Tashkent 5–11 December Regional Association II (Asia) 2008 Fourteenth session Geneva, 5–11 December 2008 XIV-RA II XIV-RA WMO-No. 1037 www.wmo.int WMO-No. 1037
Regional Association II (Asia)
Fourteenth session
Tashkent 5–11 December 2008
Abridged final report with resolutions
WMO-No. 1037
WMO-No. 1037
© World Meteorological Organization, 2009
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CONTENTS
Page GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE WORK OF THE SESSION
1. OPENING OF THE SESSION (XIV-RA II/PINK 1 and 2) ...... 1
2. ORGANIZATION OF THE SESSION (XIV-RA II/PINK 1 and 2) ...... 2 2.1 Consideration of the report on credentials ...... 2 2.2 Adoption of the agenda (XIV-RA II/Doc. 2.2; XIV-RA II/PINK 1 and 2) ...... 2 2.3 Establishment of committees...... 2 2.4 Other organizational matters ...... 3
3. REPORT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION (XIV-RA II/Doc. 3; XIV-RA II/APP_Doc. 3)...... 3
4. PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES – REGIONAL ASPECTS ...... 4 4.1 Enhanced capabilities of Members to produce better weather forecasts and warnings (XIV-RA II/Doc. 4.1; XIV-RA II/APP_Doc. 4.1)...... 4 4.2 Enhanced capabilities of Members to provide better climate predictions and assessments (XIV-RA II/Doc. 4.2; XIV-RA II/PINK 4.2) ...... 7 4.3 Enhanced capabilities of Members to provide better hydrological forecasts and assessments (XIV-RA II/Doc. 4.3; XIV-RA II/PINK 4.3) ...... 12 4.4 Integration of WMO observing systems (XIV-RA II/Doc. 4.4; XIV-RA II/APP_Doc. 4.4) ...... 16 4.5 Development and implementation of the new WMO Information System (XIV-RA II/Doc. 4.5; XIV-RA II/APP_Doc. 4.5)...... 24 4.6 Enhanced capabilities of Members in multi-hazard early warning and disaster prevention and preparedness (XIV-RA II/Doc. 4.6; XIV-RA II/PINK 4.6) ...... 30 4.7 Enhanced capabilities of Members to provide and use weather, climate, water and environmental applications and services (XIV-RA II/Doc. 4.7; XIV-RA II/PINK 4.7) ...... 36 4.8 Broader use of weather-, climate- and water-related outputs for decision-making and implementation by Members and partner organizations (XIV-RA II/ Doc. 4.8; XIV-RA II/PINK 4.8)...... 40 4.9 Enhanced capabilities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in developing countries, particularly least developed countries, to fulfil their mandates (XIV-RA II/B/WP 4.9; XIV-RA II/APP_WP 4.9) ...... 42
5. EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT AND GOOD GOVERNANCE ...... 46 5.1 Internal matters of the Association (XIV-RA II/General/WP 5.1; XIV-RA II/APP_WP 5.1) ...... 46 5.2 Effective and efficient management performance and oversight of the Organization (XIV-RA II/Doc. 5.2(1); XIV-RA II/General/WP 5.2(2); XIV-RA II/Doc. 5.2(3); XIV-RA II/PINK 5.2(1); XIV-RA II/PINK 5.2(2); XIV-RA II/PINK 5.2(3))...... 49
6. EMERGING ISSUES AND SPECIFIC CHALLENGES (XIV-RA II/General/WP 6; XIV-RA II/APP_WP 6) ...... 52 6.1 Sand and dust storms...... 52 6.2 Quality management for weather, climate and weather services with emphasis on aeronautical meteorological services...... 53 IV ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
Page
7. WMO REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC, INCLUDING THE WMO OFFICE FOR WEST ASIA (XIV-RA II/Doc. 7; XIV-RA II/APP_Doc. 7)...... 54
8. SCIENTIFIC LECTURES AND DISCUSSIONS (XIV-RA II/Doc. 8; XIV-RA II/APP_Doc. 8) ..... 56
9. REVIEW OF PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ASSOCIATION AND OF RELEVANT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS (XIV-RA II/Doc. 9; XIV-RA II/PINK 9) ...... 56
10. ELECTION OF OFFICERS (XIV-RA II/PINK 10)...... 56
11. DATE AND PLACE OF THE FIFTEENTH SESSION (XIV-RA II/PINK 11) ...... 56
12. CLOSURE OF THE SESSION (XIV-RA II/PINK 12)...... 57
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE SESSION Final Session No. No. 1 4.2/1 Establishment of a Regional Climate Centre Network in Regional Association II (Asia) ...... 58
2 4.4/1 Regional Basic Synoptic Network in Region II...... 60
3 4.4/2 Regional Basic Climatological Network in Region II ...... 77
4 4.4/3 Amendments to the Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544), Volume II – Regional Aspects, Region II (Asia)...... 85
5 4.9/1 Pilot project to enhance the availability and quality management support for National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in surface, climate and upper-air observations...... 91
6 4.9/2 Pilot project to develop support for National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in numerical weather prediction...... 92
7 4.9/3 Pilot project to develop support for National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in satellite data, products and training ...... 94
8 5.1/1 RA II Working Group on WMO Integrated Observing System and WMO Information System ...... 96
9 5.1/2 RA II Working Group on Climate Services, Adaptation and Agrometeorology ...... 107
10 5.1/3 RA II Working Group on Hydrological Forecasts and Assessments ...... 109
11 5.1/4 RA II Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Service Delivery 111
12 5.1/5 RA II Management Group ...... 115
13 5.2/1 Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Regional Association II (Asia) (2009–2011).... 116
14 9/1 Review of previous resolutions and recommendations of the Association ...... 118 CONTENTS V
Page ANNEXES
I Membership of subsidiary bodies of Regional Association II (Asia) (paragraph 5.1.3.5 of the general summary)...... 126
II Volunteerism in the work of Regional Association II (Asia) (paragraph 5.1.4.2 of the general summary)...... 130
III Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Regional Association II (Asia) (2009–2011) (paragraph 5.2.2.11 of the general summary)...... 132
APPENDIX. List of participants ...... 143
GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE WORK OF THE SESSION
1. OPENING OF THE SESSION (agenda item 1)
1.1 At the kind invitation of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the fourteenth session of Regional Association II (Asia) was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 5 to 11 December 2008. The session was declared open by Mr A. Majeed H. Isa, president of the Association, at 10.00 a.m. on Friday, 5 December 2008, at the International Business Centre.
