Climate Assessment
Presentations on the Land, Ocean and Atmospheric Global Observing Systems identified the process of climate assessment as a principal customer for their products.
Recommendation X1. The Sponsors of the observing systems should seek a mechanism that will allow the scientific advisory bodies to consult with the IPCC regarding data requirements for future assessments.
As a way to illustrate the powerful organizing principle behind the joint exploitation of data from land, ocean and atmosphere it is recommended that a simple pilot project be undertaken. The area in which the goals of all the global observing systems are identical is the one of climate.
In particular, it is believed that many data exist in various networks that have not yet been exploited and, with not too great an effort, could be brought together. One case that appears to offer significant possibilities in this regard is global precipitation.
Recommendation X2. It is therefore recommended that a short case study be instituted to examine the improvements in precipitation analyses to use as input for IPCC assessment.
Environmental Indicators
There are several parallel activities to climate assessment involving non-climate issues for which products of the global observing systems should be relevant and useful. Various intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations are seeking, among other things, indicators for sustainable development, change in the environment and for soil quality. The Commission on Sustainable Development has adopted a work programme on indicators of sustainable development including economic, social, environmental and institutional indicators.
The initial pragmatic list of indicators for which methodologies have been developed was based on measures for which adequate global data were available. For many environmental dimensions of interest to the global observing systems, the data presently available are inadequate, which is one reason we need operational observations on the dynamics of the resource base and on key trends that can be projected through indicators. If the global observing systems can generate the data for indicators on critical issues of policy interest such as food security and land-based activities affecting the marine environment, then there are mechanisms to include these indicators among those recommended for international use. The following recommendation was therefore made.
Recommendation X3. The scientific and technical bodies of the observing systems should, through their sponsoring agencies, (1) enter into a dialogue with the bodies responsible for the development of the "indicators" strategy to make them aware of the valuable information resource that resides within the developing observing systems, and (2) seek a mechanism for the continuing involvement and support of the observing systems for this strategy.
Prioritization
All the observing systems recognized the paramount importance of establishing an explicit methodology for prioritization of observing network elements. It was noted that there are several different approaches:
f. The NAOS initiative approached prioritization through a loop of combined objective and subjective evaluation. The evaluation parameters included scientific impact, fiscal benefits, cost and risks (fragility) of the observing elements. The objective evaluation included impact and sensitivity studies to evaluate observing system design and production methods (analysis, assimilation, modelling). All were combined with subjective evaluations to guide the evolution of design and to set priorities.
g. The climate surface and upper air reference networks were designed with specific objectives in mind, such as climate change and assessment and stewardship (preservation) of the network. Prioritization of candidate sites depended on subjective evaluation of the contribution of that site to meeting these objectives.
h. The ocean observing system used a method that mapped the feasibility and difficulty of taking measurements against the impact on the scientific or user product. For the climate module observing system experiments were possible, but most the judgment was subjective. The prioritization for the modules was driven by phenomenological and/or regional objectives.
i. The development of priorities within the terrestrial component relied on the GHOST tiers concept. Relevance, practicality and scientific objectives were factored into the prioritization process.
j. The remote sensing community sought a compromise between extreme targets and the minimum workable configuration for horizontal resolution, accuracy, etc.
It was agreed that a completely uniform approach to prioritization was probably not possible, but that certain key steps in developing prioritization would assist the work of the global observing systems.
Recommendation X4. It was agreed the following steps should be included in a (common) prioritization process.
Articulate the objectives by phenomenon, or by "clusters" of requirements;
Explicitly identify the products and benefits attached to the component of the observing system under consideration;
Examine the feasibility, difficulty, practicality of implementing elements;
Discuss the relevance and impact of the element with respect to the objectives and cost;
Develop as appropriate within a framework of a hierarchical observing system.
Guidelines and Principles for the Observing Systems
Recommendation X5. The following common set of principles should be adopted for long-term observations based on those proposed by Karl (1996) with reference to long-term climate networks:
Build on existing mechanisms, plans and systems as appropriate;
The impact of changed observing practices and technology should be thoroughly investigated prior to their implementation. The sensitivity of objectives, applications and products to the change should be determined;
Baseline reference networks (minimal configurations) provide strength and a foundation for observing systems' development and evolution;
The global observing systems should exploit a common data and information management practice to ensure appropriate and adequate metadata are available on calibration, modification, etc.;
Routine and permanent mechanisms for evaluating and monitoring observing system performance should be put in place.
It was not possible to reach a common definition of what constitutes an operational network. GOOS uses several criteria including whether the element or method is systematic, routine, long-term, relevant and cost-effective. Meteorology has rather quite precise definitions of operational observing system contributions. The climate and atmospheric composition parts of meteorology have less rigorous distinctions. For remote sensing, continuity and longevity were critical factors. GTOS has yet to adopt a strict definition. It was agreed that the definition should be driven by the nature of the services resulting from networks and their elements and that it provides a means for coordinating the development of the observing systems together.
