PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION PRESENTED AT THE 16 SESSION OF THE REGIONAL ASSOCIATION V (SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC)
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Snap Poll Results: RA V Regional priority for 2016 - 2019 Score
Maintenance and improvement of observations and telecommunciations networks at the regional and national level 31 through completion of the implementation of WIS and WIGOS
Delivery of improved climate services through the establishment of the optimum network of RCCs to sustainably implement the GFCS 20
Implement effective education and training programs that build the capability of NMHSs in resource management, advocacy and 18 outreach, and NWP utilization
Achievement by all Members of the standards required for quality management and staff competencies, with a focus on aviation and 16 marine meteorology
Delivery of regional and national services in support of DRR that meet the needs of users, through the implementation and maintenance 9 of the SWFDDP
Achieve the capability at regional and national levels to demonstrate the social and economic benefits of weather, climate and water 8 services
Implementation of effective cooperation/partnership arrangements with regional partners, national and local governments and NGOs 5
Establish effective arrangements for the coordination of Regional Association activities, in order to build common positions on key 1 issues (e.g. data policy)
RA V-16/Doc. 3, DRAFT 1, p. 4
APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
SUMMARY OF THE REPORT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCATION
Introduction
1. This report covers the period from the fifteenth session of the Association to April 2014.
Members of the Association
2. The number of Members of the Association is 23 with Tuvalu becoming a Member of WMO on 22 September 2012.
Officers of the Association
3. Dr Sri Woro B. Harijono (Indonesia) and Mr ‘Ofa Fa’anunu (Tonga) served as president and vice-president of the Association, respectively.
Subsidiary bodies of the Association
4. At its fifteenth session, the Association established the Management Group, the Tropical Cyclone Committee (TCC) and four Working Groups on: Infrastructure (WG-INFR); Weather Services (WG-WXS); Climate Services (WG-CLS); and Hydrological Services (WG-HYS). The Management Group, TCC and working groups worked satisfactorily.
5. The future working mechanism, including the (re-)establishment of working groups, will be discussed at the sixteenth session of the Association [ref. RA V-16/Doc. 5.3(1)].
Major regional events and outcomes
6. During the period of the report, a number of seminars, workshops and other events were organized or hosted by WMO and its Members. Members of the Association actively participated in these events [ref. RA V-16/INF. 3].
WMO Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific and the WMO Office for the South-West Pacific
7. The Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific, located at the WMO Headquarters in Geneva, has been providing effective support to NMHSs in their efforts to enhance their services as well as to the president, vice-president and subsidiary bodies of the Association in discharging their responsibilities.
8. The WMO Office for the South-West Pacific, located in Apia, Samoa has been facilitating implementation of WMO regional events, maintaining close contact with Members, providing support to meet requirements of Members in the Region and also to address WMO cross-cutting Programmes with relevant regional organizations and UN system agencies. [The activities of the Regional Office and the WMO Office for the South-West Pacific are presented in RA V-16/Doc. 8.]
RA V-16/Doc. 3, DRAFT 1, p. 5
Missions of the president
9. In her capacity as the president of RA V, Dr Harijono attended the Sixteenth Congress, the sessions of the Executive Council and meetings of the Financial Advisory Committee and the WMO Bureau as well as the Meetings of Presidents of Regional Associations and Joint Meetings of the Presidents of Regional Associations and Presidents of Technical Commissions.
Future work of the Association
10. Human resources and institutional capacity development would continue to be a high priority for Region V especially for developing countries, LDCs and SIDS.
11. High priority should also be given to the following activities:
(a) Quality management, competency, and cost recovery especially in developing countries, LDCs and SIDS;
(b) Implementation of the RA V SOP 2012-2015 and the development of the RA V Operating Plan 2016-2019, as a contribution to the WMO OP 2016-2019 [ref. RA V-16/Doc. 5.2 and INF. 5.2];
(c) Execution of the Regional WIGOS Implementation Plan for RA V and the Regional WIS Implementation Plan for RA V;
(d) Further development of SEA-HYCOS and Pacific-HYCOS projects;
(e) Establishment of an RA V RCC network, which will contribute to the implementation of GFCS at national and regional levels.
12. Members and WMO should also give high priority to non-tropical cyclone related extreme weather events in order to be able to address the future challenges.
Acknowledgements
13. The president of the Association would like to express her appreciation and gratitude to all those who have contributed to the work of the Association. Particular thanks are due to the vice-president, Mr ‘Ofa Fa’anunu, and the Chairpersons, Leads and members of subsidiary bodies of the Association. Thanks are due to the Members of the Association who have hosted various meetings, conferences and training events during the intersessional period.
14. The president would also like to express her deep gratitude and appreciation to the Secretary-General of WMO and to the Secretariat, in particular the Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific and the WMO Office for the South-West Pacific, for their valuable support and advice in the work of the Association.
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RA V-16/Doc. 4.1(2), DRAFT 1, p. 7
APPENDIX C: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
AERONAUTICAL METEOROLOGY
References:
1. WMO Technical Regulations (WMO-No. 49), Vol. I, chapter 4 and 5;
2. WMO Technical Regulations (WMO-No. 49), Vol. II / ICAO Annex 3: Meteorological Service for International Air Navigation
3. http://www.icao.int/meetings/METDIV14/Pages/default.aspx - website of the Conjoint ICAO/WMO Meteorology Divisional Meeting, 7-18 July 2014, Montreal, Canada
4. http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/amp/aemp/index_en.html - website of the WMO Aeronautical Meteorology Programme
Introduction
The material provided below is based on interim results of on-going surveys and other monitoring results available at WMO Secretariat. Members will be encouraged to provide updates as necessary in order to obtain a realistic picture of the level of implementation in the respective service areas by the RA V Members. RA V-16/Doc. 4.1(2), DRAFT 1, p. 8
Implementation of QMS for aviation in RA V
(as of March 2014)
ISO Member QMS started QM stage Remark Certification Australia Y Completed Y Brunei Darussalam N N/A N Cook Islands Y N Fiji Y Completed Y Météo-France French Polynesia Y Y (under resp. of) Indonesia Y Completed Y Kiribati Y N Malaysia Y Y Micronesia, Federated States of Y N Météo-France New Caledonia Y Y (under resp. of) New Zealand Y Completed Y Niue Y N Papua New Guinea Y Advanced N Philippines Y N Assessment phase Samoa Y N Singapore Y Completed Y Solomon Islands Y N Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of NIL Tonga Y N Tuvalu Y N UK Y Y Reports to RA VI USA Y N Reports to RA IV Vanuatu Y Y
RA V-16/Doc. 4.1(2), DRAFT 1, p. 9
Implementation of competency requirements in RA V
Country AMO AMF Remark
Australia 4 4 Brunei Darussalam 1 1 Cook Islands 3 4 Fiji 4 4 FINPAC Report French Polynesia** 1 1 Météo-France Indonesia 3 3 Kiribati 1 1 Malaysia 4 4 Micronesia, Federated States of 1 1 New Caledonia** 1 1 Météo-France New Zealand 5 5 Niue 1 1 Papua New Guinea 1 1 Philippines 1 1 Samoa 4 4 FINPAC Report Singapore 4 4 Solomon Islands 4 4 Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of 1 1 Tonga 4 4 FINPAC Report Tuvalu 1 1 UK - - Reports to RA VI USA - - Reports to RA IV Vanuatu 1 1
1 Implementation not started 2 Adapted global competencies to national 3 Developed assessment process 4 Commenced assessment 5 Completed assessed RA V-16/Doc. 4.1(2), DRAFT 1, p. 10
Information on air navigation deficiencies filed by ICAO
Note: The information below is received from the ICAO Asia/Pacific Office in Bangkok. The updates to the list of deficiencies are provided by the ICAO Contracting States through the Civil Aviation Administration. In case of outdated information, Members are encouraged to contact their CAAs and request respective communication to be sent to ICAO.
Asia/Pacific Air Navigation Planning and Implementation Regional Group (APANPIRG) database currently lists 20 air navigation deficiencies in the field of MET. MET deficiencies are identified in 11 States concerning provision of:
o SIGMET and MWO services;
o information on volcanic activity;
o MET observations/reports;
o WAFS products.
Details:
Long-standing SIGMET deficiencies in the equatorial Pacific region have not improved under an arrangement by Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby) to issue SIGMET information for the Honiara and Nauru* FIRs on behalf of the Solomon Islands and Nauru*;
Progress has been reported by some States towards rectifying MET deficiencies in the APAC region;
Tonga has provided evidence of MOU for exchange of volcanic ash information, which is expected to be assessed by APANPIRG and may result in removal of that deficiency;
A summary of deficiencies / corrective action listed for Pacific States is as follows:
o Kiribati - METAR not available on regular basis / install AWOS;
o Kiribati - WAFS products not available for flight briefings and documentation / install WIFS;
o Nauru* - WAFS products not available for flight briefings and documentation / install WIFS;
o Nauru* - No METAR/SPECI observing programme in place / install AWOS;
o Nauru*- Lack of SIGMET for Nauru FIR / interim arrangement for issuance of SIGMET by Port Moresby MWO on behalf of Nauru*;
o Papua New Guinea - Information on volcanic activity not provided regularly to ATS units and MWOs / establish procedures and LOA;
o Papua New Guinea - Issuance and proper dissemination of SIGMET, including volcanic ash, have not been fully implemented / ICAO SIP carried out in 2003, progress in issuance of SIGMET for VA is noted; report on the full resolution of problems is outstanding; RA V-16/Doc. 4.1(2), DRAFT 1, p. 11
o Papua New Guinea - Lack of SIGMET issued for the Port Moresby, Honiara, and Nauru* FIRs / CAP and report on the full resolution of problems is outstanding;
o Solomon Islands - Weather information is inadequate and not provided on a regular basis / reported progress with installation of MET obs equipment AGGH; report on the full resolution of problems is outstanding;
o Solomon Islands - WAFS products not available for flight briefings and documentation / installed WIFS; report on the full resolution of problems is outstanding:
o Solomon Islands - Lack of SIGMET issued for the Honiara FIR / interim arrangement for issuance of SIGMET by Port Moresby MWO on behalf of Nauru*;
o Tonga - Information on volcanic activity not provided regularly to ATS units, MWOs, and VAAC / MOU established; corrective action to be assessed by APANPIRG for removal of deficiency.
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Nauru is not a WMO Member State
RA V-16/Doc. 4.1(4), DRAFT 1, p. 4
APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
AGRICULTURAL METEOROLOGY
1. The sixteenth session of the Commission for Agricultural Meteorology was held in Antalya, Turkey from 10 to 15 April 2014. It was preceded by an International Conference on Promoting Weather and Climate Information for Agriculture and Food Security from 7 to 9 April 2014. A website provided further information on the objectives of the conference as well as the list of participants and presentations.
2. The International Workshop on Climate and Oceanic Fisheries was held from 3 to 5 October 2011 at Rarotonga, Cook Islands and was jointly sponsored and organized by WMO, the Government of the Cook Islands, APN, NOAA, the University of Auckland, the Australian Government (through CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology and AusAID) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community. The workshop was structured over eight sessions covering effects of climate variability in different time scales, historical ocean climate and fisheries data, impacts of climate change, projections on the 21st century fisheries, management tools to improve sustainable fisheries, adaptation to climate change strategies and climate tools to assess vulnerability.
3. The 2nd Climate Impacts on Oceanic Top Predators (CLIOTOP) Symposium was held in Noumea, New Caledonia from 11 to 15 February 2013. The objectives of the Symposium were, inter alia, to review the effects of climate and climate variability on seasonal to decadal time scales on species, fisheries and dependent socio-economic and management systems; review the current climate change impacts and evaluate the impact of future climate change on pelagic species; and identify risk assessment or management evaluation tools that incorporate climate variability in order to improve the sustainable resource management (conservation, fisheries, spatial planning, etc.).
4. The CAgM/JCOMM Task Team on Climate, Weather and Fisheries (TT-WCF) was first proposed at CAgM-XV and the terms of reference were revised during a side meeting of the International Workshop on Climate and Oceanic Fisheries in October 2011. However, it was not until JCOMM-4 in May 2012 endorsed the TT-WCF that it was able to start its work. For this reason, it was recommended that CAgM-16 endorse that the TT-WCF to continue.
5. Based on donor funding from the Governments of Spain and Norway, over 150 Roving Seminars were held in West Africa. In addition, WMO was able to fund a limited number of Roving Seminars in Ecuador, India, Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Argentina. These seminars strive to secure rural farmers’ self-reliance by raising their awareness about effective weather and climate risk management and the sustainable use of natural resources for agricultural production and provide a forum for farmers to give feedback to NMHSs on their products and services. The seminars help raise the awareness of the farming community of the current advances in the provision of weather and climate information for facilitating operational decisions on farming. Feedback obtained from the farmers will help the personnel from the Meteorological Services and the Agricultural Extension Agencies to design more improved products for use by farmers and to improve the channels of communication to provide information to the farmers. Summary reports from the seminars help to understand the current methods of weather and climate risk management at the farm level in different parts of the world and help introduce improved risk management tools for the farming community.
______RA V-16/Doc. 4.2, DRAFT 1, p. 8
APPENDIX C:
PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION (DRR)
1. The implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (HFA) by national governments is leading to changes in national DRR policies, legal and institutional frameworks, with implications on the role, responsibilities and new working arrangements for the NMHSs. These changes provide opportunities such as increased recognition of the NMHSs by their governments and stakeholders, which could result in strengthened partnerships and increased resources. However, NMHSs face increasing demands and liabilities related to the provision of products and services to larger and more diverse groups of DRR stakeholders (e.g., government authorities, public and private sectors, NGOs, general public and media, etc.) some of whom have direct responsibilities for DRR decision-making. To meet these new challenges, as illustrated in Figure 1, under the cross-cutting DRR Programme the two-tier work plan (hereafter referred to as the DRR workplan) aims to facilitate better alignment of the activities of WMO constituent bodies and the global operational network as well as strategic partners to assist NMHSs to:
(a) Engage effectively in the national DRR governance and institutional frameworks as part of national development priorities;
(b) Identify, prioritize, establish partnerships and service delivery agreements with the national DRR user community (users);
(c) Develop and deliver core and specialized products and services (e.g., data, forecasts, analysis, technical advices and a range of other value-added products and services) defined by the requirements of the “DRR users” for DRR decision support (e.g., hazard/ risk analysis, Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS), sectoral risk management and disaster risk financing and risk transfer) in a cost-effective, systematic and sustainable manner;
(d) Ensure that core operational capacities (e.g., observing networks, forecasting systems, telecommunication systems, data management systems, human resources, etc.) are built upon the principles of Quality Management Systems (QMS) to support product and service development and delivery;
(e) Establish partnership agreements with other national technical agencies (e.g., hydrological services, ocean services, etc.) and with global and regional specialized centers (e.g., Global Producing Centers (GPC), Regional Specialized Meteorological Centres (RSMCs), Regional Climate Centres (RCCs), Tsunami Watch Centers, etc.), with standard operating procedures;
(f) Engage in regional and global efforts for development of risk information for large scale and transboundary hazards, through strengthened regional and global cooperation.
RA V-16/Doc. 4.2, DRAFT 1, p. 9
Figure 1. Overarching Framework for Development and Delivery of Products and Services to support DRR decision-making and related partnerships (source: ftp://ftp.wmo.int/Documents/PublicWeb/mainweb/meetings/cbodies/governance/executive_council_ reports/english/pdf/64_session_1092_part1_en.pdf (pages 91-94))
2. The DRR workplan includes:
(a) Development of guidelines, standards and training modules for DRR thematic topics based on documentation and synthesis of good practices;
(b) Coordinated DRR and climate adaptation national capacity development projects with the regional cooperation framework (hereafter referred to as coordinated DRR national/ regional projects) to support capacity development of NMHSs as per paragraph 1 (a - f). A critical aspect of the coordinated DRR national/regional projects is strengthening of cooperation of NMHSs, RSMCs, RCCs and DRR users for development of products and services based on user needs and requirements.