1.2 Mr Isa expressed his appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan, represented by the Centre of Hydrometeorological Service (Uzhydromet) for hosting the session in Tashkent and for the excellent arrangements made.
1.3 Mr Isa extended his gratitude to Mr Chiu-Ying Lam, vice-president of RA II, the chairpersons and members of the working groups and rapporteurs, and to Members who hosted regional events during the intersessional period.
1.4 The president also thanked Mr Michel Jarraud, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and his staff for their valuable contribution to the activities of the Association.
1.5 He mentioned that Members in the Region were highly vulnerable to natural disasters including tropical cyclones, droughts, floods, sand and dust storms and tsunami, which had significant impacts on socio-economic development of many Members in the Region. Referring to the approval of the Fourth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007, he pointed out that the adaptation to climate change had become one of the key challenges to all Members. In this regard, he noted the progress of the achievement of RA II towards the establishment of the Regional Climate Centre Network.
1.6 The president stressed that WMO should continue to strengthen its efforts in bridging the gap between the levels of services related to weather, climate and water provided by National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in developed and developing countries, including the Small Island Developing States (SIDS), especially of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
1.7 On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr Rustam Azimov, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, extended a warm welcome to all participants. He stated that the NMHSs had made a significant contribution to the strengthening of security, promotion of prosperity and to increasing the well-being of Members within the framework of WMO. He mentioned that although mankind was not able to prevent natural hazards, natural disasters could be reduced and prevented by use of the timely issuance of forecasts and warnings based on accurate observation data. He also mentioned that climate change, such as global warming caused by the increase of greenhouse gases concentration, could break the existing balance of nature and induce several negative effects. In this regard, he stressed that the measures directed to the strengthening of the observation of the climate system and regional climate monitoring were becoming of special importance.
1.8 Mr M. Jarraud, Secretary-General of WMO, in his address, expressed the deep appreciation of WMO to the Government and people of the Republic of Uzbekistan for their kind invitation to host the session as well as the WMO Regional Seminar on Strategic Capacity Development of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in Regional Association II (Asia). He extended a warm welcome to all participants. He thanked Mr A. Majeed H. Isa, president of the Association, and Mr Chiu-Ying Lam, vice-president of RA II, for their strong leadership in and significant contributions to the successful implementation of the programmes and activities of the Association during the intersessional period. He expressed WMO’s appreciation to all the chairpersons, rapporteurs and working group members, for their key services.
2 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
1.9 Recalling that this is the first session of a WMO Regional Association since the beginning of the fifteenth financial period (2008–2011), Mr Jarraud mentioned that this session would be based on the new WMO Strategic Plan, which was adopted by the Fifteenth World Meteorological Congress (May 2007). He was pleased to note that the Association had developed a draft Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in RA II (2009–2011), taking into account the previous RA II Strategic Plans as well as additional proposals developed by RA II Members on the basis of a regional survey conducted to identify action-oriented deliverables, which were categorized as Regional Expected Results.
1.10 The Secretary-General informed the session that a new WMO Secretariat structure had been implemented in 2008 to better align with the decision of Congress, as well as to improve the integration of plans and programmes, optimize the use of resources and streamline management and decision-making.
1.11 The Secretary-General emphasized two key issues since the thirteenth session of the Association in Hong Kong, China, in 2004; viz. an increasing focus on climate change and associated vulnerabilities and risks; and an increasing frequency of a number of hydrometeorological hazards, especially floods and droughts in Asia and other parts of the world, which posed escalating threats to sustainable development and other disasters including the tragic Indian Ocean tsunami, had been important areas to which WMO and RA II Members had contributed decisively.
1.12 In looking to the future, the Secretary-General identified some issues in the Region that the Association should consider when planning its future work programme, including the further improvement of NMHSs’ forecasting and warning capabilities, additional support to climate-related activities through the establishment of RCC network, implementation of the WMO Flood Forecasting initiative, development and implementation of the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS) and the WMO Information System (WIS), efforts in natural disaster mitigation, enhanced user focus on public education and awareness building initiatives, enhanced cooperation with other service providers and sectors and strengthened collaboration with relevant regional institutions and sustainable human resources development.
1.13 He wished all the participants fruitful discussions at this session and success in the future activities of the Association.
2. ORGANIZATION OF THE SESSION (agenda item 2)
2.1 CONSIDERATION OF THE REPORT ON CREDENTIALS (agenda item 2.1)
2.1.1 The representative of the Secretary-General presented reports on credentials taking into account the documents received prior to and during the session. The Association accepted the report and decided that it would not be necessary to establish a Credentials Committee.
2.1.2 The session was attended by 71 participants from 27 Members of Regional Association II (Asia), 7 observers from 4 Members from outside the Region and 2 from international organizations. The list of participants is given in the appendix to the present report.
2.2 ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA (agenda item 2.2)
The proposed annotated agenda for the session was unanimously adopted, as contained in XIV-RA II/Doc. 2.2(2).
2.3 ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMITTEES (agenda item 2.3)
2.3.1 It was agreed that the work of the session be carried out in plenary sessions to deal with the various agenda items. The General Plenary was to be chaired by the president, Plenary A co-chaired by Prof. Victor Chub (Uzbekistan) and Mr G.H.P. Dharmaratna (Sri Lanka), and GENERAL SUMMARY 3
Plenary B co-chaired by Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry (Pakistan) and Dr Boon-Ying Lee (Hong Kong, China).
2.3.2 The following committees were established for the duration of the session.
Nomination Committee
2.3.3 A Nomination Committee was established composed of the principal delegates of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran (Chairperson), Japan and Qatar.
Coordination Committee
2.3.4 A Coordination Committee was established, comprising the president, the representative of the Secretary-General, the co-chairpersons of Plenaries A and B and secretaries of the General Plenary, Plenary A and Plenary B.
