The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) has been advocating for and delivering access to open Earth observations (EO) data and information for more than a decade. The GEO Work Programme is a key implementation mechanism to help deliver the GEO vision and mission to deliver benefits to society via the collaborative work of national governments, the research and academic communities, the private sector, international organisations, non-governmental organisations and civil society. The purpose of this keynote is to highlight the range of activities underway on open EO data globally and highlight possibilities for open source software contributions, notably in the context of GEO.