3. Making the implementation plan a reality would require substantial building of the operational capacities of many NMHSs in developing countries, an outcome that can only be achieved through successful and well focused capacity development activities also engaging development partners such as the World Bank for the modernization of the NMHSs infrastructure, particularly in the developing and least developed countries. As one strategy for achieving this, significant efforts have been taken to engage Members, Regional Associations (RAs), Technical Commissions (TCs) and Programmes, to develop strategic alliances with key partners at regional and international levels to implement the DRR workplan. The DRR workplan can be found at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/drr/documents/DRR-WorkPlan2012-2015.pdf RA V-16/Doc. 4.2, DRAFT 1, p. 10
4. A number of thematic DRR user-interface Expert Advisory Groups (EAGs) have been established to guide and support implementation of the DRR workplan and related deliverables, WMO TCs and Programmes, RAs and WMO global operational network. These user-interface EAGs involve leading experts from the diverse DRR user community (public and private sectors), UN and international partner agencies, academia as well as NMHSs. These advisory groups are established to: (i) guide documentation of good practices and development of user needs and requirements for products and services to support thematic areas in DRR decision-making; (ii) support development of and provide feedback on the WMO DRR knowledge products; and (iii) support the implementation of the DRR workplan. These include:
(a) Expert Advisory Group on Hazard/Risk Analysis (EAG-HRA) with focus on issues related to standards and guidelines for hazard definition, standardization of hazard databases, metadata and statistical analysis and forecasting techniques of hazard analysis to support risk modeling;
(b) Expert Advisory Group on Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (EAG-MHEWS) with focus on the operational aspects of MHEWS, building on the principles of QMS;
(c) Expert Advisory Group on Climate Services for Disaster Risk Financing (EAG-CSDRF) with focus on development of requirements for climate services for disaster risk financing such as ex-ante and post-disaster government funding mechanisms, insurance and external development funding;
(d) Commission for Basic Systems (CBS) Task Team on the Provision of Operational Meteorological Assistance to Humanitarian Agencies, established under the CBS, with the Commission for Climatology (CCl), and the Commission for Hydrology (CHy), with focus on development of requirements of the humanitarian community for meteorological and climate services.
5. The sixty-fourth session of the Executive Council (EC-64) urged the presidents of the TCs to identify concrete intra- and inter-commission collaborations to support the implementation of the DRR workplan and stressed that:
“…technical assistance projects, namely, the Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project (SWFDP), Flash Flood Guidance (FFG) systems and Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project (CIFDP), Integrated Drought Management Programme, WMO Flood Forecasting, the WMO Emergency Response Activities (ERA) as well as further development of the Global Data-Processing and Forecasting System (GDPFS), WMO Integrated Global Observing Systems (WIGOS) and WMO Information System (WIS) are critical in supporting disaster risk reduction in a number of regions around the world. However, it stressed the need to ensure coordination across these activities, as relevant, and development of operational requirements that are underpinned by user needs in the context of national DRR institutional frameworks for DRR and early warning systems. The Council was encouraged by efforts to integrate these technical assistance activities along with further development of the core systems in the existing coordinated DRR national/ regional projects in the Caribbean, Southeast Europe and Southeast Asia, which represent the regions in which the coordinated DRR and climate adaptation projects are being implemented.” Furthermore, the sixty-fifth session of the Executive Council (EC-65) urged the presidents of technical commissions to engage actively with the DRR user-interface mechanisms. RA V-16/Doc. 4.2, DRAFT 1, p. 11
6. A network of DRR Focal Points of the TCs and TPs (DRR FP TC–TP) has been created through the sessions of the TCs or nominations by the presidents of TCs and other relevant coordinating mechanisms of other TPs and inter-commission activities, and the First (2013) Coordination Meeting of DRR FP TC TP was held from 14 to16 October 2013 at the WMO HQ, in Geneva, Switzerland (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/drr/projects/Thematic/HazardRisk/2013-10- TC-Prog-FP-Meeting/index_en.html).
7. For more information about “WMO Guidelines for National Meteorological and Hydrological Services on institutional partnerships in Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems and supporting emergency preparedness, response and early recovery” engaging the DRR EAG on Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (EAG-MHEWS), please see http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/drr/projects/Thematic/MHEWS/MHEWS_en.html.
8. For information about standards and guidelines for hazard definition, classification and standardization of hazard databases, metadata, and mapping and hazard forecasting tools to support loss and damage data collection and risk modeling, engaging the DRR EAG on Hazard/Risk Assessment (EAG-HRA), please see: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/drr/projects/Thematic/HazardRisk/2013-04- TechWks/index_en.html.
9. For information about guidelines on “Requirements for Meteorological and Climate Services to Support Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance,” engaging the DRR EAG on Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance (EAG-DRFI), please see: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/drr/projects/Thematic/DRF/drf_en.html.
10. In 2006, WMO conducted a national survey to document existing capacities, gaps and needs of its Members for development of meteorological, hydrological and climate-related information to support DRR. The national survey addressed capacities of NMHSs to contribute to all aspects of DRR including risk identification, sectoral planning, early warning system, education and knowledge sharing. The outcomes of the survey based on 145 Members responses served as a benchmark for development of national/regional DRR capacity development projects. The survey revealed the following:
(a) Droughts, flash and river floods, strong winds and severe storms, tropical cyclones, storm surges, forest and wild land fires, heat waves, landslides, sand and dust storms, marine and aviation hazards, as well as rapid melting of the glaciers and potential risks to quality and quantity of water supply, are among the top hydrometeorological hazards of concern to Members;
(b) (i) Nearly 70% of countries require new or revised DRR policies, legislation, planning, and coordination mechanisms with focus on preparedness and prevention and clarity of the role of the NMHS; (ii) over 65% of NMHSs need modernization or strengthening of their core infrastructure for observation, telecommunication, and operational forecasting; (iii) nearly 80% of NMHSs need guidelines, as well as management and technical training; and (iv) over 80% of NMHSs need strengthening of their strategic and operational partnerships with various disaster risk management stakeholders.
11. The DRR FP TC TP had carefully reviewed the work of respective TCs and TPs and developed recommendations for the consideration of the presidents of technical commissions and the EC Working Group on Service Delivery, for development of a user-driven inter-commission, inter-programme holistic DRR and climate adaptation project to be implemented in Southeast Asia with capacity development activities at the national level and a regional cooperation framework engaging the RSMCs and RCCs and other relevant regional mechanisms such as the Typhoon committee. Such a project would engage partnerships with ASEAN, UNISDR, the World Bank, UNDP and IFRC and will span policy, institutional cooperation, technical operational capacity RA V-16/Doc. 4.2, DRAFT 1, p. 12
development to strengthen risk assessment and MHEWS, particularly in relation to tropical cyclones and related cascading hazards. In light of the experiences from Typhoon Haiyan, this project could potentially involve Indonesia and the Philippines, in addition to Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam. Such a project would also allow for close cooperation of the TCs and TPs with the regional association.
12. The Sixteenth WMO Congress endorsed the: (i) holistic DRR and adaptation national capacity development projects with regional cooperation in South East Europe, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia; and (ii) the national Costa Rica Early Warning System Project funded by the World Bank. These projects are designed to demonstrate the benefits of leveraging WMO’s Programmes, constituent bodies, global operational network and partners to address capacity development needs of NMHSs to demonstrate the benefits of the DRR cross-cutting framework. To date, efforts have been undertaken to strengthen coordination and cooperation among TCs and Programmes, RAs, and strategic partners at regional and international levels to support these projects. These projects provide enabling environments for integrated planning, engaging WMO TCs and Programmes with the RAs, Members and other partners for a more coordinated approach to assist Members (for more details, see pages 7 to 10 in the DRR workplan 2012-2015: Webpage: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/drr/documents/2014.02.20%20- %20DRR%20Work%20Plan%202012-2015.pdf). To this end, the project proposals and related implementation plans should ensure reflection of the specific contributions of the RAs and TCs, in particular with respect to the identification of needs and requirements, development of guidelines, norms and standards. Engagement of RAs, TCs and various WMO operational networks of RSMCs and RCCs has been critical for the development of these projects. Specifically, RA Management Groups and related working groups are engaged in supporting the assessments and development of the requirements and prioritization of capacity development needs to be considered in these projects. This has been underpinned by multi-agency, multi-stakeholder user- interface mechanisms, facilitated by the Secretariat engaging NMHSs and DRR stakeholders. Lessons learned from these interactions are critical to strengthening of the role of RAs and their working groups and their cooperation with DRR mechanisms in the Regions. More information about the WMO DRR and climate adaptation capacity development projects can be found at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/drr/projects/.
13. The Post-2015 Framework for DRR and related regional consultations in the Pacific: The Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management 2014 is scheduled from 2 to 4 June 2014 and will take place in Suva, Fiji (for more information, please see: http://preventionweb.net/go/35767). Key documents for the regional consultations include the:
(a) Asia Pacific Synthesis Report on the Consultations on the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction that synthesized consultations held at the regional, national and community levels throughout the Asia-Pacific region (available at: http://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/publications/33369). The document was particularly targeted at countries and stakeholders from Asia Pacific for their engagement at the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (4th GPDRR) in May 2013;
(b) Strategy for Climate and Disaster Resilient Development in the Pacific 2016- (SRDP; end date will be decided through further consultation; a draft is available at https://au.citizenspace.com/app/srdp/ed8cadb2); RA V-16/Doc. 4.2, DRAFT 1, p. 13
(c) Regional Synthesis Progress Report on the Implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005–2015 and the Pacific Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Management Framework for Action 2005–2015 (RFA), covering the period of 2009- 2013, has been prepared by the Applied Geosciences and Technology Division (SOPAC) of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) (available at http://preventionweb.net/go/35033). This report fed into the HFA in Asia and the Pacific Regional Synthesis Report 2011-2013 (available at http://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/publications/32851).
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RA V-16/Doc. 4.3(1), DRAFT 1, p. 5
APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
DATA-PROCESSING AND FORECASTING – WEATHER ISSUES
Operational weather forecasting, including further development and evolution of the Global Data-processing and Forecasting System (GDPFS) and the Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project (SWFDP)
1. Based on information and data provided by Members annually on the status of implementation of the GDPFS, in RA V the GDPFS included seven NMCs or RSMCs that ran global, regional, or limited-area NWP models (LAM) on an operational basis. As well, Météo- France and RSMC Honolulu (USA) ran LAMs configured and windowed over their respective territories in the South-West Pacific. The RSMC Melbourne ran a global model at horizontal resolution of 40 km, and a number of regional NWP and LAMs implemented at different resolutions (of 10’s to few kilometers) for different regions and applications. Few other centres ran suites of high-resolution LAMs (resolution less than 20 km). The Global Producing Centre (GPC) for Long- range Forecasts at Melbourne contributed its products to the Lead Centre for “Long-Range Forecasts Multi-Model Ensemble” (LC-LRFMME, https://www.wmolc.org/), as well as cooperated with GPC Montreal in its role as Lead Centre for "Standardized Verification System for Long- Range Forecasts” (SVSLRF) (http://www.bom.gov.au/wmo/lrfvs/). RSMC Melbourne is designated with activity specialization in Atmospheric Transport Modelling; RSMCs Darwin and Nadi specialize in Tropical Cyclone Forecasting, RSMC Darwin also operates the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC), designated by ICAO. RSMC Wellington is the SWFDDP’s Regional Forecasting Support Centre in the South Pacific. The RA V Members are encouraged to update their respective technical progress reports, especially those which have not been updated for a few years. The individual Member’s reports are available at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/DPFS/ProgressReports/2012/GDPFS-NWP-2012.html and the summary of WMO forecasting centres relative to operational numerical models is provided at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/Documents/PublicWeb/www/gdpfs/GDPFS- NWP_Annualreports11/STATUSTA2011_updated.doc
2. The LC-SVSLRF, established through the collaboration of GPC Melbourne and GPC Montreal, facilitated the exchange of seasonal and longer-range forecast verification results. The LC-SVSLRF has achieved its primary aim of introducing standards and rigour into the verification of GPC forecasts and the sharing of associated verification information between GPC and the user community (RCC and NMHS). The statistics that have been compiled on the use of the LC-SVSLRF website over recent months show that verification maps get the most hits.
3. Significant progress has been made with the comprehensive revision of the Manual on the GDPFS (WMO-No. 485), whose current draft text is presented in a working document available on the WMO website at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/DPFS/Meetings/TT- MANUAL_Geneva2013/documents/Revised-Manual-Dec2013.zip
4. WMO has published a document entitled: “Guidelines on EPS and Forecasting to aid forecasters in effective application of EPS” (WMO-No. 1091, 2012), available in English, French, Spanish, and Russian, which is available at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/DPFS/Manual/EPS-Guidelines.html
5. The Severe Weather Forecasting Disaster Risk Reduction Demonstration Project (SWFDDP) has continued in its demonstration phase, which commenced in November 2010. The project, implemented as one of five regional projects of the CBS Severe Weather Forecasting RA V-16/Doc. 4.3(1), DRAFT 1, p. 6
Demonstration Project, was reviewed by its Regional Subproject Management Team (RSMT) at a meeting held in Nadi, Fiji, in August 2013. The report of the meeting and the updated Implementation Plan can be found, respectively, at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/CBS-Reports/documents/Final_Report_SWFDDP-Fiji- August2013.pdf , and http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/CBS-Reports/documents/RSIP_SWFDDP-Fiji- August2013.doc
6. The RSMT agreed to continue the demonstration until the end of the Tropical Cyclone season in 2015, at which time a full evaluation will be carried out against agreed criteria that were developed at the meeting. The decision for the SWFDDP to make its transition to routine operations, including the management responsibility transferred to a regional body will then be made as a recommendation from the RSMT to the regional association, in coordination with CBS.
Environmental Emergency Response Activities (ERA)
7. WMO participated actively within the UN system, in particular with IAEA, as well as through the Inter-Agency Committee on Radiological and Nuclear Emergencies and its members, and developed reports related to the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of March 2011. These activities, not yet all completed, reviewed and assessed emergency preparedness and response systems, and included the development of meteorological analyses suitable for assessing atmospheric transport, dispersion, and deposition, to contribute to the post-accident study undertaken by the UN Scientific Committee on Effects of Atomic Radiation’s (UNSCEAR) on the levels and effects of radiation released from the accident. The report of the WMO Task Team that developed the meteorological analyses has been published as a WMO technical publication, entitled: “Evaluation of Meteorological Analyses for the Radionuclide Dispersion and Deposition from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident” (WMO-No. 1120, 2013). Methods used to assess the analyses in relation to estimating and predicting atmospheric dispersion and deposition will be considered for possible implementation in the next generation of the operational ERA response system.
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APPENDIX C: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
DATA-PROCESSING AND FORECASTING: CLIMATE ISSUES
Climate Monitoring and Assessment
1. A regional capacity building workshop on climate change detection and indices for Pacific Island countries was organized in May 2012 in New Caledonia, as part of the Pacific Climate Change Science Program coordinated by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and supported by ETCCDI.
2. The CCl Task Team on National Climate Monitoring Products identified six national climate monitoring products to be shared. Further information can be found on the team’s website http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/opace2_tt_ncmp/.
3. The Joint Rapporteurs on World Weather and Climate Extreme Records, evaluated the world record of wind gusts not related to tornadoes, which is registered to date as 408 km/h during Tropical Cyclone Olivia on 10 April 1996 at Barrow Island, Australia [WMO Info note No. 58 of 22 January 2010; http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/infonotes/info_58_en.html]. The World Weather and Climate Extreme Archive, which is supported by Arizona State University (ASU), has reached high international visibility, being quoted as one of the most authorized website documenting climate and weather records.
Climate Services Information System
4. WMO organized a CLIPS Training Workshop on Operational Climate Prediction for Southeast Asia at Citeko, Indonesia, from 27 September to 7 October 2011, hosted by the Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Badan Meteorologi Klimatologi dan Geofisika (BMKG).
5. At the RA V Regional Seminar on Climate Services held at Honiara, Solomon Islands (1-4 November 2011), the following issues were discussed: needs and opportunities for the strengthening of climate services in RA V, requirement for climate sensitive sectors, particularly for agriculture at the national level, as well as partnership and capacity building and resource mobilization across the Region.
6. Am of the RA V Working Group on Climate Services was held in conjunction with the RA V Regional Seminar on Climate Services, from 2 to 4 November 2011, Honiara, Solomon Islands (the Final Report is available at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/wcp/wcasp/meetings/documents/RA-V_WGCS_Nov2011_Report.pdf).
7. The inaugural session of ASEANCOF was held from 3 to 5 December 2013 in Singapore hosted by the Centre for Climate Research Singapore, a newly established centre under Meteorological Service Singapore, with support from USAID (http://www.weather.gov.sg/wip/web/ASMC/ASEANCOF/1st_aseancof). RA V-16/Doc. 4.3(2), DRAFT 1, p. 9
Drought Initiatives
8. WMO, in cooperation with the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and in collaboration with a number of other organizations, organized the High-level Meeting on National Drought Policy (HMNDP) in Geneva from 11 to 15 March 2013. The High Level Segment of HMNDP concluded in a final declaration in support of the process (http://www.hmndp.org/).
