The GEO Terms of Reference mandate the body to:

• Improve coordination of strategies and systems for observations of the Earth and identify measures to minimize data gaps, with a view to moving toward a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained Earth observation system or systems;
• Coordinate an effort to involve and assist developing countries in improving and sustaining their contributions to observing systems, as well as their access to and effective utilization of observations, data and products, and the related technologies by addressing capacity-building needs related to Earth observations;
• Exchange observations recorded from in situ, aircraft, and satellite networks, dedicated to the purposes of this Declaration, in a full and open manner with minimum time delay and minimum cost, recognizing relevant international instruments and national policies and legislation;
• Prepare a 10-year Implementation Plan, taking into account existing activities and building on existing systems and initiatives, with the Framework being available by the Tokyo ministerial conference on Earth observations to be held during the second quarter of 2004, and the Plan being available by the ministerial conference to be hosted by the European Union during the fourth quarter of 2004;
• Define a process to periodically evaluate and revise the 10-year Implementation Plan; and
• Conduct such other activities, consistent with the Declaration, as the Members may deem necessary.

According to the GEO website, the organization "welcomes and is open to all interested governments and the European Commission. The GEO also invites the participation of organizations, international bodies, and individual experts. Currently, GEO consists of 47 members and 29 participant international organizations."

The GEO works by consensus.

In a sense, the Net is both the end and means of GEO's work: GEO is an effort to build out the Net; at the same time, it will rely on its "distributed system of systems" to do so.