2.4 OTHER ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS (agenda item 2.4)
2.4.1 The Association established its working hours for the duration of the session. The Association agreed that no minutes of the General Plenary sessions would be produced unless a Member specifically requested that it should be done for a particular item.
2.4.2 The Association designated the principal delegate from the Republic of Korea as rapporteur on agenda item 9 – Review of previous resolutions and recommendations of the Association and of relevant Executive Council resolutions.
2.4.3 The Association agreed to waive General Regulation 109 during the duration of the session.
3. REPORT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION (agenda item 3)
3.1 The Association noted with appreciation the report of the president of RA II which provided an overall review and assessment of the major activities of the Association since its thirteenth session and expressed satisfaction at the effective manner in which the activities of the Association were being undertaken. The president also highlighted the issues that the Association would have to address, such as the development of the Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of NMHSs in Asia; the future working mechanism of the Association; and other priority activities, including the formal establishment of the Regional Climate Centre (RCC) network in Asia.
3.2 The Association commended its president, Mr A. Majeed H. Isa (Bahrain), for the dedication, enthusiasm and initiative with which he had conducted the affairs of the Association, thus contributing to the cooperation among the Members and further development of weather, climate and water services in the Region. The Association also commended the vice-president, Mr Chiu-Ying Lam (Hong Kong, China), for his valuable contribution to the work of the Association. It also expressed its appreciation to the chairpersons and members of the working groups and rapporteurs, who had effectively collaborated in carrying out the activities of the Association.
3.3 The Association extended its appreciation to Members who hosted various regional events during the intersessional period and encouraged them to continue to provide the necessary support to the activities of the Association.
3.4 The Association recognized that, after the disastrous tsunami on 26 December 2004, the setting up of an effective and sustainable tsunami warning system became an important task for riparian countries around the Indian Ocean. In most of these countries, NMHSs were the designated authorities for issuing tsunami warnings. In thus regard, the Association requested the Secretary-General to continue assistance to Members in establishing multi-hazard early warning systems. 4 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
3.5 Noting the progress in the improvement of GTS connection at several National Meteorological Centres (NMCs), in particular as part of the WMO contribution to the regional tsunami early warning system, the Association reaffirmed that there is still a need for NMCs to have adequate GTS links with Regional Centres with medium- or high-speed GTS circuits. The Association therefore requested the Secretary-General and Members to give high priority to the modernization of the GTS and the implementation of the WMO Information System (WIS) in the Region to ensure operational exchange of forecasts, warnings and other information on a real-time basis, especially for establishing multi-hazard early warning systems, as appropriate. The Association further recognized the continuing need to improve the capabilities of NMHSs to access sophisticated products in the preparation and dissemination of adequate weather services and timely warning for severe weather and climate extremes.
3.6 The Association recognized with satisfaction the progress in the establishment of an RCC network of multifunctional and specialized centres had been pursued in RA II on a pilot basis, including the establishment of a portal site jointly operated by the Beijing Climate Centre and the Tokyo Climate Centre. In this regard, the Association requested the Secretary-General to facilitate their formal designation as WMO RCCs accordingly.
3.7 As cost recovery, commercialization of products and services and certification/quality management continue to be of great interest to the Members, the Association requested the Secretary-General and Members to give high priority to these subjects in order to be able to address future challenges of the Region.
3.8 The Association welcomed the inauguration of the WMO Office for West Asia in Bahrain on 12 March 2007 and noted its important role in various regional capacity development activities being carried out in close collaboration with Members and regional organizations. The Association noted that the functions of the Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific were strengthened to provide harmonized capacity-building support to Members.
4. PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES – REGIONAL ASPECTS (agenda item 4)
4.1 ENHANCED CAPABILITIES OF MEMBERS TO PRODUCE BETTER WEATHER FORECASTS AND WARNINGS (agenda item 4.1)
Global Data-processing and Forecasting System (GDPFS)
4.1.1 The Association noted the importance of the Global Data-processing and Forecasting System (GDPFS), which represents the function of weather forecasting including the production of alerts and warnings of severe and high impact weather. It includes a network of operational meteorological centres that produce numerical weather prediction (NWP), and forecasters that produce forecasts and warnings, and is a part of a global early warning system for meteorological and environmental hazards. The GDPFS provides a strong basis for Public Weather Services (PWS) and other meteorological services, contributes to other Expected Results, and supports programmes of relevant international organizations.
4.1.2 The Association noted that the Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project (SWFDP) has achieved significant results and benefits relative to the GDPFS and PWS programmes in its first regional project in Africa, and requested the Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Service Delivery to consider developing a SWFDP RA II project as a method for enhancing the GDPFS and PWS and contributing to disaster risk reduction goals in developing countries, for example, those in South-East Asia that have recently experienced disasters.
4.1.3 The Association encouraged Members that run NWP including Ensemble Prediction Systems (EPS) and specialized NWP in applications such as for sea-state prediction, to continue to make available their products and guidance on their use to NMHSs especially of developing countries, and at the same time encouraged verification and feedback on their quality and usefulness. GENERAL SUMMARY 5
4.1.4 The Association expressed its appreciation to the advanced centres, including those of the ECMWF, JMA, CMA, DWD and NCEP, for making available a broad range of products and datasets. The Association encouraged the developed centres to nominate focal points that Members could contact to discuss arrangements for accessing these data and products. In relation to the ECMWF the Association noted that its EPS products, including marine products, have been particularly useful. Moreover, considering the relevance of these products to severe weather forecasting, including sea state, the Association requested the Secretary-General to continue the dialogue with the ECMWF for increasing the resolution of products made available to WMO Members, that would further enhance their relevance and usefulness in future cases of severe weather and extreme wave events.
4.1.5 Considering the usefulness of the annual report of the “WMO Technical Progress Report on GDPFS including NWP Research”, the Association requested Members to provide status information on their respective NWP forecasting systems and encouraged Members to also include information on areas of specialized NWP in applications such as for sea-state prediction.
GDPFS – Long-range Forecasts
4.1.6 The Association noted the significant progress made by Global Producing Centres (GPC) of Long-range Forecasts, including in RA II GPCs Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo, which have been designated as part of the GDPFS, and requested these centres to collaborate with climate information and prediction centres to meet their needs.
