Global ClimateObserving System

(GCOS)Ensuring the Availability of Global

Observations for Climate

Goal and Structure of GCOS The Goal of GCOS is to provide continuous, reliable,

comprehensive data and information on the state of the global climate system

GCOS consists of the climate-relevant components of existing atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial observing systems and their enhancement to meet the totality of national and international user needs for climate observations

GCOS is sponsored by WMO, UNEP, IOC and ICSU

National support is provided by GCOS National Coordinators and Focal Points

GCOS as a System of Climate Observing Systems

ICSU

Ocean ObservingSystems

TerrestrialObservingSystems

IOC UNEP

GEO

AtmosphericObservingSystems

WMO

GCOS

GEOSS

An integrated global system of ground-based, airborne and space-based systems providing comprehensive information about the global climate system.

GCOS Vision

Examples of GCOS Observing Networks Atmosphere

GCOS Upper Air Network (GUAN) (~ 160 stations) GCOS Surface Network (GSN) (~ 1000 stations) Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) (22 global and 300 regional stations)

Ocean Voluntary Observing Ships (~ 7000 ships, 52 countries) Global Sea-Level Observing System (~300 global sea-level stations) Argo ( ~ 3000 profiling floats, 14 countries)

Terrestrial Global Terrestrial Network for Glaciers (GTN-G) (~750 glaciers monitored) Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN-P) (300 boreholes, 15 states) Global Terrestrial Network for Hydrology (GTN-H) ( GTN-R, GTN-L)

Space-based Observations Crucial for observation of 26 essential climate variables such as atmospheric

temperature, precipitation, sea level, sea ice, etc.

GCOS Atmosphere NetworksGCOS Surface Network (GSN)

1016 Stations (January 2007)

CLIMATE reports received at

Deutscher Wetter-

dienst (DWD) and Japan

Meteorological Agency (JMA)

in 2006

GCOS Atmosphere NetworksGCOS Upper Air Network (GUAN)

164 Stations (January 2007)

GCOS Implementation Plan (Action Item A16) “Parties need to […] establish a high-quality reference network of about 30 precision radiosonde stations and other collocated observations”

Motivation Problems for climate in accuracy, long-term stability and height Inevitable changes in measurement systems Lack of quality observations at high altitude

Objectives Provide long-term, high-quality climate records Constrain and calibrate data from more spatially-comprehensive

global observing systems (including satellites and current radiosonde networks)

Fully characterize the properties of the atmospheric column Initiation Meeting of GRUAN in Lindenberg, 26-28 February 2008

GCOS Atmosphere NetworksGCOS Reference Upper Air Network (GRUAN)

GCOS Ocean NetworksArgo Network

3006 free-drifting profiling floats (October 2007)

GCOS Ocean NetworksGlobal Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS)

290 sea-level monitoring stations worldwide (July 2007)

GCOS Terrestrial NetworksGlobal Terrestrial Network for River (GTN-R)

380 river discharge reference stations on the river outlet (July 2006)

GCOS Terrestrial NetworksGlobal Terrestrial Network for Glaciers (GTN-G)

Vernagtferner glacier (Eastern European Alps) is one of the glaciers monitored in the GTN-G (Weber, 2006)

Space-based Observing Systems in Support of GCOSObservation of Terrestrial Variables from Space

Land Cover Properties from Satellites (European Commission Joint Research Centre, Ispra)

GCOS Serving Users’ Needs

Climate system monitoring Applications and services for sustainable development Operational climate prediction, especially on seasonal to

inter-annual time scales Research to improve understanding, modelling and

prediction of the climate system Climate change detection and attribution Assessing impacts of, vulnerability and adaptation to,

climate variability and change Meeting the requirements of the UNFCCC and other

international conventions and agreements

Major Achievements of GCOS Implementation Plan in Support of the UNFCCC

(2004) and Satellite Supplement (2006):the roadmap for the global climate observing system in the next 5-10 years

Designation of Essential Climate Variables (ECVs): 44 key geophysical variables

Regional Workshop Programme and 10 Regional Action Plans (RAPs)

Promotion of “Climate for Development in Africa” Programme (ClimDev Africa)

Major Achievements of GCOS

Implementation of GCOS Surface (GSN) and Upper Air (GUAN) baseline networks

GCOS as the climate observation component of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)

