GCOS Implementation Plan: Enhancing Climate Monitoring and Adaptation

1. Global Climate Observing SystemBriefing to ICG-WIGOS Carolin Richter, D/GCOS25 January 2016

2. download from gcos.wmo.int

3. WMO Congress Commitment to Resolution 39 (Cg-17) Global Climate Observing System and to Resolution 15 (Cg-17) World Climate Programme (GCOS is component of the WCP) ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE SEVENTEENTH WORLD METEOROLOGICAL CONGRESS (para 4.2.5.8): Congress recommended that the Status Report and Implementation Plan should be submitted for review to relevant WMO Technical Commissions and the appropriate Expert Teams, before formal submission to the UNFCCC.

4. Result of the GCOS Status Report with regard to WIGOS: Assessment of Action C1 from the IP-10: WIGOS EGOS Plan draws heavily on GCOS IP-10 and includes actions to emphasize and propagate rqmts identified by GCOS T1 and C18: application on overall standards for terrestrial observations O32, O33: Develop and implement comprehensive ocean data management (JCOMM, CBS) A16, A18: meta data records and radio sonde intre-comparisons data to centres

5. COP21 / SBSTA43, Paris, December 2015 • encouraged GCOS to consider the outcomes of COP21 when preparing the new GCOS Implementation Plan. • invited GCOS to collaborate with relevant partners to continue enhancing access to, and understanding and interpretation of, data products and information to support decision-making on adaptation and mitigation at national, regional and global scales. • urged Parties to work towards addressing the priorities and gaps identified in the GCOS 2015 Status Report. • invited Parties and relevant organizations to provide inputs to, and contribute to the review of, the new GCOS implementation plan. • GCOS will submit the new implementation plan to COP22

6. What came out of COP21 and the Paris Agreement: • Adaptation (Article 7(c)):Strengthening scientific knowledge on climate, including research, systematic observation of the climate system and early warning systems, in a manner that informs climate services and supports decision-making • Items for GCOS to consider • Observational requirements to monitor emissions and emission reductions (Global Stocktaking, Transparency) • Observational needs for loss and damage, adaptation etc. • Data needs of Public awareness (Indicators etc.) • Capacity Development (GCOS Cooperation Mechanism)

7. Timeline for the GCOS Implementation Plan Preparatory work in 2013 – 2015 (GCOS panel meetings and three workshops with GFCS/UNFCCC/IPCC; Publication of Status Report) 15 November 2015 Draft Table of Contents submitted to COP21 2-4 February 2016 First Writing Team meeting, JRC, Italy 2-4 March 2016 Open GCOS Conference April 2016 Bring work in progress to GCOS panel meetings 24-26 May 2016 Second Writing Team meeting, JRC, Italy July 2016 Public review (6 weeks) September 2016 Final version prepared in light of comments on the draft September 2016 Final Version submitted to GCOS SC-24 October 2016 Final plan submitted to COP22

8. NEW GCOS Implementation Plan (2016)  The new implementation plan is envisaging broadening its scope to global Earth`s environmental cycles, i.e., energy, carbon and water, and inter alia taking into account Sustainable Development Goals, climate services, climate indicators and relevant outcomes of discussions during COP21. It will advise on new requirements for measures needed for adaptation to a changing climate, and measures to mitigate climate changes.  The new plan will lay out a new strategic approach to further implement the Global Climate Observing System and will introduce a section on cross-cutting disciplines and on scientific and technological challenges.

9. What do we need to consider in the next plan? • Are the current definition of ECVs suitable? • Are the current observations sufficient to assess the contribution of the hydrological, energy or carbon cycles to the changing climate? • Are additional ECV needed for mitigation or vulnerability, impacts and adaption studies and planning? • Are the monitoring networks sufficient and delivering data as needed? • Could storage of, and access to, data be improved? • What are appropriate indicators for • Communicating ongoing and historic climate change? • Guidance of actions to adapt to and manage consequences o f climate change? • What is role of GCOS in these? • What additional observations are needed post-COP21? (Observational requirements to monitor emissions and emission reductions (Global Stocktaking, Transparency), Technology transfer and Capacity Development (GCOS Cooperation Mechanism),

10. Sponsors and Partners GCOS assesses progress and requirements, advises on implementation, and reports to UNFCCC on the status of observing systems for climate.

11. Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Excerpt of the Draft GCOS MoU (Oct 2015), cleared by WMO • Annex A: […] • GCOS is the single point for coordination, working through bodies such as the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS), GOOS, the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) and the Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites (CGMS) for implementation; and plays a significant role for the broader observation requirements of the GFCS. • GCOS will ensure data needs are met, as far as possible, by existing operational and scientific observing, data management and information distribution systems, and through further enhancements of these systems, as well as through encouraging new systems to be established. GCOS will be implemented through, inter alia: • (a) WIGOS; • (b) Related atmospheric constituent observing systems managed by the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW); • (c) Related physical, chemical and biological ocean observations managed by GOOS and its related Framework for Ocean Observing (FOO); • (d) Related land surface ecosystem, hydrosphere, and cryosphere measurements managed by GTOS and related frameworks; • (e) The maintenance and enhancement of programmes monitoring other key components of the climate system; • Programmes to monitor the key physical, chemical and biological aspects of the impacts of climate change, including the World Climate Services Programme (WCSP), and the human dimensions of climate change; • Data communication and other infrastructures necessary to support operational climate forecasting of the WCP, the WMO Information System (WIS) and the Climate Services Information System (CSIS) of the GFCS.

12. GCOS Working Mechanism linking with WIGOS: GCOS/WCRP Atmospheric Observation Panel for Climate - GRUAN – GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network - Design and discussion of GSN and GUAN,( … RBON) - Quality Monitoring ( EUMETNET @ DWD monitors GSN and GUAN, CBS Lead Centres for GCOS & WIGOS Centres) GCOS/GOOS/WCRP Ocean Observations Panel for Climate - Marine meteorological data and rqmts, observations of cryosphere GCOS/WCRP Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate - Hydrological data, observations of cryosphere Capacity Building: GCOS Cooperation Mechanism and a dedicated GCOS Network Manager GFCS: GCOS leads the Chapter on the Observation and Monitoring Pillar in the GFCS Implementation Plan