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APPENDIX C: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
WMO INTEGRATED GLOBAL OBSERVING SYSTEM (WIGOS) References: 1. Resolution 50 (Cg-XVI) - Implementation of the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS) 2. The first session of the Inter-Commission Coordination Group on WIGOS (ICG-WIGOS), Geneva, 26-30 September 2011 3. The second session of the Inter-Commission Coordination Group on WIGOS (ICG- WIGOS), Geneva, 18-22 March 2013 4. The third session of the Inter-Commission Coordination Group on WIGOS (ICG- WIGOS), Geneva, 10-14 February 2013 5. Resolution 10 (EC-64) - WIGOS Framework Implementation Plan (WIP), version 1.0 6. RA V-16/INF. 4.4(3) - WIGOS Framework Implementation Plan (WIP), version 2.0, adopted by EC-65 7. RA V-16/INF. 4.4(4) - Implementation Plan for the Evolution of Global Observing Systems (EGOS-IP), adopted by EC-65 8. RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(1), Annex to draft Resolution 4.4/1 (RA V-16) – Regional WIGOS Implementation Plan (R-WIP-V) 9. RA V-16/INF. 4.4(1) - Proposed List of Stations Comprising the Regional Basic Synoptic Network (RBSN) in Region V 10. RA V-16/INF. 4.4(2) - Proposed List of Stations Comprising the Regional Basic Climatological Network (RBCN) in Region V 11. Final Report, GCW CryoNet Team Meeting, First Session, Reykjavik, Iceland, 22– 23 January 2014 12. Final Report, GCW Steering Group Meeting, First Session, Reykjavik, Iceland, 23– 24 January 2014 13. The fifth session of EC Panel of Experts on Polar Observations, Research and Services, Wellington, New Zealand, 25-28 February 2014 14. Draft concept of a potential long-term international cooperative initiative in the Polar Regions (‘International Polar Initiative’, IPI) 15. The fifteenth session of the Commission for Basic Systems (CBS-15), Jakarta, 10-15 September 2012
Implementation of the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS)
1. Adopting Resolution 50, Cg-XVI decided to implement the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS) during the sixteenth financial period as one of the major efforts of the Organization with the goal that WIGOS should become operational from 2016 onwards [Reference 1]. A set of recommendations on WIGOS implementation were formulated by ICG- WIGOS-1, ICG-WIGOS-2 and ICG-WIGOS-3 [References 2-4].
2. The first version of the WIGOS Framework Implementation Plan (WIP) was adopted by EC-64 [Reference 5] and the second (updated) version was adopted by EC-65 [Reference 6]. In
RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(1), DRAFT 1, p. 40 response to WIGOS, the new Implementation Plan for the evolution of global observing systems (EGOS-IP) was considered by CBS-15 and subsequently adopted by EC-65 [Reference 7].
3. The RA V Working Group on Infrastructure (WG-INFR) drafted the Regional WIGOS Implementation Plan (R-WIP-V) [Reference 8].
Regional Basic Synoptic Network (RBSN) and Regional Basic Climatological Network (RBCN)
4. The existing RBSN and RBCN are based essentially on a design representing the late 1990s status of the observing networks. Also, the majority of stations in the RBSN and RBCN are multipurpose, serving both synoptic and climatological purposes. Therefore, the need to integrate the two networks into one Regional Basic Observing Network (RBON) is recognized under the WIGOS implementation. It is expected that the new re-designed RBON would also take into consideration the inclusion of new ground-based observing systems, such as weather radars, wind profiler systems, existing buoys, ships and aircraft that make meteorological, climatological and marine observations. The network re-design would also be coordinated with satellite observations. The existing scheme of two separate networks (RBSN and RBCN) is expected to be continued until such time a new RBON or other is designed.
5. Overall, during the intersessional period, the implementation of the RBSN surface and upper-air observational programme in the Region shows 76% of surface stations performing the full observational programme (8 observations per day) and 38% of upper-air stations carrying out observations at the two main standard times24. Overall, 68% of upper-air stations carry out at least one observation at a main standard time per day. Implementation of stations reporting CLIMAT is around 92% during this same period.
6. The integrated WWW Monitoring (IWM) and the Annual Global Monitoring (AGM) of the operation of the WWW carried out on a quarterly basis and in October each year, respectively, provide information on the performance of the observing systems. The status and monitoring trends in the last 4 years are presented in the table below. For full details on IWM and AGM monitoring results, see: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/ois/monitor/index_en.html.
Average Availability of SYNOP, TEMP and CLIMAT data at MTN centres from RA V AGM: 1 to 15 October (2010–2013)
Surface (SYNOP) Upper-air (TEMP) CLIMAT Year Number of Reports Number Reports Number Reports stations received (%) of stations received (%) of stations received (%) 2010 400 75% 92 67% 253 82% 2011 400 79% 92 71% 251 80% 2012 399 74% 89 66% 248 81% 2013 393 77% 89 66% 246 75% Note: Results based on the RBSN/RBCN in RA V
Marine Observations
7. JCOMM-4 (Yeosu, Republic of Korea, May 2012) updated the Implementation Goals25 of the JCOMM Observations Programme Area (OPA). These are aligned with the ocean chapter of the GCOS Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in support of the
24 Upper-air: 00, 12 UTC. 25 http://www.jcomm.info/index.php?option=com_oe&task=viewDocumentRecord&docID=8930
RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(1), DRAFT 1, p. 41
UNFCCC (GCOS-138 in its 2010 update). They provide specific implementation targets for building and sustaining an initial global ocean observing system representing the climate component of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) and the ocean component of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). Although the baseline system proposed under the Implementation Goals was designed to meet climate requirements, non-climate applications, such as NWP, prediction of hurricanes (especially those providing upper ocean thermal profiles, sea surface temperature, and sea level pressure), global and coastal ocean prediction, and marine services in general, will be improved by implementation of the systematic global observations of Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) called for by the GCOS-138 plan. JCOMM is also mindful of the emerging requirements for new technologies and observations, especially of biogeochemical variables, that have been outlined during the OceanObs’09 conference (Venice, Italy, September 2009). Coordination of this is being developed through the GOOS Framework for Ocean Observations.
8. JCOMM-4 also endorsed the future priority activities for the next intersessional period for the Observations Programme Area (OPA). Of particular relevance to RA V are: (i) JCOMM regional contribution to WIGOS implementation; (ii) the Association’s role in assessing and documenting regional ocean observational requirements; (iii) the contribution of the Members to the regional implementation of the JCOMM OPA implementation goals; (iv) enhanced cooperation with the industry, in particular for seeking the sharing of marine meteorological observations made by them; (v) development of synergies between the different ocean observing systems to exploit the potential of joint deployment opportunities, and to foster a common approach to sensor development and best practices; (vi) the promotion of pilot activities and new technologies; (vii) capacity development in the Region on the basis of the Partnership for New GEOSS Applications (PANGEA26) concept; (viii) enhanced traceability of ocean observations; and (ix) collecting and sharing instrument/platform metadata concerning marine meteorological and oceanographic observations to advance consistent, climate-quality, seamless data delivery both in near real-time and delayed mode.
9. While dramatic progress has been made since the beginning of the century in the implementation of the ocean observing networks in RA V thanks to prominent role of the regional association Members, no substantial progress has been noted in the last four years, except for the Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (RAMA) in the Equatorial Indian Ocean as 26 units (81%) of the 46 targeted network have been deployed. RAMA is a multi-national, multi-platform network designed to support climate forecasting and research as part of the Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS). Of particular interest in the Region are also: (i) the Argo profiling float programme (sustained at a level of 3000 units globally); (ii) the Tropical Moored buoy array in the Western Equatorial Pacific (TAO now complete with 67 units) and Eastern Equatorial India Oceans (RAMA); (iii) the global surface drifter network (1250 units globally, half of them with barometers); and (iv) Ship observations, and in particular the Voluntary Observing Ship (VOS) scheme (124 vessels recruited by 3 Members of the Association and operating in the Region), and the Ship of Opportunity Programme (SOOP), which is providing valuable upper ocean thermal data in real-time for climate monitoring, ocean forecasting, and tropical cyclone prediction. The number of Automatic Weather Stations installed onboard ships and providing hourly observations has increased leading to a continued increase in the total number of SHIP reports available on the GTS despite the reduced number of recruited vessels. Vandalism on data buoys, acts of piracy on ships in the Western part of the tropical Indian Ocean, and the cost of ship time have prevented assuring appropriate maintenance of the tropical moored buoy arrays, and are impacting the level of data availability in both the Indian and Pacific oceans (reduced to about 50% in 2013).
26 http://www.jcomm.info/pangea-concept
RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(1), DRAFT 1, p. 42
Aircraft Observations
10. The Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) observing system for collection of meteorological observations by commercial aircraft has now been fully integrated into the WMO World Weather Watch Programme as a component of the Global Observing System (GOS).
11. The growth and success of the AMDAR observing system27 arises chiefly from the fact that the system provides high-quality upper-air temperature and wind data, utilizing existing commercial aircraft sensors and avionics systems, therefore requiring a software deployment only to implement. The resulting vertical profile data is derived at only a fraction of the cost of comparative radiosonde data.
12. Following the cessation of the activities of the WMO AMDAR Panel at its 15th session in November 2012, the AMDAR programme is now under the joint responsibility of the Commission for Basic Systems (CBS) through its Expert Team on Aircraft-Based Observing Systems (ET-ABO) and the Commission for Instruments and Methods for Observation (CIMO) through its Task Team on Aircraft-Based Observations (TT-AO). Together these two teams will continue to coordinate and assist Members in activities to ensure the maintenance, expansion and further enhancement of AMDAR and other aircraft-based observing systems under the new Aircraft-Based Observations programme (ABOP).
13. In response to the rapid growth28 and demonstrated significant positive impact of AMDAR observations, the recently approved CBS Implementation Plan for the Evolution of Global Observing Systems (EGOS-IP), published as WIGOS Technical Report No. 2013-4, contains 6 global actions urging all Members to contribute to the further expansion and enhancement of AMDAR and aircraft-based observations. To assist Members in this development, the ABOP Strategy and Implementation Plan29 has been developed to form the basis for more detailed planning, expected to be developed and coordinated regionally as part of the Regional WIGOS Implementation Plan. This strategy and plan has been based to some extent upon the results of a recent WMO study coordinated by the ABOP, AMDAR Coverage & Targeting for Future Airline Recruitment (Feb 2013)30 and from which a list of high priority airlines for recruitment to the AMDAR programme have been identified.
14. From within ET-ABO, an expert from each WMO Region has been designated to initiate and coordinate the development of an ABOP Regional Implementation Plan (A-RIP) in consultation with the respective RA. The RAs will be invited to consider and review these plans and, if appropriate and approved by Members, also consider how best to integrate these plans into the infrastructure planning documents and processes of the RA. Dr Douglas Body of Australia has undertaken the role of ET-ABO Lead on RA V and has led the initial work on the draft A-RIP for Region V.
Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW)
15. The development and implementation of GCW is coordinated by the Executive Council Panel of Experts on Polar Observations, Research and Services (EC-PORS) on behalf of the Executive Council. The first GCW Steering Group meeting, Reykjavik, Iceland, 23-25 January 2014, finalized the GCW Implementation Plan31, agreed on the establishment of the core GCW network called CryoNet32, finalized the GCW working structure, suggested ways of collaboration with partners from the outside agencies, organizations and scientific associations and
27 See: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/GOS/ABO/AMDAR/AMDAR_System.html 28 See: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/GOS/ABO/data/ABO_Data_Statistics.html#hist_gts 29 See: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/GOS/ABO/documents/ABOP_Strategy_Implementation_Plan_V2013.1A.pdf 30 See: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/GOS/ABO/AMDAR/resources/AMDAR_Coverage_Recruitment_Study.html 31 http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/polar/GCW/GCW_IP.pdf 32 http://globalcryospherewatch.org/cryonet/stations.php
RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(1), DRAFT 1, p. 43 made suggestions on the GCW Portal33 and GCW website34. Deliberations of GCW Steering Group meeting were considered by the fifth session of EC-PORS, Wellington, New Zealand, 24-28 February 2014.
16. GCW also held its first workshop on the surface-based observation network, called “CryoNet”, November 2012, Vienna, Austria followed by the GCW CryoNet Asia Workshop35, Beijing, China, 3-5 December 2013 and the first session of the GCW CryoNet Task Team36, Reykjavik, Iceland, 20-23 January 2014. CryoNet is one of the four observing components of WIGOS and will initially be comprised of existing stations/sites, rather than creating new sites. CryoNet stations will agree to provide prescribed sets of measurements taken according to GCW standards, guidelines and best practices, thus ensuring high quality data for scientific research and operational use. Over 100 sites were proposed for consideration to be included in the Baseline, Reference and Integrated sites of CryoNet. The CryoNet Task Team is developing a draft Primer to CryoNet (Guide) based on available guidelines and inputs from contributors and through extensive discussion with partners. The Primer to CryoNet will become a resource for the WIGOS Regulatory Material. Members of the Region are encouraged to contribute actively to the development of CryoNet and enhanced cryospheric observing in the Region. It is noted that many of the cryospheric networks are external to WMO, so partnering will be essential.
17. Thanks to the increased support of Norway, the development of the GCW portal (operated by met.no) has further progressed. The portal will ensure access to real-time, near real-time and historical cryospheric data and products through WIS. Thanks to USA, the GCW website offers complete information on the development and implementation of GCW, including several GCW monitoring products as “the Watch” component of GCW.
18. The GCW Implementation Plan identifies the need for a “Project Office”. This could be in the WMO Secretariat or hosted by a Member or Members, or a combination. Currently funds do not exist for a full-time permanent staff member in WMO to support GCW. Lack of a Project Office or Secretariat staff will seriously limit GCW implementation and Members are encouraged to discuss the feasibility of hosting a Project Office in RA V.
19. The limited funds available in the Regular Budget for GCW have been invaluable in supporting GCW tasks/activities only. The Trust Fund resources have funded a part-time staff person to support PORS and GCW activities. GCW will need additional resources to move forward as planned. Contributions to the EC-PORS Trust Fund would help immensely to continue these activities.
WMO Polar Activities
20. The EC Panel of Experts on Polar Observations, Research and Services (EC-PORS) was established by EC to assist in its oversight of WMO Polar Activities. The aim is to bring observations, research and services together allowing WMO to maximize the value of its and its partners’ investments in Polar Regions. The fifth session of EC-PORS was held in Wellington, New Zealand, 13-15 March 2013. The emphasis for this meeting was to review its activities and to develop guidance to EC-66 and Cg-17 on WMO Polar activities, especially the Antarctic Observing Network (AntOn), the Global Integrated Polar Prediction Systems (GIPPS), the International Polar Initiative (IPI) and the WMO Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW).
21. The Steering Group for a Long-term Corporate Polar Initiative has proposed the concept of the International Polar Initiative (IPI). IPI is proposed as a cooperation framework to address the
33 http://gcw.met.no/metamod/search 34 http://globalcryospherewatch.org/ 35 http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/polar/index_en.html 36 http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/polar/index_en.html
RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(1), DRAFT 1, p. 44 fast and dramatic transformations of the Polar Regions that impact their environment, economy, the life of local residents and lead to significant global implications. The framework envisages preparation of a common IPI Implementation Plan for the development of observing systems, research, services, related education and outreach, and practical applications of scientific knowledge in the Polar Regions. One of the motivations for IPI is to optimize the use of existing resources and, at the same time, identify areas where new investments in polar activities are necessary for environmental protection, sustainable development of the regions, and addressing existing and emerging societal needs. Existing polar programmes and infrastructure, including the legacy of the recently concluded International Polar Year 2007-2008, will provide initial building blocks for IPI. Given the many commonalities between the polar and alpine regions, involvement of the alpine research community in IPI is considered.
Terrestrial observations – Water cycle
22. Cooperation between WMO and the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) within the framework of the Hydrology Domain Working Group (DWG) has resulted in WaterML 2.0 (an encoding standard for the representation of in-situ hydrological and hydrogeological observations data in a variety of exchange scenarios) being adopted as an OGC Standard (http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/waterml). Such standards are important to improve service delivery of key CHy programmes including WHYCOS and the WMO Flood Forecasting Initiative. CHy, by its Resolution 3 (CHy-14) has decided to commence a process, including testing, that could see the potential adoption of WaterML 2.0 as a WMO standard for information exchange managed by WMO (supported by the WMO/OGC MOU) and to register this standard as a joint WMO/ISO standard.