4.1.7 The Association noted with appreciation the involvement of China and Japan, as well as CBS and CCl in the development of the amendment to the Manual on the Global Data-Processing and Forecasting System (WMO-No. 485), Volume I, Global Aspects, on designation of Regional Climate Centres, and urged all Members to support the proposed amendment at the upcoming CBS and EC sessions. The Association urged GPCs to continue and reinforce their inputs to RCCs (data products and predictions), and to provide verification information and advice (see agenda item 4.2).
Tropical Cyclone Forecasting and Warning Services
4.1.8 The Association recognized that ensemble prediction techniques had achieved a significant level of accuracy in tropical cyclone track forecasting and at the same time an increasing need for including uncertainty information in the forecasts for more effective disaster risk assessment. It recommended that greater emphasis should be given to the use of ensemble techniques and probabilistic forecasting in tropical cyclone warning operations in order to improve their utility. The Association urged NMHSs and the regional centres concerned to exploit the use of ensemble techniques in tropical cyclone forecasting, including the THORPEX Interactive Grand Global Ensemble (TIGGE) ensemble datasets, and disseminate probabilistic forecasts in forms and formats suitable for the users.
4.1.9 The Association noted that the operational forecast training events for tropical cyclones at RSMCs Tokyo and New Delhi, and for storm surge forecasting at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) had made a significant contribution for a sustained augmentation of the tropical cyclone warning services provided by NMHSs in the areas of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones and the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee. It stressed that a high priority should continue to be given to these capacity-building activities.
4.1.10 The Association recognized that improvement of operational tropical cyclone forecasting, particularly intensity forecasting, is still a serious challenge to many NMHSs and that technology transfer and transition from research to operational forecasting is essential in this aspect. Noting that the International Workshop on Tropical Cyclones (IWTC) serves as a key forum to bring together forecasters and researchers to interact and maximize opportunities for transferring research results into operational application, the Association encouraged its Members to make available as many tropical cyclone forecasters and researchers as possible to the IWTC VII to be held in 2010. 6 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
Forecasting Services for Aviation
4.1.11 Regarding improving the delivery of aviation meteorological services, and in connection with building capacity in the NWP applications for aviation meteorology, the Association expressed appreciation to Japan; China; Hong Kong, China; the Republic of Korea; and Saudi Arabia for assisting and sharing their experiences with NMHSs in developing countries in techniques for the detection and forecasting of meteorological hazards.
4.1.12 The Association noted the success of the Asian Aviation Weather Pilot Project Website established by the China Meteorological Administration and the Hong Kong Observatory in support of RA II Members following Resolution 17 (XIII-RA II) – Pilot project to develop support for developing countries in the Aeronautical Meteorology Programme. In view of the aviation industry’s need for higher accuracies and longer lead times for severe weather events affecting the safety and regularity of aviation in the Region, the Association requested Members to expand available data and products in support of aviation for use by developing country Members.
4.1.13 The Association was informed of a planned workshop on new gridded products of turbulence, icing and convection that would be held in 2009 jointly by ICAO and WMO, following which guidance material on the use of those products and first verification and evaluation results would be made available. The Association requested the Secretary-General to ensure that Members be kept informed of those developments through appropriate channels, since it is the intent of ICAO to replace the current SIGWX forecasts by the new gridded products by 2013, and that will have an impact on the provision of aeronautical meteorological services by NMHSs.
Marine Meteorological Forecasting, Products and Services
4.1.14 The Association was pleased to note that two regional training workshops on storm surge and wave forecasting were held in the Region. During such events forecasters, particularly from developing and least developed countries, receive information on new technologies and research results being transferred to operations. The Association therefore urged the Secretary-General to continue to support such important training events in the future.
Research in Forecasting
4.1.15 The Association welcomed the progress of the Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment (SDS-WAS) Project, particularly for movement toward creating a regional node for Asia. The Association strongly encouraged NMHSs to examine these experimental products and both provide feedback to the participants on their quality and, where appropriate, consider using these products as guidance in operational prediction.
4.1.16 The Association noted the success of the Beijing 2008 Forecast and Research Demonstration Projects (B08 FDP and RDP) that dealt with nowcasting and mesoscale ensemble prediction, respectively, and thanked the China Meteorological Administration and the Secretary- General for their leadership and support of these activities. The Association noted that improvements to operational nowcasting and mesoscale prediction should result from these activities and hoped that technical capabilities and lessons learned would be made available to Members of the Region.
4.1.17 The Association noted that the TIGGE archive contains the database for both the deterministic forecasts and the ensemble members produced daily by ten global NWP centres. The Association encouraged the movement of TIGGE from a research phase to a demonstration phase whereby suitable deterministic and ensemble-based products could be generated in real-time from the TIGGE database and provide advanced warnings of major weather hazards.
4.1.18 The Association expressed appreciation for the extended efforts by Members of the Region along with those of Europe, Australia and North America to improve the prediction of high- impact weather over East Asia with a focus on tropical cyclones and winter storms during the Tropical Cyclone Structure (TCS-08) and winter and summer phases of T-PARC (THORPEX GENERAL SUMMARY 7
Pacific Asian Regional Campaign). The Association encouraged Members to maintain their participation in this project beyond the field phase to ensure relevant results are transferred to operational use and contribute to improving forecasts and warnings.
4.1.19 The Association further encouraged Members to participate in research by providing the perspectives of operational needs into the design of upcoming major research efforts to ensure these efforts contribute to the development of next generation forecasting and assessment systems: these upcoming experiments include the Year of Tropical Convection (YOTC), the Winter Phase of T-PARC, Nowcasting, and the Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE).
