2.1 IGOS-Related Activities
Dr Thomas, Executive Director of GCOS, reported on recent developments involving the three global observing systems (G3OS) and the Integrated Global Observation Strategy Partnership (IGOS-P):
The G3OS met in Rome on 6 June 1999 to review activities over the past year, to discuss mutual issues and to prepare for the IGOS-P meeting on 7 June 1999. Highlights from GOOS included the approval of a Joint Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology by the WMO Congress and the IOC Assembly, and the organisation of a Conference on the Ocean Observing System for Climate.
Issues discussed at the G3OS meeting included (1) how can the G3OS best address the needs of the Conventions (Biodiversity, Desertification, etc.); (2) need to define products, not just data; and (3) cooperation among the G3OS in approaching the governing bodies, nations and international funding agencies, e.g., GEF.
IGOS-P met in Rome on 7 June 1999 to discuss the use of a theme approach to the development of joint activities. IGOS-P has in preparation several outputs: a brochure (now available); a bulletin (available in October), and new web site (igospartners.org) that can be accessed through the UNEP Earthwatch web site (http://www.unep.ch/earthw/igos.htm).
Discussion regarding proposals to organise a lecture and an exhibit at COP-5 on “IGOS and climate”, and to publish the first issue of the bulletin prior to COP-5. IGOS-P was interested in how it might become involved with the GEF and UNFIP.
IGOS-P endorsed the “theme” approach suggested by CEOS members and the use of criteria developed by Dr Asrar (NASA) to select themes. There was some concern the themes might be too broad to effectively develop mutually beneficial activities between the users and space agencies but they can be adjusted if necessary. The first theme will be “Oceans” led by NASA and developed around the data needs of GODAE.
The Global Observing Systems Space Panel will function as the interface and analysis mechanism between the user needs and the space agency capabilities.
On 8 June 1999 the CEOS SIT met to consider the “Ocean Theme” and the interactions with GOSSP.
2.2 GCOS Activities
Dr Thomas reported on recent developments in GCOS:
The GCOS objective from its MoU between WMO, IOC of UNESCO, UNEP and ICSU is to provide data for:
climate system monitoring;
climate change detection and attribution;
response monitoring (e.g., terrestrial systems);
national economic applications;
research, modelling and prediction of climate system.
Implementation of a global observing system for climate requires the full participation of the climate components of the five partner observing systems: GOOS, GTOS, WWW, GAW, and WHYCOS.
Current priorities for GCOS are to follow up the decisions from COP-4 and provide input to the UNFCCC secretariat prior to COP-5 in November, 1999. Attention must also be given to the work of the panels on key scientific issues related to the implementation and improvement in the observing networks, and on input to the COP process. The key areas for GCOS in response to COP include:
Guidance for reporting on systematic observations. GCOS Secretariat is seeking TOPC review and recommendatioss of draft guidance prepared for submission to the UNFCCC Secretariat prior to COP-5. In particular, GCOS needs input on the specific questions to ask the parties on the support for GTN-G, GTN-P and Fluxnet and for other comments on what questions to ask the parties on areas such as ecosystems and hydrology.
Intergovernmental process to address priorities for action on systematic observations. GCOS and WCRP recognise the need for an intergovernmental process to implement climate research and observations that encompasses all domains, and that has active participation by appropriate agencies within countries. The existing mechanisms are too narrow in their currently defined missions. A proposal to have an informal meeting of governmental representatives to consider an appropriate mechanism for implementing climate observations and research was discussed at SBSTA in June.
Funding for the participation of developing countries and international coordination. The COP decisions on support for capacity building in developing countries, including the GEF was discussed, as was the issue of funding for GTOS and GCOS Secretariats and the GT-Net.
Regional workshops. GCOS implementation will require strong regional interactions to define issues and to develop country and regional support based on contributions of GCOS to the national needs of the countries is becoming clearer.
2.3 GTOS Activities
Prof. James Gosz, Chair of the GTOS Steering Committee, reported on the recent activities of GTOS:
GTOS implementation plan. The plan has been widely circulated and has received positive comments from a variety of sources.
Global network of terrestrial observing systems (GT-Net). Efforts are continuing in the development of GT-Net (see Section 7.4). Networks on glaciers and permafrost are already established; efforts are under way to address the important area of hydrology.
Regional activities
· Europe. A European-wide NoLimits workshop was organised (Oxford, April 1999) and was attended by nearly 90 scientists. GTOS was represented by the Chairman and the Programme Director. As a result of this workshop, five additional countries expressed interest in participating in the GTOS NPP project.
· Central and Eastern Europe
Katalin Török, of the Institute of Ecology and Botany at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, is leading this project over a nine-month period (ending in September) with Alexandre Borde of FAO/GTOS, in collaboration with Terry Parr and Ian Simpson of the UK environmental change network. The countries of concentration are the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. Visits are being conducted to each of these countries. Experts have been contracted to prepare studies and facilitate visits in each of the four primary countries. The project will end in October 1999.
Two workshops in Budapest focused on this region (June and September 1999). Participants come from the major countries in the region. The June workshop was in association with an International LTER (ILTER) meeting and the World Science Congress. The main output of the two workshops will be an implementation plan for initiating a regional programme in the Central and Eastern Europe. In the process of drafting the implementation plan, we will identify regional and national environmental priorities; review and evaluate observing sites; assess country terrestrial data and information; and carry out a desk study for 15 other CEE countries. The work is being carried out through the UK Institute of Terrestrial Ecology. The overall coordinators are Terry Parr and Ian Simpson, who are also responsible for the EU funded No-Limits project of which GTOS is a partner. In addition to NoLimits, the initiative is closely linked with the International Long-term Ecological Research Network (ILTER) which has a Central European initiative under way.
