing data, tools and knowledge, GEO helps the world make smarter, faster decisions.
Twenty years on, with climate change, pollution and nature loss accelerating, GEO’s mission is more relevant than ever.
Our mission
Our mission is to leverage GEO’s unique position as an established intergovernmental body to co-produce user-driven Earth Intelligence solutions that inform decisions and accelerate action.
We believe that data alone is not enough, it must be converted into tools and resources that improve our capacity to monitor planetary changes, understand their impacts, and develop solutions that benefit all.
GEO’s Post-2025 Strategy aims to move beyond observing the Earth to creating Earth intelligence.
What is Earth Intelligence?
Earth Intelligence comprises integrated Earth and social science derived knowledge and insights that inform strategic decisions, build capacities and empower society to address environmental, societal, and economic challenges.
Its design is based on user needs at all scales and across sectors and integrates Earth observation data, socioeconomic data, research and science, citizen observations, indigenous knowledge and other sources of information and combines this with modelling, prediction scenario analysis.
Our tagline: Earth Intelligence for All
"Earth Intelligence for All” reflects our commitment to making vital Earth observation data accessible and actionable for everyone. It emphasises inclusivity, collaboration, and the democratisation of information to drive positive global change.
Transforming our mission into impact
GEO harnesses the power of interdisciplinary collaboration, builds strategic partnerships and offers demand-driven services to deliver global Earth Intelligence.
GEO empowers everyone, everywhere to use and contribute to Earth Intelligence, enabling better decisions for people, planet and nature.
A visual identity that speaks to our mission
The GEO logo is a visually striking representation of the Group on Earth Observations. It features the acronym "GEO" in a bold, modern font with overlapping circles that symbolise the interconnectedness of our planet and the collaborative nature of our work.
Meanwhile, the GEO primary colours are the colours of the planet, reflecting the beauty and complexity of the Earth we strive to understand and protect. They represent the hues of our vast oceans and skies, the diverse landscapes, and the complexity of nature as seen both from the ground and from space.
By maintaining a uniform colour palette, we ensure clear and recognisable communication across all platforms, which helps to unify our communication efforts and strengthens the visual impact of our work.
Looking to the future
As countries prepare to adopt GEO’s Post-2025 Strategy Implementation Plan at the upcoming GEO Global Forum, we stand at the threshold of a new chapter, one that will define the future of Earth Intelligence and GEO’s role in delivering real-world impact.
We created the GEO brand because though our work is complex, we wanted our brand to convey a simple message: when Earth Intelligence is accessible to everyone, nature can recover, and humanity can thrive.
The GEO brand is for the entire GEO community and our brand book serves as a key resource for communications focal points, work programme teams, regional GEOs, member countries, and anyone responsible for telling the GEO story accurately and effectively.
This ensures that everyone within GEO speaks with one voice, presenting a consistent and compelling message.
Access the Brand Book and additional communications resources here.