4.2 ENHANCED CAPABILITIES OF MEMBERS TO PROVIDE BETTER CLIMATE PREDICTIONS AND ASSESSMENTS (agenda item 4.2)
4.2.0 Introduction 4.2.0.1 The Association recognized that WMO’s climate initiatives include the observations that sustain the climate models and underpin assessments, the research that develops climate science and models, specialized knowledge of the treatment and use of climate information for analysis and products, the operational activities that assess and serve the needs of users for decisions relevant to climate risk management and adaptation to climate variability and change (predictions, products and services, etc.), partnerships with organizations in climate-sensitive sectors and the enhancements of the capacity of the Members, particularly in developing and least developed countries. The Association noted that the WMO’s climate activities are duly presented with respect to Expected Results 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
4.2.0.2 The Association noted that the recent RA II survey of the basic capability of NMSs in RA II (Asia) indicated a modest increase in the number of Members providing long-range forecasts (LRF), and making observations to monitor climate change and climate variability. However, the Association recognized that there still remain several Members who had not yet developed these capabilities, and agreed that these challenges need to be addressed as part of WMO’s ER 2- relevant activities.
4.2.1 Coordination and Guidance for ER 2: constituent bodies and the WGCRM 4.2.1.1 Noting that climate activities that fall under ER 2 are guided by a number of WMO and co-sponsored constituent bodies, including CCl, CAgM, CBS and WCRP JSC, the Association urged enhanced interaction and coordination between these bodies, including those at regional and national levels, and expressed appreciation to China, India and Japan for hosting significant meetings including CCl-XIV and the First International Conference of the WCRP Climate and Cryosphere Project (Beijing, China, 2005), WCRP JSC – XXVII, (Pune, India, 2006), and the Third WCRP Reanalysis Conference (Tokyo, Japan, 2008).
4.2.1.2 The RA II Working Group on Climate-Related Matters (WGCRM) identifies priority issues related to climate for Asia. The Association appreciated the concerted efforts of RA II WGCRM to establish WMO Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) in the Region and its proactive role in establishing RCC designation processes in WMO in collaboration with CBS and CCl experts as well as other regional associations. The Association noted that the RA II WGCRM is being reconstituted as the RA II Working Group on Climate Services, Adaptation and Agricultural Meteorology.
4.2.2 Climate Monitoring and Assessment 4.2.2.1 The Association was informed on data rescue activities in the Region and welcomed the WMO plan to undertake data rescue and the analysis of climate variability and change as a joint theme in WMO seminars and workshops related to climate data management. This strategy allows increased appreciation of the value of historical climate data in climate-development issues and therefore the need for accelerating data rescue process in the countries. The Association was also informed of the data rescue process launched in the Mediterranean Basin (MEDARE) to increase multi-national and regional collaboration in rescuing and digitizing old climate records that 8 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
are needed for climate research, monitoring and climate change adaptation studies, and urged Members to undertake similar collaborative approach. The Association noted with appreciation that the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) had launched its own climate database project in 1998, and has been digitizing data from the past century, with the development of software that automatically digitizes scanned images. It has been sharing the experience and know-how it obtained in the course of its digitization project with the Mongolian Meteorological Service to support its climate database project. This software is available to lend assistance to any Member with a similar requirement.
4.2.2.2 The Association thanked the Hydrometeorological Service of Viet Nam for hosting a WMO seminar on climate extremes and indices back-to-back with a workshop on climate data management system CLIMSOFT (Hanoi, December 2007) and was pleased that experts from NMHSs in South-East Asia, in collaboration with the Joint CCl/CLIVAR/JCOMM Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI) were completing a valuable peer reviewed publication on climate extremes and indices in the subregion. The Association called on Members to sustain and further develop this work to become part of a new climate monitoring product for decision- and policymakers.
4.2.2.3 The Association noted with appreciation the continuous contribution of RA II Members in the WMO statements on the status of the global climate system as well as in the WMO climate review publications. It noted with satisfaction that the RA II role has increased in monitoring extreme climate events which helped WMO have better coverage and insights into these events. The Association agreed that all Members should contribute to provide relevant climate information based on their monitoring activities to enhance the coverage of WMO’s annual statements on the status of the global climate system, particularly with respect to extremes.
4.2.2.4 The Association, noting that a process was underway to evaluate the feasibility of a WMO Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW), expressed support for the GCW concept, and urged the Secretary-General to strengthen the relevant mechanisms to guide GCW development and potential implementation.
4.2.3 Climate Prediction and Modelling Research
4.2.3.1 The Association expressed satisfaction with the continuing WCRP’s progress in international coordination and integration of climate research, and particularly its key contributions to the IPCC AR4 and WMO/UNEP 2006 ozone assessment; search for sources of predictability on seasonal to decadal timescales, and development of coupled climate system models. The Association noted with interest the outcomes of the World Modelling Summit for Climate Prediction (Reading, UK, May 2008), WCRP Seasonal Prediction Workshop (Barcelona, Spain, June 2007), and GCOS, WCRP and IGBP Workshop “Learning from the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report” (Sydney, Australia, October 2007). It requested WCRP to ensure full and active participation of Asian scientists in the emerging Climate Prediction Project.
4.2.3.2 The Association endorsed the WCRP Integrated Monsoon Study and the Asian Monsoon Years 2007–2012 initiative as a means to improve coordination of monsoon prediction research in the Region. It noted with appreciation the development of the GEWEX-Coordinated Energy and Water Cycle Observations Project with the central facility at the University of Tokyo that aims to achieve a demonstrable skill in predicting water resources and soil moisture up to seasonal and annual timescales.
4.2.3.3 Noting the ongoing changes in the Asian cryosphere, such as retreat of glaciers and changes in snow cover, the Association endorsed the Asia-CliC initiative, a regional component of the WCRP Climate and Cryosphere project, and encouraged Members to participate in this activity.
4.2.4 Operational Climate Prediction
4.2.4.1 The Association recognized the need for Members to develop/improve their national capabilities in climate prediction, in order to improve their ability to support applications of climate GENERAL SUMMARY 9
information to key socio-economic sectors for adaptation to climate variability and change. Further recognizing a need to foster the transition of results from climate research to the operational practices of regional and national centres, the Association urged the Secretary-General, CCl and the WCRP JSC to facilitate development and operational implementation by Members of new or improved climate prediction techniques, and to provide technical guidance to NMHSs through closer coordination of their activities at the regional and national levels.
4.2.4.2 The Association was informed of WMO activities relevant to Climate Watches and noted the urgent need for NMHSs and regional climate institutions to make use of best practices and evaluation of Climate Watches, and in managing efficiently and seamlessly the interaction among regional institutions, NMHSs and end-users. The Association agreed on the benefits of early warnings of extreme weather and climate, and urged Members and the Secretariat to help developing countries in the Region to implement Climate Watches.