23. The Global Runoff Data Centre (GRDC) has been tasked by CHy (Resolution 6 (CHy-XIII)) with the development of the metadata profile, under the overall guidance of WIS/WIGOS to form part of the WMO Core Profile of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Metadata Standard. CHy-14 subsequently stressed that such a profile is a working document and would evolve with time.
24. At the WMO/OGC Hydrology DWG workshop (Quebec City, Canada, 17-21 June 2013), the HY_Features model was widely accepted as the overarching reference model for referencing the types of hydrologic features that may have persistent identity across multiple data systems and the definitions captured in the model are based on semantics defined within WMO standards and official literature. The Association encouraged further work by WMO in the evaluation of the usefulness and suitability of the HY_Features model to WMO applications.
25. During its Sixth Panel Session (Koblenz, Germany 12-14 June 2013), two new network member organizations were included in the “network of networks” of global data centres, namely the International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN) as the custodian of global terrestrial data on soil moisture and the French Space Agency (CNES/LEGOS) as provider of radar altimeter information on the stage of lakes and rivers.
26. The areas of areal precipitation; altimetric observations of water levels in large rivers, lakes and reservoirs; soil moisture; and snow cover characteristics (snow cover boundaries and snow water equivalent) were identified by CHy-14 as the four top requirements from the water sector regarding satellite data. EUMETSAT is investing in the development of new satellite products targeted for operational usage in hydrology in the framework of the Satellite Application Facilities (SAF) programme, namely EUMETSAT Hydrology SAF (EUMETSAT H-SAF). These will require further development and assist in the promotion of satellite-based applications in hydrology and water resources.
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APPENDIX C: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
WMO SPACE PROGRAMME REPORT
References:
1. Descriptions of the satellite programmes, systems, and instruments can be found in the OSCAR/Space on-line resource: http://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/spacecapabilities. (Type a satellite or instrument name in the “Quick Search” window on top right of the screen to navigate to the required information)
2. Updated summary of satellite status and plans: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/sat/satellitestatus.php
3. CBS-15 guidelines on user readiness for new-generation satellites (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/sat/documents/SAT-GEN_CBS-15- GuidelineUserReadiness.pdf)
4. Satellite User Readiness Navigator (SATURN) portal: https://www.wmo- sat.info/satellite-user-readiness/
5. Resolution 12 (EC-65) - Regional Requirements for Satellite Data Access and Exchange in the Abridged Final Report of the Sixty-Fifth Session of the Executive Council (WMO-No. 1118)
6. Online Product Access Guide: https://www.wmo-sat.info/product-access-guide
7. WMO-CGMS Virtual Laboratory for Education and Training in Satellite Meteorology: http://vlab.wmo.int; VLab Regional Focus Group for RA V: http://www.virtuallab.bom.gov.au/training/regional-focus-group-weather-and-forecast- discussion-links/
8. Best storm tracks by RSMC-Tokyo Typhoon Centre: http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/jma- eng/jma-center/rsmc-hp-pub-eg/trackarchives.html
9. Polar Space Task Group: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/sat/pstg_en.php
Continuity of satellite observations
1. Satellite observations of particular importance to RA V are provided by the geostationary satellite systems operated by CMA (China), EUMETSAT, IMD (India), JMA (Japan), KMA (Republic of Korea) and NOAA (USA) at the following nominal operational locations:
(a) Over the Indian Ocean: EUMETSAT Meteosat-7 IODC at 57.3°E, IMD INSAT-3D (declared operational on 15 January 2014) at 82°E, CMA FY-2D (86.5°E) and FY-2E (105°E);
(b) Over the West Pacific: CMA FY-2F (112°E, stand-by), KMA COMS (128.2°E), JMA Himawari-6 (MTSAT-1R; 140°E) and Himawari-7 (MTSAT-2; 145°E); RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(2), DRAFT 1, p. 6
(c) Over the East Pacific: NOAA GOES-15 (West) at 135°W.
Preparing users to new generation of geostationary satellites
2. The next generation GOES spacecraft (GOES-R, S, T, U) will be deployed operationally in the 2016-2035 time frame at 137°W and 75°W (see reference 1). The precise deployment schedule will be defined in due time by NOAA based on technical constraints and operational priorities. The GOES-R Proving Ground initiative is a collaborative effort by NOAA and a number of partners to prepare for the use of the GOES-R system in developing and evaluating products, and training forecasters to use them, several years in advance of the launch of the satellite through the use of simulated data. (http://www.goes-r.gov/users/proving-ground.html)
3. The next generation Himawari spacecraft (8-9) will be deployed operationally in the 2015-2031 timeframe at 140°E (see reference 1). JMA provided early information on access and use of Advanced Himawari Imager data https://mscweb.kishou.go.jp/himawari89/index.html).
4. The next generation FY-4 spacecraft will be deployed operationally in the 2017-2040 timeframe at 86.5°E (see reference 1). CMA presented FY-4 in a side event to EC-65 (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/sat/meetings/documents/EC-65-SideEvent- UserPrep_Doc_05_CMA.pdf)
5. CBS recognized that the new generation of meteorological geostationary satellites of NOAA, ISRO, JMA, CMA, KMA, ROSHYDROMET and EUMETSAT will face users with unprecedented capabilities for nowcasting and short-range forecasting, but also challenges. A first challenge is the order-of-magnitude increase in the amount of data generated from the advanced imagers and sounders. Novel data types need to be accommodated by operators and users and drive the need to develop more advanced interpretation and assimilation techniques (see reference 3).
6. Users require timely, technical information to exploit the new satellite generation systems. The new online SATURN (SATellite User Readiness Navigator) portal provides a single point of access to information pertinent to the user preparation for all new generation satellites (see reference 4).
Access to satellite data and products
7. The actual use of satellite data and products often remains below the capabilities of existing satellite systems. This discrepancy can be alleviated by raising user awareness and optimizing data dissemination programmes in a dialogue between users and providers. The EC has recommended setting up satellite user requirements groups in every WMO Region (see reference 5).
8. The Task Team on Satellite User Requirements (TT-SUR), initially established under the RA V Working Group on Infrastructure (WG-INFR), started to identify requirements for satellite observations and products. It has been operating through teleconferences and held a workshop. TT-SUR Terms of Reference and membership are indicated in the table below.
9. To facilitate discovery of and access to satellite data and products, the Secretariat developed an online Product Access Guide (see reference 6).
RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(2), DRAFT 1, p. 7
TASK TEAM ON SATELLITE USER REQUIREMENTS (TT-SUR) The Terms of Reference of the Task Team are: 1. Liaise with the WMO Space Programme and through it the Coordinating Group on Meteorological Satellites (CGMS) to attract contributions of all relevant satellite providers. 2. Follow the guidance provided by the WMO CBS “Procedure for Regional Data Requirements” and adapt it for optimum application in RA V. In particular: 2.1 Identify data & derived products available through existing communications services. 2.2 Gather information on existing products and related inventories with the help of the WMO Secretariat and data providers. 2.3 Review the potential sources of regional needs, including the outcome of WMO surveys on availability and use of satellite data. 2.4 Undertake further information gathering such as surveys as required, to ensure that views of WMO Members in the Region are adequately represented. 2.5 Analyze requirements for each category of product, and flag which requirements are not adequately met by existing services. Prioritize the unmet requirements. 2.6 With the WMO Secretariat, convene a workshop in the Region, and, as required, other data providers and specialists in the use of satellite data, and review the prioritized list of unmet requirements. 2.7 Formulate recommendations pertaining to the provision of existing data/products, including amendments of existing products or development of new products, evolution of data dissemination means, and a short-term action plan to implement these recommendations. 3. Prepare a final report by the end of 2013, including the latest status of requirements, the status of implementation actions, and a proposal for the regular review of the requirements in the longer term. 4. Represent the interests of the whole Region including WMO Members who have no direct representative in the Task Team; 5. Work in close collaboration with the Task Team on Pacific Satellite Communications, noting the significant overlap of the domain of interest. The members are: Ms Agnes Lane (Australia), Task Team Coordinator Edward H. Young, Jr. (USA) Mr Kelly Sponberg (USA) Mr Bryan Hodge (Australia) Mr Riris Adriyanto (Indonesia) Mr Paul Seymour (USA) Representatives of satellite providers (to be advised) Representative of the Secretariat
Building capacity in the use of satellite data and products
10. The Asia-Oceania Meteorological Satellite Users Conferences (AOMSUC) held annually since 2010 have emerged as the prime international forum for the satellite meteorology community in RA V and RA II. The fourth AOMSUC was hosted by BOM in Melbourne in October 2013. Excellent feedback from participants has shown benefit to both operational and research applications in Asia-Oceania. In conjunction with AOMSUC-4, the BOM organized a training workshop in satellite applications, and a RA V TT-SUR workshop.
11. The WMO-CGMS Virtual Laboratory on Education and Training in Satellite Meteorology (VLab) is a global network of specialized training centres and meteorological satellite operators working together to improve the utilization of satellite data and products. In 2013, the VLab organized more than 50 training events, mostly using distant learning techniques. In RA V, the Australia BOM VLab centre of excellence provides training services with support from JMA. In October 2013 it initiated monthly online Regional Focus Group discussions for forecasters. The RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(2), DRAFT 1, p. 8
VLab also organizes events to prepare users to the new satellites, such as the GOES-R event week and a Regional Focus Group discussion on Himawari-8 in October 2013 (see reference 7).
Case example: Satellite data assist in tracking Haiyan
12. A number of satellite data sources are used to monitor and forecast tropical cyclones or typhoons in RA V, including centre position, central pressure, maximum sustained wind, and direction and speed of movement. In the case of TC Haiyan (see Figure) the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre Tokyo – Typhoon Centre, hosted by JMA, received and used imager data from geostationary imagers (MTSAT-2 HRIT VIS and IR channels), microwave temperature and humidity sounder radiances from polar orbiters (NOAA-18/-19 and Metop-A/-B AMSU-A), scatterometer data (Metop-A/-B ASCAT), and microwave imagery (GCOM-W1 AMSR-2) (see reference 8). These data sources are critical for ensuring precise typhoon forecasts.
Figure: Typhoon Haiyan and tropical storm Podul tracked by RSMC-TC Tokyo in November 2013.
Satellite data in support of nowcasting
13. Satellite imagery are essential for nowcasting, especially in the absence of ground- based radar systems. The aim of the Sustained, Co-Ordinated Processing of Environmental Satellite Data for Nowcasting (SCOPE-Nowcasting) initiative launched in 2013 is to demonstrate continuous and sustained provision of consistent, well-characterized satellite products for nowcasting and severe weather risk reduction.
14. SCOPE-Nowcasting is establishing a collaborative network among experts, user institutions and satellite operators to sustain product dissemination and facilitate user uptake. It is being demonstrated through four pilot projects:
(a) Generation of basic satellite imagery and Red-Green-Blue (RGB) composite imagery for target areas of the Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project (SWFDP) in South-East Asia and the South-West Pacific; this involves CMA, JMA, KMA and BOM; RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(2), DRAFT 1, p. 9
(b) Advanced nowcasting of volcanic ash events by generating globally consistent volcanic ash retrievals;
(c) Advanced nowcasting of severe rainfall using blended satellite global and regional precipitation products;
(d) Dust monitoring and prediction products, aiming at consistent aerosol-related satellite retrievals; CMA, KMA and JMA are involved.
The SCOPE-Nowcasting inception and demonstration phase is to be completed by 2015.
Monitoring Antarctica
15. Since 2012, the Polar Space Task Group (PSTG) established under the EC Task Team on Polar Observations, Research, and Services (EC-PORS) initiated a coordinated space agency response to ice sheet observation requirements. Following a detailed 2013-2016 acquisition plan, coordinated interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery using multiple agency sensors covering Antarctica and Arctic areas is being recorded. The goal is to achieve full coverage of most of these areas for at least three consecutive years. Data acquisition currently involves the space agencies of Canada (CSA), Italy (ASI), and Germany (DLR), with the perspective to also use upcoming ESA and JAXA satellites. The data will be openly available and are expected to provide a significant improvement in monitoring and understanding ice sheet dynamics and mass balance, such as of the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet, and to contribute to further understanding ice sheet mass variability and its impact on sea level (see reference 9).
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RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(3), DRAFT 1, p. 5
APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
GLOBAL CLIMATE OBSERVING SYSTEM
References:
1. Resolution 15 (EC-64)
2. Resolution 29 (Cg-XVI) (ftp://ftp.wmo.int/Documents/PublicWeb/mainweb/meetings/cbodies/governance/congre ss_reports/english/pdf/1077_en.pdf#page=243)
3. Report of the Twenty-first Session of the WMO-IOC-UNEP-ICSU Steering Committee for GCOS, Offenbach, Germany, 22-24 October 2013, (GCOS-176)
4. Report of the Eighth GCOS Cooperation Mechanism Board Meeting, (GCOS-163), Reading, UK, 3 September 2012
5. Draft Report of TOPC-XVI, Ispra, Italy, 10-11 March 2014
6. Draft Report of AOPC-XIX, Ispra, Italy, 9-11 April 2014
7. Draft Report of the AOPC/AGG Network Planning Meeting, Ispra, Italy, 7-8 April 2014
8. The Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC (2010 Update), GCOS-138, WMO/TD-No. 1523)
9. Systematic Observation Requirements for Satellite-based Products for Climate - Supplemental details to the satellite-based component of the Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC - 2011 Update, (GCOS-154)
10. GRUAN Implementation Plan 2009-2013, (GCOS-134, WMO/TD-No. 1506)
11. GRUAN Manual (GCOS-170, WIGOS Technical Report No. 2013 – 02)
12. GRUAN Guide (GCOS-171, WIGOS Technical Report No. 2013 – 03)
13. GRUAN Implementation Plan 2013-2017, (GCOS-165)
14. GCOS Workshop on Observations for Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change, Offenbach, Germany, 26–28 February 2013, (GCOS-166)
1. Next steps in the GCOS Improvement and Assessment Cycle – a Contribution to GFCS
The GCOS Secretariat organized an expert Workshop on Observations for Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change, supported by the IOC of UNESCO and UNEP, to consider the climate observing requirements, hosted by the German Meteorological Service, Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), in Offenbach, Germany from 26-28 February 2013. The workshop considered RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(3), DRAFT 1, p. 6
the sectors of water resources management, coastal zone management, health, forestry and agriculture, energy, transport and discussed the cross-cutting issues: risk management, early warning systems, research, modelling and assessment, and data rescue and management.
2. GCOS Cooperation Mechanism
Recent initiatives to revitalize the GCOS upper-air and surface networks and to improve the overall performance of these important baseline networks since last year include direct renovation projects, the activities of the CBS Lead Centers for GCOS, and various training workshops. Of particular relevance for Members of RA V is, that:
(a) The supply of radiosondes and balloons to Gan, Maldives; Khartoum, Sudan; Rarotonga, Cook Islands; and Yerevan, Armenia was made possible through funding from Japan, Switzerland and United Kingdom;
(b) It is increasingly more evident that technical issues, failures in hydrogen generators and re-supply of consumables are resulting in significant downtimes for many of the GUAN stations. These issues are primarily due to lack of finance and often the long lead-times needed to get spend approval even for relatively small amounts of money. This is of particular relevance to a number of the Pacific Islands stations. GCOS is supporting where it can both with GCM funding and working with industry for a speedy resolution but immediate contact with the GCOS Secretariat when the issue is identified could help to lessen the downtime of the system. It is important that Members formally report to WMO and GCOS at the earliest opportunity on station closures or changes in practices which have an impact on the GSN and GUAN;
(c) The bi-annual CBS Lead Centre meeting for GCOS took place in Santiago, Chile from 8-10 October 2013, kindly hosted by the Dirección Meteorológica de Chile. This meeting focused on the Quality Management service provided by these Lead Centres, in terms of monitoring the network, diagnosing any issues and their methods of communication;
(d) In 2010 GCOS updated the minimum requirements for a GUAN station, to report temperature and wind to 30hPa and humidity to the tropopause, on at least 25 days each month. Members should note that the balloon size and how it is handled, has a significant impact on the burst heights achieved and thus every effort should be made to ensure the minimum requirement is reached for all GUAN stations;
(e) Whilst the majority of Region V Members are providing the monthly CLIMAT message, there are still a few that are not. It is important to remind Members on their commitment in providing the monthly CLIMAT message both for their GSN and RBCN stations. In support of this, a recommendation from the Lead Centre meeting in Chile was to organize a CLIMAT workshop in the Region and the Australian Lead Center was requested to investigate the feasibility of this.
3. GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN)
The GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN) is intended to provide long-term high-quality climate records of upper-air temperature, water vapour, and other key essential climate variables, particularly in the troposphere and in the lower stratosphere, by a combination of balloon borne and remote sensing state-of-the-art instrumentation, and will constrain and calibrate data from more spatially-comprehensive global observing systems, including satellites and current radiosonde networks (e.g., the GCOS Upper-Air Network (GUAN)). Its over-arching aim is to create an unimpeachable record of vertically resolved changes in atmospheric ECVs on multi- RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(3), DRAFT 1, p. 7
decadal timescales to support climate monitoring and climate change attribution activities and climate dataset development.
In 2009, the GRUAN Implementation Plan 2009-2013 was published and parts thereof were designated as a Pilot Project for the WMO Integrated Observing System (WIGOS). The strategy to implement GRUAN is described therein, complemented by the short- and medium-term GRUAN workplans which are updated on an annual basis. Recently, an update of the GRUAN Implementation Plan spanning the period 2013-2017 has been published.
Criteria for site assessment and certification, and the process for implementation, have been developed. The first official versions of the GRUAN Manual and Guide have been finalized. It is expected that specific details of, and information on, GRUAN from the forthcoming GRUAN Manual and Guide will be included in WMO regulatory material (currently for GOS and CIMO, and ultimately for WIGOS).
The role of WMO in GRUAN governance has been clarified following a meeting held under the auspices of WIGOS (January 2012, Geneva). Representatives of the WMO Technical Commissions (CBS, CIMO, CAS and CCl) are now officially represented at the Working Group on GRUAN, formerly called Working Group on Atmospheric Reference Observations.
GRUAN is envisaged to eventually consist of 30-40 sites, covering major climatic zones worldwide. To guide expansion from the current 16 sites, a dedicated expert meeting was held (June 2012, Fürstenwalde, Germany), which brought together experts from the main user communities of GRUAN data to develop the network design and expansion criteria.
The 6th Implementation and Coordination Meeting (ICM-6) was held from 10-14 March 2014, Washington, D.C., USA. ) focused on bringing additional data streams online within GRUAN.
The GCOS Atmospheric Observations Panel for Climate (AOPC) intends to conduct a scientific review of GRUAN's performance during its 2015 session.
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RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(4), DRAFT 1, p. 47
APPENDIX C: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
WMO INFORMATION SYSTEM
Migration to Table Driven Code Forms
The percentages of surface synoptic observations from RBSN stations at the main synoptic hours (00Z, 06Z, 12Z and 18Z) recorded as being provided in BUFR during the Special MTN Monitoring exercise of October 2013 are compared with the percent received in traditional alphanumeric code forms in Figure 1. Figure 2 provides the same information for upper air reports from RBSN stations for 00Z and 12Z. These show that upper air reports are almost all available in BUFR, but that migration of surface observations is less complete.
RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(4), DRAFT 1, p. 48
Percent received
0%
<45%
45-90%
>90%
Figure 1. Percentage of required RBSN surface reports received in TDCF (upper map) and traditional alphanumeric codes (lower map) during the monitoring exercise of October 2013.
RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(4), DRAFT 1, p. 49
Percent received
0 %
<45%
45-90%
>90%
Figure 2. Percentage of required RBSN upper air reports received in TDCF (upper map) and traditional alphanumeric codes (lower map) during the monitoring exercise of October 2013.
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RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(5), DRAFT 1, p. 5
APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
CLIMATE DATA MANAGEMENT AND APPLICATIONS
Climate Data Management Systems (CDMS)
1. The CDMS specifications document establishes a framework to define the required functionality of a CDMS. The framework comprises a set of inter-related components, each of which describes a specific functional requirement of a CDMS, and contains where appropriate, references to further information. All components are classified as being required (i.e. mandatory), recommended (i.e. best practice) or optional (more advanced functionality).
2. Through funding from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, BoM developed CliDE (Climate Data for the Environment) as a basic open source climate database with data rescue functionality. From late 2009 CliDE software and associated hardware were deployed in 14 Pacific nations and East Timor. Administrator and general user training were also provided to partner country NMHSs along with seeding CliDE with some data from colonial archives and partner country databases/spreadsheets.
3. A summary of the outcome of the CCl survey on Climate Data Management Systems can be found at http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/wcp/wcdmp/CDM_3.php.
Data Rescue (DARE)
4. The Digitisasi Data Historis (DiDaH) project, carried out jointly by the National Meteorological Services of Indonesia (BMKG) and the Netherlands (KNMI), is focusing on the digitization and use of high-resolution historical climate data from Indonesia (period 1850-present) and other Southeast Asian countries. The data will be incorporated in the data management system SACA&D that covers actual and historical (rescued) data provided by 8 partners: the NMHSs of Indonesia, Australia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC).
5. A number of regional data rescue activities are coordinated by ACRE, financed by the Asia Pacific Network (APN) Global Change Research CAPaBLE scheme, and run by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) in New Zealand: digitization of synoptic pressure stations in the South China Sea (1874-1909); extraction and digitization of pressure, temperature and precipitation from synoptic charts and extracts of ship logbooks in Australia and New Zealand (1879-1909); digitization of pressure observed at South Australian Lighthouses (second half 19th century); and the imaging of Clement Wragge’s Marine Log Extracts (1889-1903) for the Australasian region and the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
International Climate Assessment and Dataset (ICA&D)
6. Further information on ICA&D as well as SACA&D can be retrieved from http://eca.knmi.nl/icad.php and http://saca-bmkg.knmi.nl/, respectively.
7. With the purpose to strengthen the regional collaboration in SACA&D, a delegation of BMKG and KNMI paid visits to the NMHSs of Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam in 2013. In 2014 visits are foreseen to the NMHSs of Myanmar, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam and East Timor. RA V-16/Doc. 4.4(5), DRAFT 1, p. 6
8. In May 2014 the third “International ASEAN SACA&D Conference and Workshop” (IASCW-2014, Indonesia) will be held in conjunction with the “ACRE SE Asia Workshop” (Malaysia). Both workshops will provide training on data rescue and data management aspects, thereby serving climate research and climate services in the SE-Asian region. IASCW-2014 is a sequel of the “International Workshop on the digitization of historical climate data, the new SACA&D database and climate analysis in the ASEAN region” (Indonesia, April 2012).
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RA V-16/Doc. 4.5(1), DRAFT 1, p. 4
APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
1. The Association was informed of the wide array of planning and coordination meetings that WCRP has conducted in the Region since the fifteenth session of the Association, including:
(a) The CLIVAR Indonesian Throughflow Task Team meeting “Developing an Effective Monitoring Programme of the Indonesian Throughflow” (Jakarta, Indonesia, March 2012);
(b) The 7th CLIVAR Pacific Panel meeting, (Noumea, New Caledonia, France, April 2012);
(c) The 11th Session of CLIVAR Working Group on Ocean Model Development, the 8th Session of the CLIVAR/CliC/SCAR Southern Ocean Panel and the Working Group on Ocean Model Development Workshop on Sea Level Rise, Ocean/Ice-Shelf Interaction, and Ice Sheets (Hobart, Australia, February 2013);
(d) The Third Workshop on the Evaluation of ENSO Processes in Climate Models (Hobart, Australia, January 2013);
(e) The Global Ocean Sub-Surface Climate Data meeting of the CLIVAR Global Synthesis and Observations Panel (Hobart, Australia, June 2013);
(f) 21st Session of the WCRP “Stratospheric-tropospheric Processes and Their Role in Climate (SPARC) Project Scientific Steering Group (Queenstown, New Zealand, January 2014); and
(g) International Symposium on Sea Ice in a Changing Environment Hobart (cosponsored by WCRP CliC, Hobart, Australia, March 2014).
2. The Association noted with appreciation that WCRP led the development of the Research, Modelling, and Prediction Annex to the GFCS Implementation Plan, which was endorsed by the first session of the IBCS in July 2013. The Association also further noted that the Annex pays significant attention to the development of regional climate services. The research activities for the GFCS aim at establishing partnerships to conduct effective research in areas of initial priority for the GFCS and making the wealth of experimental climate information available to users. Also, they will create a scientific basis to account for climate information uncertainty in decision-making and will address a number of pressing science issues such as improved understanding of predictability and skill of prediction technologies.
3. The Association took note with interest that the WCRP JSC at its 34th session (Brasilia, Brazil, May 2013) endorsed the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) as a WCRP- recommended data and information access mechanism. Through ESGF, WCRP is enabling access to the climate model outputs and observational products for all scientists in the world, with data being available on the same grid, uniformly formatted and documented through the WCRP-led Observations for Model Intercomparison Projects (obs4MIPs) initiative. The first WCRP initiatives that use this mechanism are the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP), seasonal predictability experiments under the Climate system Historical Forecast Project (CHFP), and the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX). The Association recommended to Members to study effective ways of accessing and evaluating the vast amount of research-based climate information that WCRP makes available through ESGF.
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APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
WORLD WEATHER RESEARCH PROGRAMME
1. Nine experts from RA V (41 including experts from USA and UK) are currently members of five WWRP Working Groups (WGs), one WWRP Expert Team (ET), and three WGs of THe Observing system Research and Predictability EXperiment (THORPEX). These WGs and ET cover a wide field of expertise relevant to assessing the status of weather modification techniques, enhancing systematically the scientific understanding and improving the predictive skill of weather phenomena, especially high impact weather events, and establishing scientific procedures to evaluate forecasts, and ensure socio-economic use of forecasts.
2. Proactive steps are taken within WWRP to ensure a smooth post-THORPEX transition at the end of 2014. This transition will strengthen WWRP through capitalizing on the research momentum achieved within THORPEX. Actions are also underway to strengthen cooperation between WWRP and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), with the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme and other WMO Programmes and initiatives such as the Severe Weather Forecast Demonstration Project (SWFDP), including that in the South-West Pacific. This collaboration will ensure better integration of research projects and optimize the operational benefits that can be derived from mature research results.
3. The sixteenth session of the Commission for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS-16) was successfully held in Turkey, in November 2013. CAS-16 indicated the scientific challenges in developing high-impact weather research, water modelling, research and services for megacities and large urban complexes, and effective use of evolving technologies. Dr Gilbert Brunet (United Kingdom) was selected as Chair of WWRP Science Steering Committee (SSC) until the end of 2014 and Dr Sarah Jones (Germany) will proceed from the beginning of 2015.
4. The preparation for the World Weather Open Science Conference (WWOSC), scheduled for 16 to 21 August 2014 in Montreal, Canada, is proceeding well. An International Organizing Committee (IOC) and all conference sub-structures have been established with broad international representation. The overarching theme of the WWOSC is the Seamless Prediction of the Earth System: from minutes to months. A strong focus will be placed on applications in key sectors and on the active involvement of early career scientists, especially those from developing countries, LDCs and SIDS.
Nowcasting and Mesoscale Weather Forecast Research
5. Noting that there are growing common scientific interests and activities between the Working Group on Nowcasting Research (WGNR) and the Working Group on Mesoscale Weather Forecasting Research (WGMWFR) of the Commission of Atmospheric Sciences (CAS), the Association noted the recommendation of CAS-16 on merging the WGNR and WGMWFR to further strengthen the collaboration between these two working groups.
Tropical Meteorology Research
6. The 2nd International Conference on Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclones and Climate Change was held in New Delhi, India from 14 to 17 February 2012. This Conference, the second in the series, organized by the Expert Team on Climate Impacts on Tropical Cyclones of the WWRP Working Group on Tropical Meteorology Research (WG TMR) was aimed at advancing the science RA V-16/Doc. 4.5(2), DRAFT 1APPROVED, p. 5
of climate change impacts of tropical cyclones, particularly for nations surrounding the Indian Ocean. Building on the success of this Conference for the Indian Ocean region, WWRP WGTMR may plan a similar conference in other regions affected by tropical cyclones.
7. In view of the growing significance of ensemble forecasts in improving forecast performance, the WWRP aimed to further enhance forecaster's understanding and use of these forecasts by organizing a session on tropical cyclone ensemble forecasting during the International Training Course on Tropical Cyclones held in Nanjing, China in December 2011. The WGTMR also organized the 7th International Workshop on Tropical Cyclones (La Réunion, November 2010) and the 5th International Workshop on Monsoons (Macao, China & Hong Kong, China, October 2013) during the intersessional period. These quadrennial workshops, served as a forum to facilitate the exchange of scientific information between researchers and forecasters which brings about significant gains in terms of improving monsoon and tropical cyclone forecasting. Currently underway is the organization of the 8th International Workshop on Tropical Cyclones which will be held in Jeju, Republic of Korea, from 2 to 10 December 2014.
8. To further improve understanding on tropical cyclones and monsoons, the WWRP Working Group on Tropical Meteorology Research (WGTMR) published technical books and scientific articles and also organized training events on an almost yearly basis. These activities especially benefited early career scientists from least developed and developing countries in the tropics including those in RA V.
9. Most WWRP Forecast Demonstration Projects/Research and Development Projects (FDPs/RDPs) are designed to respond to regional needs. Current WWRP FDPs/RDPs include the Typhoon Landfall FDP, South China Monsoon Rainfall Experiment (SCMREX), and North Western Pacific Tropical Cyclone Ensemble Forecast Project (NWP-TCEFP). The WWRP is also involved in WMO SWFDPs. WMO gives high importance to these projects in light of the recent increase in the frequency or severity of extreme weather events indicating an increasing threat to lives and property especially to developing countries and small island states.
Societal and Economic Research and Applications
10. The WWRP Working Group on Societal and Economic Research Applications (WG SERA) is currently developing a SERA RDP: Understanding the societal and economic dimensions of weather-related warning systems. This involves the development of a research and application framework (essentially sets of hypotheses and evaluation methods/designs) with the identification of projects/case studies. Relevant aspects will be abstracted and/or extended from the cases through add-on or complementary studies as resources permit. The projects include new long-term WWRP endeavours such as the three THORPEX legacy projects (S2S, PPP, and HIWeather) as well as activities outside of CAS, for example, the JCOMM/CHy Coastal Inundation Forecast Demonstration Project (CIFDP) which is developing case studies in Bangladesh, Fiji and the Dominican Republic.
11. The WWRP Working Group on Societal and Economic Research Applications (WG SERA) was held in Melbourne, Australia in July 2012, in conjunction with the Workshop on Communicating Risk and Uncertainty organized by WG SERA (The WG report is available at http://goo.gl/nDfFDS). The workshop combined SERA members expertise with that of invited Australasian researchers and practitioners to update and report on current and cutting-edge research across two of the SERA research priorities: understanding and improving the use of weather information in decision-making; and understanding and improving the communication of weather forecast uncertainty. The workshop provided a forum for a research discussion concerning the effective communication of uncertainty and risk in weather and warning messages in RA V.
RA V-16/Doc. 4.5(2), DRAFT 1APPROVED, p. 6
12. The WG SERA continuously provides guidance to assess user needs/requirements and to study/facilitate the use of new tools and information to evaluate benefits and performance to some of the WWRP FDPs and RDPs and three THORPEX legacy projects.
Weather Modification Activities
13. The weather modification activities are pursued in many countries and several major research programmes in this field have been initiated in the past few years such as enhancing rainfall, suppressing hail, and fog and haze dispersal. The updated document of the “WMO Statement on Weather Modification” prepared by the Expert Team on Weather Modification (ETWM) in 2010 is available online at http://goo.gl/Gr69DC). Indonesia and, in particular, the Indonesian Agency for the Assessment and Application Technology hosted the 10th Scientific Conference on Weather Modification, in Bali in October 2011.
14. The Association noted the lack of contributions to the Weather Modification Research Trust Fund from Members. This holds a considerable risk to future activities, including the quadrennial organization of the International Conference on Weather Modification Research and the review of the scientific status and guidance material on weather modification. The Association noted the recommendation of the sixth meeting of the WWRP JSC that the activity on weather modification be considered to continue for another two years with limited financial support from the trust fund, followed by a final review on its future. The Association urged Members with an interest in this activity to contribute to the Trust Fund for Weather Modification to sustain and continue the activities in advancing the practice of sound science in weather modification.
THORPEX
15. THORPEX was established in 2004, by Resolution 12 (Cg-XIV). It aimed to accelerate improvements in the accuracy of one-day to two-week high impact weather forecasts for the benefit of society, the economy and the environment. The comprehensive review of THORPEX progress was completed during 2012 and it is planned to prepare a detailed summary report of the successes and achievements of the experiment at the end of 2014.