· Southern and Eastern Africa
Robert Scholes of CSIR, South Africa will be carrying out work in conjunction with colleagues in his institute during 1999. The countries of concentration are Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Subject to the availability of funds, four additional countries will be assessed in 2000. Additional financing for extending the work to other countries is likely.
A workshop, planned for February 2000, in Pretoria, will focus on developing a GTOS regional implementation plan. The initiative is closely linked with ILTER which has an initiative under way in the region. The project leader (Robert Scholes) is closely associated with the IGBP, offering an opportunity for further links.
Terrestrial observations
· Core observations. An important bottleneck in developing a number of GTOS applications such as TEMS and in the evolution of GT-Net has been the lack of a set of core terrestrial observation variables. These exist for climate change issues but are lacking for land quality, freshwater, biological diversity and toxic chemicals. Working with a variety of scientists, Paul Reichert has developed a list of variables that is presently under review. A revised list will be finalised in October 1999. A list of socio-economic variables that would be relevant to each of the five GTOS priority areas has also been developed. Discussions have also taken place with the Secretariat of the Basel Convention (Transboundary transport of hazardous wastes) to initiate a similar exercise for issues relating to toxic chemicals, one of GTOS priority areas.
Data and information
· Management plan. The GTOS Data and Information Management plan has been published and circulated widely.
· Collaboration
Coastal GOOS. Robert Christian of East Carolina University, United States, represented GTOS at the C-GOOS meeting in Accra and has suggested several areas of follow-up.
J-DIMP, GOSSP. GTOS continues to send representatives to these panel meetings. There may be a need for broadening the representation on terrestrial issues such as land quality, freshwater and biological diversity.
ILTER. Close collaboration is ongoing in both GTOS regional projects and in the NPP demonstration project.
IGBP. Contacts are ongoing but at a low level. Will Steffen may attend the IGOS Partners meeting and discussions will take place about possible collaboration on a terrestrial carbon initiative. GCOS has written to IGBP inviting them to cosponsor the TOPC. GTOS will make a keynote presentation at the GTCE conference on Food and Forestry: Global Change and Global Challenges in September 1999.
GTOS Steering Committee
· A five-person Executive Committee has been identified. This has been functioning informally since the beginning of 1999. The Steering Committee has been re-sized to about 12 members, including sponsors. Several additional members will be added. The GTOS Steering Committee (GTSC) was scheduled to meet in France during the first half of 1999. However, the sponsor was unable to provide the expected support. Efforts are under way to organise a self-funded meeting, possibly of the Executive Committee, toward the end of 1999. Due to the delay in organising the GTSC meeting, formal notification of the changes in membership have not yet been made.
2.4 GOSSP Activities
Prof. Bretherton, Chair of GOSSP, presented a perspective from the Global Observing Space Panel:
GOSSP was reconstituted in October 1998, and is now sponsored by the three Global Observing Systems (G3OS). Two members are nominated by each of GCOS, GOOS, and GTOS, and three members are nominated by the Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS). The GOSSP Chair is nominated jointly by the chairs of the G3OS steering committees. The principal GOSSP role is to facilitate the 2-way communication between the space agencies in CEOS and the user community for sustained measurements of the environment on a global scale, as represented by G3OS. GOSSP meets primarily in association with other gaps and invited experts.
Prof. Bretherton described recent developments in the Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS) Partnership, in particular the meeting June 8, 1999 in Rome. There, the international organisations concerned with environmental measurements agreed:
to an outline management structure based upon themes;
to guidelines for proposals of such themes by cooperating partners or by others; and,
to a prototype Oceans theme on a fast track, with a report due by September 30, 1999.
A draft list of IGOS themes was considered. However, the actual list will be determined by successful proposals. FAO and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) indicated their intention to sponsor a theme on Terrestrial Carbon. Existing IGOS projects will continue, but it is expected that these activities will transition in due course to become part of broader themes which define a path to sustained operations.
Prof. Bretherton reviewed the and principles of IGOS, emphasising the importance of building incrementally on existing capabilities, with short term benefits to identifiable end users as well as to longer term goals of scientific understanding. In this context “end user” may be defined as “an organisation with substantial financial resources, and/or political influence”. It is important also to take an integrated view of both space-based and in situ techniques of observation, and across a range of end-use applications, including national and regional needs as well as the global ones. IGOS presents an opportunity strengthen observational capabilities, through articulation of a consensus framework for national decisions.
It is essential that user groups identify a clear and stable set of requirements, around which data providers can attempt to optimise the system within available resources. For satellite-based measurements, the CEOS/WMO database is the official repository for statements of requirements, as well as corresponding space agency statements of instrument capabilities and plans for implementing missions. A key function of GOSSP is to assist in periodic review of these statements and in mutual understanding of their significance. Ways must be found to extend this database or its equivalent to include in situ measurements. A database is also needed, including at least a sample of users of measurement products at all levels of synthesis up to the end users. This would enable systematic, user driven assessments of system performance. In the long-term, these assessments are essential for maintenance of or improvements to the observational system. Figure 1 illustrates the process of establishing an effective observation capability at the global level. This approach is now being pursued by IGOS-P.
Figure 1. Approach to the Implementation of Systematic Global Observation Capabilities
