2.1. The GTOS Programme Director, Jeff Tschirley, provided an update on the main actions implemented by GTOS since the first GTSC meeting in December 1996:
2.2. Programme support: contributions from the Sponsors had been forthcoming and allowed the Secretariat to function at a basic level. However, additional resources had not yet been committed by other donors. Draft project proposals (support to the Secretariat; the TEMS meta-database; and development of user requirements) were revised and have been presented to some donors. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) had expressed interest in supporting GTOS in areas relating to food security. This would be followed up with Texas A&M University.
2.3. Relations with GCOS and GOOS: the collaboration between the three Global Observing Systems has been further developed. GTOS representatives were nominated among the GTSC for participation in the following joint panels:
Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate (TOPC): David Norse;
Joint Data and Information Management Panel (JDIMP): Gwynneth Martin and Peter Jones;
Global Observing Systems Space Panel (GOSSP): André Bassolé and Anthony Janetos.
2.4. The meetings related to GCOS, GOOS and the joint panels were attended either by a Steering Committee member or by the Programme Director.
2.5. Relations with other organizations and agencies: the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) was seen as a major potential collaborator for GTOS and links were established with LUCC (Land-Use and Land-Cover Change project of IGBP and HDP) and GCTE (Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystems - Core project of IGBP). An IGBP representative was invited to the GTSC meeting to define specific ways and means of collaboration, but could not attend. The contacts established with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) were not pursued, as recommended by the GTSC at its first meting (December 1996). The collaboration with CEOS was expended as regards the development of an Integrated Global Observation Strategy (IGOS) and of a project on Global Observation of Forest Cover (GOFC). Contacts were established with DIVERSITAS regarding biodiversity.
2.6. Communication and information: a GTOS brochure has been produced in English, French and Spanish and distributed widely. Overheads on the programme were prepared and sent to GTSC members and Sponsors representatives. They were also available on the GTOS ftp server. The GTOS web site was created in October 1996 and fully revised in December 1997; it is being regularly updated. GTOS publications were produced with a standard GTOS cover page and distributed widely. A list server was set up to facilitate the exchange of information among the GTSC, the Co-sponsors and the Secretariat. An annual report for 1997 was prepared and distributed widely during the first quarter of 1998.
ACTION: to put the updated version of the GTOS overheads on the ftp server for downloading when and as necessary.
2.7. The GTSC felt that a GTOS Newsletter should be developed in order to raise visibility of GTOS among developing countries and potential donors. ICSU accepted to assist in the development.
Recommendation 1: a GTOS Newsletter should be developed to keep donors, developing countries and participating organizations regularly informed on GTOS activities. It should be produced with the assistance of ICSU.
2.8. GTOS support to project proposals: GTOS endorsement of the EU funded NoLimits project was noted. The project is working toward the establishment of a European network of integrated environmental monitoring sites (see section 11.4). Antonio Cendrero summarized the objectives of a project on quantitative indicators and indices of environmental quality, which was supported by GTOS and successfully submitted to the European Union. It aims to build a Euro-Latin American Network for Environmental Assessment and Monitoring (ELANEM) based on previous cooperation links among partners. It will strengthen research and development capabilities of the different members and enhance their participation in international programmes.
2.9. Technical support to the Secretariat: it was reported that the Secretariat is still functioning at a level which prevented from pursuing many of the programme objectives; a staff of three full time professional was considered the minimum required for an effective programme. There was some discussion about the advertisement made by the GTOS Secretariat for two scientific officers to be recruited under the FAO Academic Exchange Programme. It was recommended to clearly spell out the conditions of this programme, i.e. that the candidate should be proposed by an academic or research institution of the member nations, which meets the salary costs while FAO provides a supplementary allowance plus travel expenses. It was suggested to advertise the posts in the newsletters of the universities in UK. The group was informed of the possibility to recruit a young professional from Germany, with expertise in eco-toxicology and fresh water resources.
Recommendation 2: the post advertisement for two scientific officers at the GTOS Secretariat should spell out more clearly the requirements of the academic exchange programme.
ACTION: to advertise the two scientific officers' posts in the universities' newsletters (e.g. Oxford Global Change Institute).