High-Impact Weather (HIWeather) Research Project
16. The outline and executive summary of the draft High Impact Weather (HIWeather) Research Project was developed in 2013 under the auspices of the WWRP and THORPEX as a post-THORPEX legacy project. The scope and limits of the project are defined by a set of weather- related hazards and corresponding applications. The project covers timescales of minutes to two- weeks but it supported the special emphasis given to shorter timescales (minutes to a few days), higher resolutions and coupling between the atmosphere and surface processes, including hydrological processes.
17. In addition to promoting research to advance the prediction of high-impact weather events, the WWRP will also consider promoting research in the prediction of the societal impacts of these high-impact weather events.
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RA V-16/Doc. 4.5(3), DRAFT 1, p. 5
APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
GLOBAL ATMOSPHERE WATCH PROGRAMME
1. The Association noted with appreciation the success of the sixteenth session of the Commission for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS-16), especially the session on scientific challenges and opportunities in developing high-impact weather research, modelling and prediction of the water cycle, Integrated Greenhouse Gas Information System (IGIS), aerosol research, research and services for large urban complexes, and evolving technologies. The Association also noted that Prof Greg Carmichael was selected as Chair of the Environmental Pollution and Atmospheric Chemistry (EPAC) Scientific Steering Committee (SSC).
2. The Association appreciated the good progress made in the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme with important activities taking place in the Region and high support by several Association Members. Recognizing the importance of these activities, it recalled that the Addendum for the period 2012-2015 to the GAW Strategic Plan: 2008-2015 [GAW Report No. 197 available at http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/gaw/documents/FINAL_GAW_197.pdf], approved by Cg-XVI, contains the tasks to be undertaken in the GAW Programme in the mentioned years, and requested Members and contributing partner organizations and institutes to act upon these tasks and recommendations.
3. The Association noted that currently GHG emission reductions are monitored through self-reported inventories, but that it has become increasingly clear that these alone are not enough, as inventories require independent verification. To be useful for verification on policy-relevant scales, independent analyses are best derived with inverse modelling (where atmospheric observations are used to constrain numerical models). Because there are large reservoirs of carbon in the terrestrial and oceanic environment that exchange with the atmosphere, the verification process must be able to separate human from natural influences if it is to inform policy or engineering decisions. This would require an IGIS that is global in scale, but also addresses sub-continental, policy-relevant regions.
4. The Association welcomed the important steps taken by Germany towards an integrated approach and operational use of ceilometer and lidar data [http://www.dwd.de/ceilomap]. These applications will serve aviation security (volcanic ash, dust), NWP (data assimilation), SDS-WAS (data assimilation, model validation) and GAW (long-term monitoring). In this connection, the Association noted that a joint project between CAS, CBS and CIMO as a WIGOS Pilot Project on volcanic ash detection would be a welcome initiative. A successful volcanic ash project in Europe could provide the basis for implementation of a similar system in other Regions, especially Region V, that are likely to have comparable problems.
5. The Association noted the importance that biomass burning plays in the Region on air quality and was pleased to note that WMO, together with IGAC and iLEAPS, have initiated the Interdisciplinary Biomass Burning Initiative (IBBI) to address this topic http://www.mpic.de/projects/ibbi.html.
6. The Association noted the recommendation from CAS-16 that the climate service needs for megacities and large urban complexes and enhanced information systems for greenhouse gases should be considered as priorities in GFCS in the future.
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7. Regarding urban issues, the Association recalled that over half the world’s population now resides in urban areas and that this portion is expected to rise to 70% by 2050, with the urban population growing to about 6.3 billion from the current 3.5 billion. Several geographical areas within the Association are affected by urbanization. Large urban complexes can face numerous potential meteorological and related environmental threats that will possibly be intensified by the effects of climate change. The Association recognized that urban areas need a new way of dealing with meteorological and environmental challenges and agreed with Cg-XVI that WMO GURME is well placed to address these issues. The Association further noted that the development of services for urban areas is being considered as a high priority for WMO (see item 5.1)
8. The Association welcomed the recent publication of the WMO/IGAC report “Impacts of Megacities on Air Pollution and Climate”, available at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/gaw/documents/GAW_205_DRAFT_13_SEPT.pdf. The report focuses on providing an initial assessment of what information is available on air pollution in megacities across the globe, including Jakarta and Manila. The Association noted that there is a large amount of work still to be done in this area, with air pollution causing shortening of life expectancies and large number of premature deaths globally, e.g., 1.3 million in 2008 in urban areas due to particulate matter (WHO). In this Region, biomass burning is one of the contributing factors.
9. The Association welcomed the activities of the GAW Programme on further building the observational capacity of Members through regular training and twinning activities. In this respect the Association recognized that the long-term support by Germany for the GAW Training and Education Centre (GAWTEC) is vital for the quality of observations made at the GAW stations. The Association welcomed participation of RA V representatives at every GAWTEC session since RA V-XV. Station operators were trained on aerosols, greenhouse gases, precipitation chemistry, reactive gases and UV radiation measurements.
10. The Association noted with satisfaction the initiative from CAS to improve cooperation between technical commissions and regional associations. Improved cooperation would lead to the general strengthening of the GAW network and its data quality, and availability to support assessments and policy development.
11. The Association acknowledged that new technologies in weather and related environmental monitoring observations, computing and social media will play an increasing role in developing and providing services. It requested WWRP and GAW to pay special attention to non- conventional observations and how these could be used through sophisticated data assimilation techniques as input to ultra high resolution models and the verification of predictions.
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APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
WCRP, WWRP AND GAW JOINT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Model development and Numerical Experimentation
1. WGNE has an important role in bridging the weather and climate modelling and research communities and as a forum of major modelling centers, to review progress in model development as well as model, data assimilation, and ensemble technique intercomparisons, and in coordination of plans and projects aimed at improving models and forecast skill.
2. The 28th session of WGNE in 2012 decided to maintain a strong liaison with the Data Assimilation and Observing Strategies (DAOS) Working Group of THORPEX, which will, after the conclusion of THORPEX, be incorporated under the World Weather Research Programme (WWRP) by including a DAOS ex-officio member in WGNE.
3. The Transpose-Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (Transpose-AMIP) focuses on climate models being run in weather forecast mode starting from a common analysis. This project aims to explore and understand the longer timescale biases in climate models and compare them to those at shorter timescales in Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models. Recent results have highlighted some shortcomings in many models, for example in cloud and boundary layer structure representation in cold air outbreaks.
4. The Grey Zone project, a joint project between the Global Atmospheric System Studies (GASS) and WGNE, focuses on the behavior of atmospheric models at horizontal resolutions in the range of 1 to 10 kilometers, i.e., at typical scales of atmospheric key processes such as convection. This work is of great relevance for future atmospheric models at all time ranges and encouraged WGNE to continue its active participation in this project.
5. The Madden Julian Oscillation Task Force (MJO-TF), responsible for research on the MJO, is now reporting to WGNE and is actively engaged in the implementation of the joint WWRP- WCRP Sub-seasonal to Seasonal Prediction project (S2S).
6. There is emerging cooperation between WGNE and the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme, including the focus on aerosols and GAW Urban Research Meteorology and Environment (GURME).
7. The recently established WGNE intercomparison projects on orographic drag and on the role of aerosol in atmospheric models are being led by Canada and Brazil, respectively.
8. The WWRP-THORPEX/WCRP Year of Tropical Convection (YOTC) project (yotc.ucar.edu) has resulted in significant advances in understanding and modelling of tropical convection and its organization into complex multiscale precipitation systems that are often associated with extreme weather, such as monsoon floods and breaks, intraseasonal oscillations and tropical cyclones, with particular emphasis on the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO).
9. YOTC project and THORPEX will formally conclude at the end of 2014, but research will continue as part of the MJO Task Force in particular through their research initiative on MJO interactions with the Maritime Continent. A continued focus on improving understanding and modelling of organized convection at the intersection of weather and climate (sub-seasonal to seasonal) time scales to improve operational weather and climate predictions is required. RA V-16/Doc. 4.5(4), DRAFT 1, p. 4
Forecast Verification Research
10. Following the publication of the “Verification Methods for Tropical Cyclone Forecasts” and the special issue of Meteorological Applications in June 2013, the Joint Working Group on Forecast Verification Research (JWGFVR) is currently working on two guidance documents, i.e. verification of precipitation forecasts and verification of mesoscale model forecasts.
11. JWGFVR is actively involved in various WMO projects including: the Commission for Instruments and Methods of Observation (CIMO)/Solid Precipitation Instrument Calibration Experiment (SPICE), Forecast and Research in the Olympic Sochi Testbed (FROST 2014) (a WWRP Forecast Demonstration Project (FDP)/Research and Development Project (RDP) for the Sochi Olympics), South China Monsoon Rainfall Experiment RDP(SCMREX), Typhoon Landfall FDP, Polar Prediction Project, Sub-seasonal to Seasonal Prediction Project, and WMO Severe Weather Forecast Demonstration Projects (SWFDPs). The working group is tasked to ensure the use of appropriate verification methods in these projects.
Sub-seasonal to Seasonal Prediction
12. The Sub-seasonal to Seasonal Prediction project (S2S) was established as a joint WWRP-WCRP effort to address the forecasting time scale that has traditionally been regarded as scientifically challenging, at the interface between weather and climate. The detailed S2S science and implementation plan has been developed and is available at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/wwrp/new/documents/S2S_Implementation_plan_final.pdf
13. EC-64 approved the S2S project and the establishment of its Trust Fund and International Coordination Office (ICO) as support mechanisms. The Association extended its appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Korea for hosting the ICO in Jeju. WMO and the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during EC-65 to formalize the S2S ICO.
14. S2S has established constructive cooperation between the weather and climate research communities. Improvements in the predictive skill and use of sub-seasonal to seasonal predictions could not only benefit shorter-range weather but also longer timescale climate predictions as well as contribute towards improved climate services within the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS).
15. The S2S Steering Group has been established and the Group is developing five sub- projects (extreme weather, monsoons, MJO, Africa, and verification) to address the specific challenges of this time range.
16. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and China Meteorological Administration (CMA) have committed to undertake the S2S database archiving and to provide related data services.
Links between the Polar Prediction Project and the WCRP Polar Climate Predictability Initiative
17. Significant progress has been made in the implementation of a Polar Prediction Project (PPP). This follows from the discussion at CAS-XV on the recommendation by the Executive Council Panel of Experts on Polar Observations, Research and Services (EC-PORS) that the design and development of polar prediction systems is an important task that will require effective collaboration across WWRP (including THORPEX), GAW and WCRP along with other partners, as appropriate. RA V-16/Doc. 4.5(4), DRAFT 1, p. 5
18. The detailed science and implementation plans for the PPP have been developed and are available at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/wwrp/new/polar_prediction_research_project_main_page.html
19. PPP constitutes the hourly to seasonal research component of the WMO Global Integrated Polar Prediction System (GIPPS), while the WCRP Polar Climate Predictability Initiative (PCPI) is a longer-term component of GIPPS covering the time ranges from seasons to decades. It also noted that PPP and PCPI will have three shared initiatives. The growing cooperation between PPP and the WCRP PCPI should be further encouraged so that the two initiatives continue to engage closely and seek areas for active collaboration.
20. EC-64 approved the PPP and the establishment of a Trust Fund and an International Coordination Office (ICO) as support mechanisms. The Association extended its appreciation to the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Germany, for hosting the ICO for the project.
21. Rapid changes in Polar Regions, both in terms of the physical environment, as evidenced from the record sea-ice melting in the Arctic in recent Northern Hemisphere Summers, and with regard to the growing socio-economic needs, underscore the need for improved environmental predictions. Changes in the Polar Regions could also have consequences for weather and climate events that extend far beyond these regions. It is also noted that there are significant gaps in observational networks in the Polar Regions, in the understanding of key processes, and in modelling and predictions for weather and climate timescales.
Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System (SDS-WAS)
22. Dust emissions represent an important natural source of atmospheric particulate matter on the global scale. There are important impacts of atmospheric dust on health, natural ecosystems (including acidification), and economical sectors, such as air and ground transportation, generation of solar energy and semiconductor industry, and the insurance sector, and it also plays an important role in weather and climate through direct and indirect aerosol effects.
23. EC-65 noted that CAS and CBS collaborated towards establishing the mandatory functions for a Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) with activity specialization in Atmospheric Sand and Dust storm Forecasts (RSMC-ASDF), as approved by CBS-15. Currently, regional nodes for SDS-WAS exist in USA, China and Spain. The SDS-WAS regional node in Barcelona, Spain, was recently designated as the RSMC-ADSF for Northern Africa (north of Equator), the Middle East, and Europe.
24. The Joint CBS-CAS Task Team on Atmospheric Sand and Dust Storm Forecasts is to prepare a study on the evaluation of dust prediction models to address concerns expressed at CBS-15 and report on it to the CAS Management Group (MG).
25. It is important to establish a SDS-WAS Steering Committee for global research coordination of regional activities. The SDS-WAS Science and Implementation Plan serves as a guide to the research community for further improvements of dust monitoring and forecasting.
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APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
COOPERATION BETWEEN WMO AND THE REGIONAL BODIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
1. WMO, through its Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific and the WMO Office for the South-West Pacific, have long-standing cooperation with UNESCAP, UNDESA, UNISDR, IOC/UNESCO, ASEANSCMG, SPREP, SOPAC Division of SPC, PIFS and ADPC. This cooperation led to several co-organized activities in the fields related to weather, climate and water.
2. The year 2014 is the year of consultation for drafting of the Post-2015 Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA-II) as well as the planning and preparation of the Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR-III), which will be held in March 2015 in Sendai, Japan. Consultation for, and contribution to, the zero and first draft of HFA-II for Members in the Pacific region will take place during the upcoming Pacific Platform Disaster Risk Management (PPDRM) scheduled to take place on 2-4 June 2014 in Suva, Fiji while the platform for the ASEAN Members will take place on 23-26 June in Bangkok, Thailand. The outcomes of these consultations will provide important contributions to the HFA-II preparatory process.
3. The Second meeting of the Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC-2) raised concern on the future of the Tropical Atmospheric Ocean/Triangular Trans-Ocean Buoy Network (TAO- TRITON) array and made a statement that the TAO-TRITON array is providing early warnings of El Niño and La Niña events and the associated climate forecasts that provide substantial benefit to the Pacific Islands communities. As such the PMC-2 requested that support for the TAO- TRITON array be maintained so that this valuable service can be continued.
4. The Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific and the WMO Office for the South-West Pacific are participating in various of activities of the UN system agencies in the Pacific region including the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2013-2017 and other initiatives, to increase inter-agency partnerships in support of national development priorities and strengthened capacities, as well as the implementation of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) decisions on global policies relating to climate change, disaster risk reduction, oceans, water and energy, at the sub-regional and country levels.
5. In August 2011, WMO and SPREP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to renew and further strengthen cooperative activities in the fields of weather, water, climate and climate change. This was followed by the signing of a Letter of Agreement (LoA) in October 2011 to support the operation of the Pacific Meteorological Desk Partnership (PMDP). SPREP and WMO, through its Office in Apia, are providing secretariat and technical support for the PMDP and subsequently to the Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC).
6. Rio+20 called for the hosting of a Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in 2014. In endorsing the 2014 SIDS Conference, the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA),held in September 2012, decided that the Conference should: (a) assess progress to date and remaining gaps in the implementation of Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA) and the Mauritius Strategy for Implementation (MSI); (b) seek a renewed political commitment by all countries to effectively address the special needs and vulnerabilities of SIDS; (c) strengthen collaborative partnerships between SIDS and the international community; and (d) identify priorities for the sustainable development of SIDS for the RA V-16/Doc. 4.7(1), DRAFT 1, p. 5
UN post-2015 development agenda. The UN General Assembly also adopted a decision to declare 2014 the “International Year of SIDS.” This conference will also provide input into the on- going development of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the post-2015 development agenda. The Government of Samoa will host the Conference from 1 to 4 September 2014 preceded by a week of preparatory activities and subsidiary meetings from the 25 to 29 August 2014. The theme proposed by Samoa for the Conference is “The Sustainable development of SIDS through Genuine and Durable Partnerships”.
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APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
INFORMATION AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN RA V
Introduction
1. A key priority for the WMO Information and Public Affairs (IPA) Programme has been to promote the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), including through the Extraordinary Session of Congress (October 2012), the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Board on Climate Services (July 2013), and various regional workshops and national programmes. The Communications and Public Affairs (CPA) Office will continue to actively raise awareness of the benefits of climate services.