4.2.4.3 The Association expressed deep appreciation to China for its support and leadership in establishment of Regional Climate Outlook Forums (RCOFs) for Asia (FOCRAII), and noted the growing benefits of FOCRAII in fostering networking amongst climate experts, and in development of consensus-based forecasts for the Region. The Association agreed that the RA II RCOF efforts need to be expanded through establishment of a number of subregional RCOFs, and urged the relevant coordinating agencies to promote an increase in user participation in these and in FOCRAII, and to expand the process to include assessments of climate change for the Region. The Association urged Members to support these initiatives, and to seek low-cost options and user support to enhance their sustainability.
4.2.4.4 Noting with appreciation the new initiative to extend the CLIPS project to polar regions through a WMO WCRP IPY Workshop on CLIPS in polar regions, held in September 2008 in St Petersburg, Russian Federation, and the agreement to work towards establishment of a Polar Climate Outlook Forum (PCOF), the Association urged all Members with polar interests in either hemisphere to actively contribute to the relevant efforts to identify the priority user requirements for climate information.
4.2.4.5 The Association expressed appreciation to Members contributing to developing consensus-based updates of El Niño and La Niña issued by WMO. The Association noted the urgent need for consistent analysis and forecast techniques related to El Niño and La Niña, and requested that the CCl Expert Team on El Niño and La Niña continue its efforts to develop a common understanding of, and a common public relations approach to, El Niño and La Niña as a high priority. In addition, the Association urged expansion of this process by the CCl and WCRP CLIVAR to include development of updates on other major oscillations that affect climate of the Region.
4.2.4.6 The Association noted the importance of the activities of the Global Producing Centres for Long-range Forecasts (GPCs) and appreciated contributions of RA-II Members and in particular the NMHSs of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation for the establishment of the GPCs. The Association noted the importance of the joint Lead Centre for the Standard Verification System for Long-Range Forecasts (LC-SVSLRF), and the significance of verification of operational LRF techniques to the work of RCCs, RCOFs and NMHSs. The Association further noted the importance of the joint Lead Centre for multi-model ensembles for Long-Range forecasts (LC-MALRF), which began its work at the end of 2007 and appreciated the efforts taken by the Korea Meteorological Administration for its establishment and operational support. The Association urged all Members in the Region to optimally utilize the GPC and LC- MALRF products.
4.2.4.7 RA II Members reaffirmed their support for the WMO CLIPS project, and agreed to further the development of the CLIPS concept and to enhance coordination of climate information and services in the Region. 10 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
4.2.5 Regional Climate Centres (RCCs)
4.2.5.1 The Association noted with appreciation the report of the chairperson of the Working Group on Climate-Related Matters, which had a major focus on the establishment of RCCs in RA II. The Association recalled that at XIII-RA II, Members had decided to establish a pilot RCC network of multifunctional centres and/or specialized centres (RA II RCC network) as the structure for implementing RCC activities in RA II, as an interim measure until WMO had finalized the mechanism for formal designation of RCCs. The Association further recalled that at Cg-XV in 2007 and at EC-LX in 2008, the RA II president had informed that the establishment of a RCC network of multifunctional and specialized centres had been pursued in RA II on a pilot basis, drawing attention to the establishment of a portal site jointly operated by the Beijing Climate Centre (BCC), China and the Tokyo Climate Centre (TCC), Japan. EC-LX had requested the Secretary-General to facilitate their formal designation as WMO RCCs. The Association also noted that the RA II president had informed the Secretary-General of the intent of India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Russian Federation and Saudi Arabia to seek formal designation as RCCs. The Association noted with appreciation the capacity-building activities by candidate RCCs, such as the Training Seminar on Climate Information and Forecasting in Tokyo in November 2008, organized by the Tokyo Climate Centre to share techniques of using the products from the Center in the generation of climate information. The Association gratefully acknowledged the efforts of the president in promoting the establishment of RCCs in the Region, and the commitment of China, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, the Russian Federation and Saudi Arabia to host the RCCs. The Association urged Members to support and seek to benefit from these generous initiatives.
4.2.5.2 The Association noted with appreciation the contributions of the RA II WGCRM in the development of the amendment to the Manual on the Global Data-Processing and Forecasting System (WMO-No. 485), Volume I, Global Aspects, and described in interim Guidance on Establishment and Designation of WMO RCCs. The Association urged Members to familiarize themselves with the associated Guidance document and to support the proposed amendment on the matter of RCCs at the upcoming CBS and EC sessions. The Association urged GPCs to continue and reinforce their inputs to RCCs.
4.2.5.3 The Association agreed to continue the pilot phase of the establishment of a network of RA II RCCs, and urged all RCC proponents to develop implementation plans, to work under the guidance of the WGCRM to build demonstrable and sustainable capacity for all the mandatory RCC functions defined in the proposed amendments to the GDPFS Manual and, where possible, the highly recommended functions. Accordingly, the Association adopted Resolution 1 (XIV-RA II) – Establishment of a Regional Climate Centre Network in RA II.
4.2.6 World Climate Conference-3 (WCC-3)
4.2.6.1 The Association noted that the World Climate Conference-3 (WCC-3) planned for 31 August–4 September 2009 in Geneva has a high potential to enhance the visibility of WMO, and to contribute to the efforts of Members and users to address both disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate variability and change, and to highlight WMO’s contribution to the implementation of the UNFCCC Bali Action Plan, especially on risk management and adaptation. The Association further noted that skilful seasonal to interannual climate predictions, which form the focus of WCC-3, were essential to national efforts in adaptation to climate variability and change since they provide the society, governments and climate-sensitive sectors with the tools to identify areas and periods of potential risks, activities that could cope with the expected climate conditions and help them take appropriate contingency measures for the benefit of the society and institutions.
4.2.6.2 Considering the importance of adaptation to climate change and its possible adverse effect on water-related sectors, the Association encouraged the participation in WCC-3 of those involved in hydrology as requested by a resolution of the thirteenth Session of the Commission for Hydrology.
