Conclusions and Outlook

1. Conclusions and Outlook

2. accomplishments ¦ challenges ¦ opportunities ¦ threats ¦ tasks GTN-G: key accomplishments • 120 years of internationally coordinated compilation and dissemination of standardized data on glacier distribution and changes • Well defined organizational framework for WGMS, NSIDC, and GLIMS • WGMS hosts large datasets on glacier changes in length, area, volume, and mass • NSIDC hosts large datasets on glacier distribution and photographs • GLIMS efforts towards a globally complete, high-quality, and multi-temporal glacier inventory • Responsibility for the ECV Glacier as a contribution to UNFCCC www.wgms.ch ¦ www.nsidc.org ¦ www.glims.org ¦ www.gtn-g.org

3. accomplishments ¦ challenges ¦ opportunities ¦ threats ¦ tasks GTN-G: key challenges • Strongly limited funding for long-term glacier monitoring activities and for the maintenance and extension of related databases • As a result, main drawbacks are: • Pending/slow update of GLIMS database at NSIDC (e.g. RGI) • Pending finalization of GTN-G MetaData Browser at NSIDC • Pending major extension of geodetic dataset at WGMS • GLIMS initiative has lost its initial momentum and lacks formal structure and clear leadership www.wgms.ch ¦ www.nsidc.org ¦ www.glims.org ¦ www.gtn-g.org

4. accomplishments ¦ challenges ¦ opportunities ¦ threats ¦ tasks GTN-G: key opportunities • Growing number of satellite and airborne data at low or no costs with a great potential of boosting glacier monitoring at global level, e.g. • Multispectral images for 2D-inventories and change assessment (e.g., LANDSAT, Sentinel) • Digital elevation models for assessing topographic glacier information and elevation changes (e.g., SRTM DEM, ASTER, GDEM, TanDEM-X) • Worldwide coverage of high-precision point-measurements of elevation change (e.g., ICESat) • First joint projects with space agencies (e.g., GLIMS, GlobGlacier, Glaciers_cci) started to set up data order and process chains to derive glacier products dedicated to global glacier monitoring • International efforts towards climate services (GFCS & Copernicus) www.wgms.ch ¦ www.nsidc.org ¦ www.glims.org ¦ www.gtn-g.org

5. accomplishments ¦ challenges ¦ opportunities ¦ threats ¦ tasks GTN-G: key threats • Emerging availability of remote sensing data comes along with an increased publication pressure on the research community and results in limited willingness and/or capacity to share data • Fundraising for long-term glacier monitoring activities (based on established methods) has become even harder • Without a fundamental change in the funding strategy, the current system has not the capacities to tap the great potential of remote sensing data and to truly link traditional methods and new technologies • In the presently mainly research-driven system a corresponding change requires a new perception of the value of standardized monitoring data for achieving scientific results (cf. data citation). www.wgms.ch ¦ www.nsidc.org ¦ www.glims.org ¦ www.gtn-g.org

6. accomplishments ¦ challenges ¦ opportunities ¦ threats ¦ tasks GTN-G: key tasks for the coming years • WGMS: strongly extend the geodetic dataset • NSIDC: assign higher priorities and staff to GLIMS database • GLIMS: revive the initiative and formalize its executive structure • Continued coordination of activities through annual meetings • Continue joint organisation of conference sessions dedicated to glacier monitoring from in-situ and remotely sensed observations • Extend the representation of the internationally coordinated glacier monitoring community within international organisations and agencies (incl. space agencies, WMO GFCS, EU Copernicus). www.wgms.ch ¦ www.nsidc.org ¦ www.glims.org ¦ www.gtn-g.org