2. The CPA Office has remained firmly committed to strengthening its interaction with IPA Focal Points at NMHSs and communications staff of UN system organizations for promoting WMO’s messages, developing materials and sharing best practices. This collaboration has contributed to meeting the needs of the media and the public at large for accurate and in-depth information about weather, climate and water and the value provided to society by NMHSs. The CPA Office also regularly sends by e-mail to Focal Points the daily update “In the Media” to inform NMHSs about the press coverage received by WMO and WMO issues.
3. The CPA Office has strengthened WMO’s outreach and messaging for its annual reports on the global climate and the ozone layer, as well as last year’s report on the Global Climate 2001- 2010. CPA has also worked closely with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to promote the Fifth Assessment Report and to engage NMHSs in this effort.
4. NMHSs were assisted every year in the celebration of the annual World Meteorological Day (WMD) as a way of increasing the visibility of NMHSs. With China’s invaluable support, WMO actively participated in the World Exposition 2010 in Shanghai, China, by organizing the first-ever WMO Pavilion (Meteo World). WMO also emphasized communications and outreach efforts at the annual conferences of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
5. CPA has greatly strengthened its outreach via social media and is collaborating in this area with a number of Members in the Region. WMO’s Facebook page now has nearly 15,800 fans – nearly three times the number of December 2012 – and a steadily increasing weekly reach, with peaks up to 80,000 people. CPA regularly shares RA V Members’ information and images on its Facebook page and has a strong fan base in several RA V Members (notably Indonesia and the Philippines). The Secretariat has actively used Twitter since mid-2012 and now has over 9,300 followers. Major WMO reports and events have reached a potential audience of over 2.5 million Twitter followers thanks to the active engagement of the wider UN family. The Secretariat regularly tweets RA V Members’ information on extreme events (heatwaves, tropical cyclones, etc.) and is eager to increase this activity. CPA will actively use social media as a tool for the International Year of Small Island Developing States.
6. The CPA Office has worked with and promoted the three regional climate centres and other relevant centres and institutes, such as the South East European Drought Management Centre and the Sand and Dust Warning Advisory and Assessment System. WMO, EUMETSAT, the UK Met Office and the European Meteorological Society organized a workshop for European NMHS communications officers in Reading, UK, on 9-11 September 2013. The CPA Office aims to pursue support and opportunities in other WMO Regions to achieve similar results.
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APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL PLANNING
Decisions of Congress and the Executive Council
WMO Strategic Plan and Operating Plan 2012-2015
1. Cg-XVI appreciated the active involvement of regional associations, technical commissions and the Secretariat, including Secretariats of WMO joint programmes, in the development of the WMO Strategic Plan 2012–2015, which ensured that the document reflected the collective view of all WMO constituent bodies. Cg-XVI indicated that the SP 2012-2015 should determine collective and coordinated activities of regional associations, technical commissions and the Secretariat through well defined programmes, projects and initiatives, as well as guide and motivate activities of Members and their National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs).
WMO Strategic Plan and Operating Plan 2016-2019
2. The decisions of the Sixteenth World Meteorological Congress (Cg-XVI, May/ 1 June 2011) on the preparation of the WMO Strategic Plan 2016-2019 are presented in paragraphs 8.5.1-8.5.5 of the Abridged Final Report with Resolutions and Resolution 38 (Cg-XVI) – Preparation of the Strategic Plan for 2016–2019.
3. Cg-XVI agreed that:
(a) The Global Societal Needs (GSNs) that formed the basis for the Strategic Plan for the period 2012–2015 and the Strategic Thrusts (STs) together with the Expected Results (ERs) should form the basis for the WMO Strategic Plan for the period 2016–2019;
(b) The strategic and operational planning for the period 2016–2019 should follow the structure of the Strategic Plan 2012–2015 (GSNs, STs and ERs) and the overall planning process, taking into account the evolution of the societal and economic needs of the Members, relevant international initiatives, and the challenges of climate variability and change; build on experiences gained from the two phases (2008-2011 and 2012-2015); further enhance linkages between SP, OP and RBB to facilitate the implementation of RBM and to improve Key Performance Indicators.
4. The decisions of the sixty-first session of the WMO Executive Council (EC-LXI, June 20092) that guided the preparation of the WMO SP 2012-2015 are presented in paragraphs 7.2.6-7.2.8 of the Abridged Final Report with Resolutions. They include:
1 ftp://ftp.wmo.int/Documents/PublicWeb/mainweb/meetings/cbodies/governance/congress_reports/english/pdf /1077_en.pdf
2 ftp://ftp.wmo.int/Documents/PublicWeb/mainweb/meetings/cbodies/governance/executive_council_reports/e nglish/pdf/61_session_wmo_1042_part1_en.pdf
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(a) To develop a plan that is concise and that can easily be understood by different audiences including decision-makes;
(b) To base the strategic direction of the Organization on identified global societal needs;
(c) To use the results chain Strategic Thrusts (STs) ► Expected Results (ERs) ►Key Outcomes (KO) ► Deliverables ►Activities as the structure of the strategic planning process. The STs and ERs are to be the backbone of the SP, and ERs further detailed by KOs, performance metrics, and deliverables to form the substance for the OP;
(d) To involve regional associations and technical commissions;
(e) To include the major achievement of WMO.
5. To implement the request of Cg-XVI to the Secretary-General to submit the first outline with possible scenarios to the sixty-fourth session of the Executive Council, the EC Working Group on WMO Strategic and Operational Planning (WG/SOP) held its first session in Geneva, from 2 to 4 April 2012. The EC WG/SOP considered the proposals provided by the Secretariat, which included the processes and timelines for preparing the SP and OP; the structure and outline of the next SP and OP, and scenarios for the next SP.
6. The sixty-fourth session of the Executive Council (EC-64, June/July 2012) considered the recommendations of its working group and decided to endorse the following parameters for the development of the next Strategic and Operating Plans:
(a) The SP and OP should be articulated as plans for the entire Organization;
(b) The structure of the SP should be simplified to reduce the layers that are currently GSNs-STs-ERs-KOs;
(c) The ERs should be proposed by the RAs in consultation with the TCs and the Programmes;
(d) Five priorities were adequate but they should be better integrated into the SP at an earlier stage, and their clarity should be improved;
(e) The SP should be shorter, more concise and simple. A short summary for the SP should be developed;
(f) Risks should be included in each section of the SP, rather than in a separate chapter;
(g) The Organization should have a single Operating Plan that includes the activities of RAs and TCs;
(h) The strategic planning process should be driven by the needs/priorities set by the Members (through RAs);
(i) KPIs should be measurable where possible, and clear milestones and responsibilities (Members, Secretariat, task forces and/or technical commissions) should be defined;
(j) The GSNs should represent global needs to which WMO activities can contribute to provide solutions;
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(k) The current WMO SP is adequate for the next planning cycle. However, key priorities that would guide the investments in the next financial period should be identified;
(l) The EC and WG/SOP should focus on developing a “single” operating plan for the next financial period.
7. The Council also agreed with the development of the next Strategic and Operating Plans based on the outlines of the SP and OP, and the proposed process and timeliness as given below in Tables 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
Table 1 The outline of the WMO Strategic Plan 2016–2019
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION Societal benefits of weather, climate and water services Purpose and context of the WMO Strategic Plan Structure of the WMO Strategic Plan 2016–2019 Global Framework for Climate Services
STRATEGIC THRUSTS LINKING TO EXPECTED RESULTS, KEY OUTCOMES AND KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Strategic Thrust 1: Improving service quality and service delivery Strategic Thrust 2: Advancing scientific research and application, as well as development and implementation of technology Strategic Thrust 3: Strengthening capacity-building Strategic Thrust 4: Building and enhancing partnerships and cooperation Strategic Thrust 5: Strengthening good governance Expected results, strategic priorities and potential risks shall be presented within each strategic thrust. Strategic thrusts are broad indications of strategic directions to address the global societal needs (GSNs) to achieve expected results. The ERs represent long-term objectives that WMO seeks to achieve in pursuing its mission. The key outcomes represent the expected effects of the achieved results on Members. The RAs will be requested to propose strategic priorities and activities focusing on their unique needs and those for the Organization. The priorities and activities of TCs should aim at addressing the needs of the RAs along with advancing global scientific research and applications.
WMO OPERATING PLAN
WMO RESULTS-BASED BUDGET
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
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Table 2 The proposed outline for WMO Operating Plan 2016-2019 I. Introduction The proposed structure of the OP puts all activities under the associated ER and KO for ease of monitoring and to make it easy to recognize commonality in the proposed activities. It is expected that the activities of the TCs will be aimed at addressing the shared and unique needs of RAs. II. WMO Programme activities planned for implementation in 2016-2019 II.1 Expected Result 1 II.1.1 KO1 for ER1 Funded programme activities, and In-kind activities of RAs and TCs II.1.2 KO2 for ER1 Funded programme activities, and In-kind activities of RAs and TCs II.2 Expected Result 2 II.2.1 KO1 for ER2 Funded programme activities, and In-kind activities of RAs and TCs II.2.2 KO2 for ER2 Funded programme activities, and In-kind activities of RAs and TCs . . . II.8 Expected Result 8 II.8.1 KO1 for ER8 Funded programme activities, and In-kind activities of RAs and TCs II.8.2 KO2 for ER8 Funded programme activities, and In-kind activities of RAs and TCs Annex on programmatic focuses in the implementation of Expected Results
List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
SCHEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF OP
Expected Result
Key Outcome
Activities funded from the regular budget (EC, RA, TC, Secretariat) In-kind activities of RAs and TCs
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Table 3 Proposed process and timelines for preparing the WMO Strategic and Operating Plans 2016-2019
1. Input to EC-64 (2012) a) EC WG/SOP considers the proposed structure, outline, scenarios and planning process (April 2012)-Done b) Secretariat prepares input to EC-64 based on the recommendations of WG/SOP (April 2012)-Done c) EC provides further guidance on GSNs, ST, ERs, Scenarios, and on the structures and outlines of SP and OP 2016-2019 (June/July 2012) d) Secretariat requests presidents of regional associations and technical commissions to submit strategic priorities focusing on their unique needs and those for the Organization. Proposals for Organization-wide priorities should take into consideration the strategic priorities for 2012-2015. The PRAs and PTCs will also be requested to provide activities relevant for addressing the proposed priorities. The MGs of RAs and TCs would assist the PRAs and PTCs to make submission without waiting for the sessions of the constituent bodies (September 2012)
2. Input to EC-65 (2013) a) Secretariat concludes the preparation of the draft SP and OP using the information from RAs and TCs (January 2013) b) PRAs/PTCs are requested to review the draft SP and OP and provide further input (January 2013) c) EC WG/SOP meeting to consider the draft SP and OP (April 2013) d) EC considers the draft WMO SP and OP, and provides guidance for further development (June 2013) e) Members are requested to review the revised draft SP and make input for further improvement (July 2013) 3. Input to EC-66 (2014) a) EC considers the revised draft SP and OP and makes appropriate recommendations to Cg-17 (June 2014) b) The Secretary-General submits to EC-66 the draft RBB proposal 2016-2019, that is based on the WMO SP and OP 2016-2019, for consideration (June 2014) 4. Input to Cg-17 (2015) a) The revised SP and OP are finalized for presentation to Cg-17 (October 2014) b) The revised RBB proposal 2016-2019 is finalized for presentation to Cg-17 (October 2014)
8. The PRAs were requested to provide input for the preparation of Strategic Plan on 28 September 2012 (ref.: P.RA-1744 of 1 August 2012) and Operating Plan on 30 December 2013 (ref.: P.RA-1752 of 27 November 2013).
Monitoring and Evaluation
9. EC-65 recalled the decisions of Sixteenth Congress (paragraphs 8.4.1-8.4.4) and EC-64 (paragraphs 4.8.16-4.8.17) with respect to further development and implementation of the WMO Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) System. The Council noted with appreciation the report of its Working Group on WMO Strategic and Operational Planning (WG-SOP) and agreed with its
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assessment that the M&E process was maturing and moving in the right direction. The Council noted that the Key Outcomes (KOs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were reviewed and the baselines and targets established for each KPI to facilitate the monitoring of progress to achieve results. It noted further the improvement in the level of response to the Survey on Impacts of Achieved Results on Members following its reopening as requested by EC-64. The Council observed that only a small fraction of NMHSs who responded to the questionnaire rated the level of utilization of WMO publications, and the quality of national and regional products as high to very high. The Council encouraged Members to continue with efforts to enhance the quality of products and make use of the various WMO publications to improve their services. The Council also continued to encourage Members to respond to the surveys to provide information that may help the Organization to focus its priorities on actions to address the needs of Members.
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RA V-16/Doc. 6, DRAFT 1, p. 5
APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
THE PROGRESS REPORT ON THE GLOBAL FRAMORK FOR CLIMATE SERVICES (GFCS)
References:
1. Provisional Report of the First Session of the Intergovernmental Board on Climate Services: https://sites.google.com/a/wmo.int/ibcs-1/documents-english 2. Abridged Final Report with Resolutions of EC-65 (Geneva, 15-23 May 2013, WMO-No. 1118: ftp://ftp.wmo.int/Documents/PublicWeb/mainweb/meetings/cbodies/governance/executive_cou ncil_reports/english/pdf/1118_en.pdf 3. Abridged Final Report with Resolutions of the Extraordinary Session of the World Meteorological Congress, Part I (Geneva, 29–31 October 2012), WMO-No. 1102, Resolution 1 (Implementation Plan of the Global Framework for Climate Services, and Resolution 2 (Establishment of the Intergovernmental Board on Climate Services): ftp://ftp.wmo.int/Documents/PublicWeb/mainweb/meetings/cbodies/governance/congress_rep orts/english/pdf/1102_Part1_en.pdf 4. Abridged Final Report with Resolutions of Sixteenth World Meteorological Congress (Geneva, 16 May–3 June 2011), WMO-No. 1077: ftp://ftp.wmo.int/Documents/PublicWeb/mainweb/meetings/cbodies/governance/congress_rep orts/english/pdf/1077_en.pdf 5. Report of the High-level Taskforce for the Global Framework for Climate Services: http://www.wmo.int/hlt-gfcs/downloads/HLT_book_full.pdf 6. Global Framework for Climate Services website: http://gfcs.wmo.int/
Background
1. Governments established the GFCS with a vision of enabling society to better manage the risks and opportunities arising from climate variability and change, especially for those that are most vulnerable to climate-related hazards. This is to be achieved by developing and incorporating science-based climate information and prediction into planning, policy and practice. The GFCS has five overarching goals:
(a) Reducing the vulnerability of society to climate-related hazards through better provision of climate information; (b) Advancing the key global development goals through better provision of climate information; (c) Mainstreaming the use of climate information in decision-making; (d) Strengthening the engagement of providers and users of climate services; (e) Maximizing the utility of existing climate service infrastructure.
2. To ensure that the appropriate operational mechanisms are in place to support effective climate services in the four priority areas, the GFCS has adopted a three-pronged implementation approach with focus at global, regional and national levels. The global level focuses on the production of global climate prediction products, establishment and maintenance of standards, data and products exchange and major capacity development initiatives. The regional level promotes consistent and integrated efforts across agencies and countries in order to avoid duplication and to optimize resources. Key to the regional level implementation is the operationalization of Regional Climate Centres (RCCs). At the same time, the regional approach is complemented by national initiatives that seek to develop nationally-tailored, climate-smart solutions to meet national needs. RA V-16/Doc. 6, DRAFT 1, p. 6
3. For the effective planning and coordination with partner agencies with respect to the GFCS implementation, a Project Oversight Board for the GFCS involving partner UN and international agencies was established by the WMO Secretary-General in the run up to IBCS-1. The Project Oversight Board is comprised of the International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), the World Bank (WB), the World Health Organization (WHO) and WMO. This coordination mechanism is still providing a platform for planning and coordination among partners and sharing of information related to implementation of GFCS-related activities.
4. The Secretary-General also established an Interagency Coordination Group (ICG) on the GFCS to contribute to the development of effective forms of cooperation between organizations of the United Nations system engaged in the planning and implementation of the GFCS across UN partner organizations. The ICG will broaden the base of the GFCS so that all UN partner organizations can better fulfil their functions according to their respective mandates within the UN system. The ICG is a high level coordination structure involving the heads of the following agencies: FAO, WFP, UNESCO, UNDP, UNISDR, WB, WHO and WMO.