GENERAL SUMMARY 11
4.2.6.3 The Association took note that the outcomes of the conference should bridge the gap between IPCC assessment reports and the required services to adapt to climate variability and change at regional and national levels. Furthermore they should also address the observation and data needs, which influence adaptation strategies, impact assessments, and climate diagnostics and projections. The Association recognized that the conference programme and identification of the expected outcomes in a concrete form are crucial to attracting participation at the ministerial level and for resource mobilization. The Association noted with satisfaction that a number of experts from the Region are contributing to the WCC-3 International Organizing Committee, and urged Members to give their full support to ensure the success of WCC-3.
4.2.7 Capacity-building for Improved Climate Prediction and Assessments
The Association recognized that training continued to be a major requirement of Members for provision of state-of-the-art climate services and noted with appreciation that CLIPS training programmes had been implemented in two subregions in RA II. The Association expressed its concern, however, that the needs of Members for updated training sessions could not be met owing to resource constraints and strongly urged Members with the capacity and relevant institutions to provide the financial and technical support to help accelerate the training cycle. The Association agreed that the current components of the CLIPS Curriculum needed to be further developed into complete, self-contained modules that could be integrated into regular training activities, and urged the concerned RA II Working Groups to formulate a coordinated strategy to meet this need.
4.2.8 Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change
4.2.8.1 The Association noted that EC-LX endorsed the concept of a new WMO initiative to support adaptation to climate variability and change, with the mission ‘To strengthen coordination and enhance the provision of user-oriented climate information, products, advisories and services and to thereby support national and regional climate risk assessment, climate adaptation planning and implementation practices for sustainable development’. The Association noted the needs of key socio-economic sectors across Asia for climate information for climate-risk management, the requirements of RA II Members for developing reliable climate scenarios, and assessing the inherent uncertainty, and the vulnerability of Members in the Region to climate-related hazards. The Association therefore urged the Secretary-General to support the initiative, using the financial flexibility that might exist within the programme and budget for 2008–2011, to identify the resources needed to fulfill the proposed objectives, and to identify and make use of extrabudgetary resources.
4.2.8.2 The Association recognized the benefits to the Region of establishment and sustained operation of global and regional mechanisms for climate (e.g., GPCs, RCCs, RCOFs), for improving capability of Members to support adaptation to climate variability and change, in particular to engage in and improve user liaison and development and delivery of products and services to users at national and local scales. The Association therefore urged the Secretary- General to strongly promote these mechanisms as part of the overall WMO initiative.
4.2.8.3 The Association further recognized the need to promote climate applications in key socio-economic sectors and appreciated the CCl initiatives to support climate applications in health, energy, tourism, urban and building sectors. The Association, noting the need for partnerships with user sectors to realize more effective climate applications, appreciated the efforts of WMO to sustain longstanding partnerships with UN agencies such as WHO, UNWTO, UNEP and other international organizations. The Association urged Members to complement these efforts by working towards strengthening partnerships between NMHSs and user agencies at the national level.
4.2.8.4 Recognizing the need to establish a baseline for the extent to which WMO Members are currently engaged in sector specific activities relevant to Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change, the Association urged all RA II Members to participate in the on-line survey launched in October 2008 by the WMO Secretariat. The Questionnaire will facilitate assessment of the current 12 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
and potential future role of NMHSs in adaptation to climate variability and change in their respective countries. Furthermore, the Association noted that the outcomes of the survey will address key gaps and build on current strengths of efforts for adaptation measures.
4.3 ENHANCED CAPABILITIES OF MEMBERS TO PROVIDE BETTER HYDROLOGICAL FORECASTS AND ASSESSMENTS (agenda item 4.3)
4.3.1 General issues
4.3.1.1 The Association noted the formation of the new Climate and Water (CLW) Department as part of the restructuring of the WMO Secretariat noting that this will offer expanded and comprehensive opportunities to plan and implement region-specific, climate-related activities in hydrology and water resources. In that regard, the Association expressed its expectation that hydrological issues are better reflected in the new structure of the WMO Secretariat and not to be lost among the climatic issues. The Association also noted the establishment of the EC Working Group on Climate and Related Weather, Water and Environmental Matters by the fifty-ninth session of the Executive Council in May 2007.
4.3.1.2 The Association further noted the update provided by the Secretariat on decisions of the thirteenth session of the Commission for Hydrology (CHy) held in Geneva from 4 to 12 November 2008.
4.3.2 Strategy for the Enhancement of National Hydrological Services
4.3.2.1 Reviewing the implementation of the Strategy for the Enhancement of National Hydrological Services in Asia (2006–2008), the Association, while appreciating progress made by some Members at national level, voiced concern on the overall low level of implementation in general and in particular in areas such as forecasting including drought, the use of modern technologies and institutional issues which pose a challenge for NHSs in the Region. To improve this situation, the Association requested its Working Group on Hydrology (WGH) to develop a specific action plan towards the implementation of the strategy. It further agreed on the need for seeking maximum convergence with the Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological Services through fostering of joint activities between NMSs and NHSs in particular with a view to improving hydrological forecasts and assessments.
4.3.2.2 In this connection, recognizing with satisfaction that an integrated draft Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in RA II (2009–2011) was developed taking into account the previous Strategic Plan for NMSs (2005– 2008) and the Strategy for NHSs (2006–2008) as well as WMO Strategic Plan 2008–2011, the Association agreed that for the next intersessional period the updated version of the Strategy for the Enhancement of National Hydrological Services in Asia (2009–2012), based on the findings of the survey conducted in 2008 and accompanied by an action plan, be used as a guideline by NHSs to improve their overall performance in the national and regional context.
4.3.3 WMO Flood Forecasting Initiative
4.3.3.1 The Association welcomed the progress made in the implementation of the WMO Flood Forecasting Initiative, and the development of the “Strategy and Action Plan for the Enhancement of Cooperation between National Meteorological and Hydrological Services for Improved Flood Forecasting”, which was endorsed by the fifteenth Congress.