GCOS contributes to the work of UNFCCC and provides an essential input to theUNFCCC Nairobi Work Programmeon Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change

GCOS Implementation Plan (October 2004)

Builds on requirements in the ‘Second Adequacy Report’ (2003) Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) Integrated global analysis products

Uses existing global, regional and national plans

Defines indicators for measuring its implementation

Sets implementation priorities, agents and resource requirements

131 Actions

Estimated USD 631M additional annually recurring cost

Major satellite component

Essential Climate Variables (ECVs)

Domain Essential Climate Variables

Atmo-spheric(over land,sea andice)

Surface: Air temperature, Precipitation, Air pressure, Surface radiation budget, Wind speed and direction, Water vapour.

Upper-air: Earth radiation budget (including solar irradiance), Upper-air temperature, Wind speed and direction, Water vapour, Cloud properties.

Composition: Carbon dioxide, Methane, Ozone, Other long-lived greenhouse gases, Aerosol properties.

Oceanic

Surface: Sea-surface temperature, Sea-surface salinity, Sea level, Sea state, Sea Ice, Current, Ocean colour (for biological activity), Carbon dioxide partial pressure.

Sub-surface: Temperature, Salinity, Current, Nutrients, Carbon, Ocean tracers, Phytoplankton.

Terrestrial

River discharge, Water use, Ground water, Lake levels, Snow cover, Glaciers and ice caps, Permafrost and seasonally-frozen ground, Albedo, Land cover (including vegetation type), Fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FAPAR), Leaf area index (LAI), Biomass, Fire disturbance, Soil moisture.

Global Climate Monitoring Principles and Data Exchange

GCOS Climate Monitoring Principles (GCMPs) Endorsed in their basic form by the UNFCCC in 1999 Completed by satellite specific monitoring principles in 2003 Provide overall guidance for the design and implementation of GCOS observing systems

Data Exchange Aim to ensure the free and unrestricted availability of data from all observing networks (WMO Resolutions 25 and 40) Unrestricted exchange of all GCOS data as a global public good

Regional Workshop Programme

Requested by UNFCCC COP-5 (1999)

“… to identify the priority capacity building needs related to participation in systematic observation….”

The objectives for each workshop were to: Assess contribution of the region to the GCOS Baseline

Networks Identify national/regional needs and deficiencies in climate

data Initiate development of Regional Action Plans for improving

observing systems Understand guidelines for reporting to the UNFCCC Highlight GCOS objectives and needs in the regions

Regional Workshop Programme GCOS has led the completion of all ten regional

workshops in the Programme (10 Workshops from 2000 to 2005)

…and of all ten Regional Action Plans

Promotion of follow-up implementation activities including the evolving “Climate for Development in Africa” Programme (ClimDev Africa)

Additional implementation activites planned in other regions, e.g.Central America

Climate for Development in Africa (ClimDev Africa) An integrated, multipartner programme addressing

climate observations,

climate services,

climate risk management, and

climate policy needs in Africa

Programme will support efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals

Opportunity for substantial funding support for observations and climate service provision programmes of African NMHSs

Principal partners are: African Union, African Development Bank, UN Economic Commission for Africa, WMO and GCOS

Potential donors include UK Department for International Development, European Commission, African Development Bank

GCOS at the National Level Climate observing networks are mainly funded, managed

and operated by national entities

National GCOS Coordinators and National GCOS Committees provide effective coordination of national and local institutions

National Focal Points in more than 130 countries

Report of the national climate observing system in Switzerland, including a complete inventory of

Swiss climate measurement seriesGCOS Switzerland, December 2007

System Improvement Programme

GCOS provides support needed from the scientific, donor and host communities to implement selected improvements, especially for GUAN and GSN stations.

First launch of a ballon at Gan, Maldives (Photo: UK MetOffice)

For more information about the GCOS programmeplease visit our website

www.wmo.int/pages/prog/gcos/index.php

Contact InformationGCOS Secretariat

c/o World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)7 bis, Avenue de la Paix

P.O. Box 23001211 Geneva 2, Switzerland

Tel: +41 22 730 80 67 Fax: +41 22 730 80 52

E-mail: gcosjpo@wmo.int

Thank you