5. An Atlas of Health and Climate was produced through collaboration between WMO and WHO. The Atlas was launched at the extraordinary session of the World Meteorological Congress and illustrates the geographical extent and impacts of climate-induced health epidemics and gives practical examples of how the use of weather and climate information can protect public health and improve health outcomes (http://www.wmo.int/ebooks/WHO/Atlas_EN_web.pdf). To further strengthen the collaboration with WHO, a joint WHO-WMO project office to support implementation of the health component of the GFCS is being set up. A similar office was established to support implementation of the water priority area.
6. A “Dialogue for Climate Services Users and Providers: Towards Implementation of the GFCS” was organized in Geneva, from 26 to 27 October 2012, as part of the extraordinary session of the World Meteorological Congress (29–31 October 2012). The dialogue was attended by more than 300 participants and allowed the sharing of experiences and lessons on the production and application of climate services in various socio-economic sectors, some of which were shown through 50 posters available at the Dialogue. In addition, seven side events organized by partners and WMO showed that collaborations between agencies are already happening but need to be further improved and streamlined, thus requiring appropriate partnerships.
7. A second dialogue under the theme “Operational Climate Services: a dialogue on practical action” was organized on 1 July 2013 as part of the first session the Intergovernmental Board on Climate Services, held from 1 to 5 July 2013. The Dialogue brought together participants representing providers and users of climate services and demonstrated the value of an organized and coordinated system to address the entire value chain for the production and application of climate services and provided examples of concrete activities from the global to the national levels.
8. With the approval of the Implementation Plan by the first session of the Intergovernmental Board on Climate Services (IBCS-1), the GFCS entered into an implementation phase. Regional and national consultations intended to identify gaps and needs and to establish the appropriate coordination mechanisms to support implementation of frameworks for climate services are being conducted. These consultations are providing valuable lessons for the development of guidelines to support Members in establishing frameworks for climate services (see http://gfcs.wmo.int/events). In this regard, a regional consultation on climate services for SIDS in the Pacific was organized from 31 March to 4 April 2014.
RA V-16/Doc. 6, DRAFT 1, p. 7
9. For the SIDS, two GFCS projects supported by Australia and Canada are under development. Australia provided a grant of CHF 350,000 to support an implementation plan and prototyping for Pacific Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) focusing on monitoring and predicting extreme weather and climate in the Region as well as support of data rescue in the Region. Part of the contribution of Canada (CHF 5.7 million) supports the institutionalization of Regional Climate Centres, Regional and National Climate Outlook Forums (RCOFs) in the South-West Pacific, development of tailored climate information products and improvement of Early Warning Systems.
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RA V-16/Doc. 8, DRAFT 1, p. 5
APPENDIX B: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION – NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
ACTIVITIES OF THE WMO REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC INCLUDING THE WMO OFFICE FOR THE SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC
Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific
Regional activities
1. The Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific (RAP Office) and WMO Office for the South-West Pacific continued efforts in supporting the work of Regional Association V (South-West Pacific), its president, vice-president and subsidiary bodies, and in providing assistance to Members in implementing the various programmes and activities in the Region in coordination with other WMO technical departments and offices. The Regional Office contributed to the further development of the RA V Strategic Operating Plan for 2012-2015, and conducted its advocacy role through missions to Members and representation at relevant regional events.
2. Regional events were successfully organized, including the Sixth Regional Conference on Management of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in RA V – Better Weather, Climate and Water Services for Sustainable Development (Jakarta, Indonesia, 30 April- 1 May 2014), the Regional Seminar on Climate Services in RA V (Honiara, Solomon Islands, 1-4 November 2011), and sessions of RA V Management Group and Working Groups. [The list of regional events in RA V (2010-2013) is given in RA V-16/INF. 3.]
Regional Collaboration
3. Collaboration was maintained and strengthened with UN system agencies and regional organizations including ADPC, ASEAN SCMG, SPREP, SOPAC Division of SPC, PIFS, ICAO, IOC-UNESCO, UNEP, UNESCAP, UNISDR and UNDP. A renewed partnership was developed with SPREP (see paragraph 9).
Development cooperation activities
4. Within the framework of the WMO VCP, during 2010-2014, assistance was provided to Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu for providing expert services and equipment to enhance human resources and institutional capacity, basic observing, telecommunication, data-processing, climate data management and hydrological facilities.
5. A WMO fact-finding mission to Fiji was carried out from 23 to 26 July 2012, by experts/representative from Australia and the WMO Secretariat. In collaboration with the Fiji Meteorological Service and relevant concerned departments and institutes in Fiji, SPREP and SOPAC Division of SPC, and users organizations, the mission addressed the issue of improvement of the provision of hydrological services in Fiji including flood forecasting and warning services.
Emergency response and assistance activities
6. Emergency assistance has been provided under the Emergency Assistance Fund to RA V Members affected by natural disasters, including Fiji and the Philippines.
RA V-16/Doc. 8, DRAFT 1, p. 6
WMO Office for the South-West Pacific
7. The WMO Office for the South-West Pacific has maintained very close ties and cooperation with the Samoa Meteorology Division of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, assisting them to develop its human resources. The Office provided support for organizing the fourteenth session of the Tropical Cyclone Committee for the South Pacific and South-East Indian Ocean, held in Apia, Samoa, from 16 to 20 July 2012, and assisted an expert to provide training on quality management to the staff of the Samoa Meteorology Division.
8. The WMO Office for the South-West Pacific has also maintained very close cooperation with other RA V Members in the Pacific subregion to develop their human resources and other development to enhance their capacity for delivery of weather, climate and water services.
9. The Office has increased collaboration with SPREP, through the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in August 2011, and followed by signing of the Letter of Agreement (LoA) in October 2011 supporting the PMDP and subsequently PMC.
10. The Office is collaborating with SPREP to develop and implement the Finnish-Pacific (FINPAC) Project 2012-2015 – Reduced Vulnerability of the Pacific Island Country Villagers Livelihood to the Effects of Climate Change. To date, the following FINPAC Project’s activities have been implemented:
(a) Appointment of the project manager;
(b) Activity 1.1: Implementation of quality management system. A regional workshop on competency requirements for aviation meteorology personal and consequences for quality management system was held in Apia, Samoa, from15 to19 July 2013;
(c) Activity 1.4: Implementing weather forecasting tools and production systems at selected NMSs. SmartMet systems were installed and in-countries related training was organized for Samoa and Solomon Islands in August and September 2013;
(d) Activity 1.5: Training for improved maintenance and the rehabilitation of selected weather observing stations. Assessments of the current status of the Regional Basic Synoptic Network (RBSN) were carried out in Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tonga, in October 2013;
(e) Activity 2.3: Develop a joint platform for the sharing of warnings in the Pacific following the MeteoAlarm format. A workshop on the joint platform for sharing warning was held in Suva, Fiji, from 9 to12 September 2013;
(f) Developing and reviewing a questionnaire for a traditional knowledge and weather/ climate data usage baseline survey of communities.
11. The Office is also collaborating with the Australian Bureau of Meteorology to develop and implement the followings projects:
(a) Achieving certification to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) (9001: 2008) quality management standards (ISO 9001) through a sustainable internal auditor regime (October 2012–June 2013). Sixteen participants from the Pacific islands’ NMSs completed a regional training course for internal quality auditors, followed by conducting actual internal auditing at some of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology’s Offices around Australia, during February to July 2013;
(b) Training and implementing systems for participation of Pacific countries in open international exchange of meteorological information (November 2012– RA V-16/Doc. 8, DRAFT 1, p. 7
November 2014). A RA V workshop on the implementation of the WIS and Table Driven Code Forms (TDCF) was held in Melbourne, Australia, from 29 May to 3 May 2013, and experts from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology have been visiting the Pacific Island Countries to assist their respective NMSs to implement the WIS;
(c) Climate and Oceans Support Programme in the Pacific (COSPPac): Consultation Workshop on the Development of the COSPPac in Port Vila, Vanuatu from 11 to 15 April 2011; Monitoring and Evaluation Workshop in Melbourne, Australia from 1 to 3 October 2013; and the Annual planning meeting for the 2013-2014 financial year in Nadi, Fiji from 30 April to 2 May 2013.
12. The Office continued to provide support to various WMO Programmes and projects aiming at building capacities of Members in the Pacific subregion. The Office established many contacts and conducted follow-ups with NMHSs in the Pacific subregion regarding development activities and regional cooperation on behalf of the various WMO Departments.
13. As a member of the UN Country Teams in Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa, the WMO Programme Officer for the WMO Office for the South-West Pacific is committed to providing support to UN Resident Coordinators/Designated Officials for UN Security, resident and non- resident UN agencies and international organizations in Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa and the Pacific subregion. The Office took part in many activities addressing national and global development challenges emphasizing WMO’s commitment towards the UN’s emerging issues. The WMO Programme Officer provided support to the preparation of the UN Assistance Development Framework (UNDAF) 2013-2017 for 14 Pacific Island Countries (Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu), and contributions to the UN Country Teams’ Reports (Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa) and other relevant publications.
14. The Office has played a key role in the WMO fact-finding and needs assessment mission to Fiji in July 2012 and the preparation of the report, as referred to in paragraph 5 above.
Review of Regional Office location
15. Cg-XVI (Geneva, May 2011), considering the concerns of RA I and the benefits for Regions III and IV achieved through the relocation of the Regional Director to the Region, as well as opinions that the location of the Regional Directors and Offices in Geneva has advantages in terms of coordination with the WMO Secretariat, recommended that the Secretary-General consider, in consultation with the presidents of RAs concerned, conducting a comprehensive review of the Regional Offices resources and location and propose measures to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness. The Secretariat undertook a review of the Regional Office location, with a special focus on efficient and effective management and operation of the Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific (RAP Office).
16. The location of the RAP Office has been maintained in Geneva since its establishment in 1979. Tenth Congress (Cg-X (1987)) agreed that the RAP Office should continue to be at the WMO Headquarters and that the future location should be decided on the basis of the future sessions of RAs II and V. XIII-RA II (Hong Kong, China, December 2004), in view of the advantages of its location being at the WMO headquarters to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the Regional Programme and related activities, and also agreed that the Office should remain in Geneva for the time being, and this decision was supported by the fourteenth session of RA V (XIV-RA V: Adelaide, Australia, May 2006).
17. RA II-15 (Doha, Qatar, December 2012), in considering the pros and cons of the relocation of the Regional Office for the Region, recognized the advantages of the location of the Regional Office being in the Region in particular in terms of cost-effectiveness, and agreed that the president of RA II, in collaboration with the president of RA V, proceed with seeking potential RA V-16/Doc. 8, DRAFT 1, p. 8
candidates for hosting the Regional Office from all Members of RA II and RA V, so as to make an assessment of the candidates using the regionally agreed criteria. In response to the WMO circular letter, some Members (India, Indonesia, Republic of Korea; Singapore; and Qatar) indicated their Governments’ interest in hosting the Regional Office.
18. RA II-15 further agreed on the generic criteria for the assessment of an appropriate location of the RAP Office in the Regions, and requested the RA II Management Group (MG) to further consider the regional criteria including the possible weight given to specific criteria. The RA II Management Group (MG-7: Geneva, May 2013) and the RA V Management Group (MG-9: May 2013) agreed to further develop regional criteria if any and the possible weight given to specific criteria for selection of the location of the RAP Office from several candidates.
19. The regionally-agreed criteria, categorized into three groups “Efficiency”, “Cost- effectiveness” and “Sustainability and quality of environment”, are given below:
A. Efficiency:
(i) Linkage with WMO Programmes and technical and administration departments/offices for collaboration and coordination (time difference to be considered); (ii) Presence of partners (UN, international and regional organizations and financial institutions) for collaboration and increased advocacy; (iii) Connection to Members, RA presidents and subsidiary bodies and geographical convenience (number of available direct flights, flight time to possible venues of regional events, visa issuance, etc.); (iv) Communication with Members and accessibility to the information and data and information exchange (with IT support); Internet connection facilities; (v) Availability of international conference facilities, equipped with interpretation system and availability of local transportation.
B. Cost-effectiveness:
(i) Staff salary rate (post adjustment); (ii) Accessibility (mission cost for Office staff and participants for the meetings; cost for holding sessions); (iii) Availability of Government support and office running cost (including staff costs, office space, furniture and running cost, security, and programme/activity cost).
C. Sustainability and quality of environment:
(i) Political stability of the Government (neutrality of Member and overall social stability); (ii) Security; (iii) Government commitment to support for longer term (e.g., 4-year period of initial agreement, and continuation); (iv) Cost of living, environmental friendliness, and quality of life for staff (e.g., housing, education, healthcare services); (v) Facilities for currency exchange.
20. The RA II and RA V Management Groups further developed the evaluation procedures and methodology with the assistance of the Secretariat. Weighting factors were assigned in proportion to the importance/priority of a criterion within the Regions. The evaluation is expected to be made by an “Evaluation Panel” established within the Secretariat, which would be composed of representatives of the Secretariat, and external experts, if necessary, nominated by the Secretary- General of WMO. In this respect, an assessment questionnaire has been sent to the Permanent Representatives of the qualified candidate Members so as to obtain more detailed information on the offer to host the RAP Office, including available government support, to facilitate an objective assessment. RA V-16/Doc. 8, DRAFT 1, p. 9
21. In accordance with the formal WMO procedures, the following procedures and timelines are proposed for future action:
(i) Evaluation of candidate locations (including Geneva) based on the regionally-agreed criteria (July 2014);
For this purpose there is a need for:
• Establishment of an Evaluation Panel April 2014 • Evaluation by the Evaluation Panel May 2014 • Site visits to short-listed candidate locations June-July 2014 • Completion of evaluation July 2014
(ii) Selection of location of the Office in light of evaluation results (beginning of 2015);
• Presentation to RA V and RA II MGs (September 2014); • Recommendation from RA presidents to SG (late 2014); • Presentation to Cg-17 (May-June 2015);
(iii) Finalization of arrangements for and conclusion of official agreement with the host government, and internal and notification letter to Members (October 2015);
(iv) Completion of possible relocation of the RAP Office (late 2015 - early 2016).
22. The Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific (when in the Region) is expected to be composed of:
(a) 1 Regional Director (D1) to be funded by WMO (core staff);
(b) 1 Programme Officer (P4) to be funded by WMO (core staff);
(c) 1 secretary provided by the host country (core staff);
(d) 1-2 Programme Officer(s) financially supported by the host country;
(e) 1-2 Seconded Expert(s) from Member(s); and
(f) 1-2 other support staff (clerk, driver, etc.) provided by the host country.
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RA V-16/Doc. 10, DRAFT 1, p. 4
APPENDIX C: PROGRESS REPORT FOR INFORMATION - NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL SUMMARY
LIST OF PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF RA V (SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC) STILL IN FORCE AT THE TIME OF ITS SIXTEENTH SESSION
(Reference: Abridged Final Report of XV-RA V)
Suggested Action* Resolution Departments Title of Resolution No. concerned To be Not to be To be kept in kept in replaced force force
7 (XII-RA V) CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE SOUTH- CLW X WEST PACIFIC TROPICAL CYCLONE OPERATIONAL 1 (XV-RA V) PLAN FOR THE SOUTH PACIFIC AND WDS X SOUTH-EAST INDIAN OCEAN 2 (XV-RA V) ESTABLISHMENT OF REGIONAL CLW X CLIMATE CENTRES REGIONAL BASIC SYNOPTIC 3 (XV-RA V) NETWORK AND REGIONAL BASIC OBS X CLIMATOLOGICAL NETWORK IN REGION V (SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC) SUPPORT FOR THE JOINT WMO/IOC 4 (XV-RA V) TECHNICAL COMMISSION FOR WDS X OCEANOGRAPHY AND MARINE METEOROLOGY
5 (XV-RA V) WMO VOLUNTARY COOPERATION DRA X PROGRAMME 6 (XV-RA V) MANAGEMENT GROUP OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION V (SOUTH-WEST DRA X PACIFIC) REGIONAL ASSOCIATION V TROPICAL 7 (XV-RA V) CYCLONE COMMITTEE FOR THE WDS X SOUTH PACIFIC AND SOUTH-EAST INDIAN OCEAN STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE 8 (XV-RA V) ENHANCEMENT OF NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL AND DRA X HYDROLOGICAL SERVICES IN REGIONAL ASSOCIATION V (SOUTH- WEST PACIFIC) (2010–2011) REVIEW OF PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS 9 (XV-RA V) AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DRA X ASSOCIATION ______* proposed by the WMO Secretariat
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