4.3.3.2 The Association recalled the objective of the initiative, aiming at improving flood forecasting through enhanced cooperation between NMSs and NHSs. It requested the Secretary- General to establish a mechanism for Members to provide more detailed information on the implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan (SAP). It also encouraged Members to further develop national and regional projects that would contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the initiative. The Association felt in particular that principal tiers in implementation would be: strengthened institutional capacities; use of state-of-the art observation platforms; upgraded GENERAL SUMMARY 13
monitoring networks; use of modelling approaches; and joint development of requirements-driven forecasting products. In this respect the Association expressed the need to utilize satellite-based precipitation estimation products for forecasting especially in areas that are sparse of conventional precipitation networks. The Association further encouraged Members to take a vigorous approach to implement flash-flood warning and forecasting products on national and regional basis including urban floods.
4.3.3.3 In this context, the Association expressed its satisfaction with the development of a Flash Flood Guidance System as a follow up to Resolution 21 (Cg-XV) – Strategy for the Enhancement of Cooperation between National Meteorological and National Hydrological Services for Improved Flood Forecasting. The system is being implemented in collaboration with NOAA and Hydrologic Research Centre (HRC), USA, in the form of regional projects. The Association in particular welcomed the ongoing implementation of the project in the Mekong River basin and expressed its expectation that projects in other subregions of RA II could be planned and implemented. The Association appreciated the financial support provided by NOAA and USAID for the project and also for support to the Flash Flood Conferences in Costa Rica and China and the support of the Government of Japan for the Regional Flash Flood Workshop in Tsukuba, all held in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
4.3.4 Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM)
The Association noted that there is a growing demand for continued scientific and technical inputs of the hydrological, meteorological and climatological communities into flood management policies and practices. It appreciated the efforts being made by the Secretariat through the implementation of the Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM) to support the countries in developing flood management strategies. The Association further noted progress in the implementation of Phase II of the APFM in the form of providing flood management policy guidance and tools and welcomed the move to set up a HelpDesk for Integrated Flood Management. It appreciated the substantial support provided by the Governments of Japan, the Netherlands and Switzerland to the success of the Programme. The Association urged Members to actively participate in the development of HelpDesk functions in close collaboration with the APFM team in the Secretariat with the aim to provide tailored expert opinions in flood management issues in the Region. The Association called for additional resources being made available for the continued implementation of the APFM and invited Members to provide further support and participate in APFM.
4.3.5 Drought issues
The Association recalled that during the previous intersessional period, activities were scheduled related to drought that did not fully materialize. It noted with interest that, as part of the drought activities of CHy, a low flow manual had been produced. The Association recommended publishing the report on “Disaster Management – Climate Variability and Hydrological Aspects of Drought” that had been produced by a member of the RA-II Working Group Hydrology, Dr. Z. Liu of the Bureau of Hydrology, P.R. China. The Association expressed the need for developing seasonal and inter-annual hydrological predictions for monitoring droughts and establishing best practice guidelines for drought monitoring and management. It therefore agreed on establishing a consultative mechanism within the existing RA II working groups to exchange knowledge and know-how in drought monitoring and management. It further agreed to closely liaise with technical commissions, in particular the Commissions for Hydrology (CHy), for Agrometeorology (CAgM) and for Climatology (CCl), to work towards developing tools and best practices guidance for drought monitoring and prediction and management.
4.3.6 Capacity-building
4.3.6.1 The Association recalled that the World Hydrological Cycle Observing System (WHYCOS) consists of a number of different HYCOS components (projects), each of which is independently implemented and responsive to local needs. Each HYCOS component (project) addresses specific needs within shared basin and support capacity-building of hydrological 14 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
services sharing common interests. The establishment of hydrological information systems is at the core of each of the HYCOS projects. The Association appreciated the financial support provided by the Agence Française pour le Développement (AFD) in particular in the implementation of the Mekong-HYCOS project. It noted the efforts being made by the Secretariat to obtain extrabudgetary resources for the Aral Sea-HYCOS and HKH-HYCOS. It noted with concern that although both projects are demand-driven and largely supported by national governments funding, support from development partners on a regional basis has not materialized so far. It therefore urged Members concerned to further collaborate with the Secretariat in obtaining the necessary funding to implement the project.
4.3.6.2 Being cognizant of the fact that several Members in the Region provide technical assistance to other Members, the Association felt the need to establish an information base of such projects being undertaken with relevance to NMHSs. This was seen as an important step to obtain an overview of relevant capacity-building activities being planned and implemented in the Region in support of the implementation of the Strategy for the Enhancement of NHSs in Asia. The Association therefore requested Members to provide such information to the Secretariat in a structured approach in cooperation with the WGH.
4.3.7 Exchange of hydrological data
4.3.7.1 While noting some improvements in the exchange of hydrological data in particular with respect to dedicated projects including WHYCOS, the Association expressed its concern that the overall level of exchange of hydrological data falls sharply behind a growing need for the free and open access to these data, in particular for integrated river basin management, planning purposes and scientific programmes at regional and global scales. It was noted that two of the key elements for sharing hydrological data and information were: the principals of common or shared benefits; and the necessity to exchange data and information on the basis of bilateral and regional agreements. In that context the Association reiterated the importance of exchanging hydrological data as well as data and information on water withdrawals in international river basins.
4.3.7.2 The Association also reiterated the necessity to support global data centres such as the GRDC and the Global Terrestrial Network – Hydrology (GTN-H), which are essential to enable global and regional applications-oriented research to better understand the water cycle and potential impacts of climate variability and change. The Association expressed its expectation that technical hindrances in the exchange of data could be overcome through the WMO Information System (WIS) approach, improved interoperability of HYCOS projects and possibly through activities facilitated by GEO.
4.3.8 Water and climate issues
4.3.8.1 The Association recognized that climate variability and change has become an increasing concern for the management of water resources including the design, implementation and operation of water infrastructure but also with regard to hydrometeorological extremes and their potential to trigger major disasters. In this regard, the Association noted with appreciation the efforts so far undertaken in the development of a WMO initiative to support adaptation to climate variability and change to which it offered full support. Consequently the Association encouraged Members to plan and implement adequate activities, including through pilot projects, to facilitate the supply of tailored climate information to water managers for decision-making. In that regard, the Association took note of the development of "HydroKorea" software system by the Korea Meteorological Administration, which aims to analyse water budgets and to manage water resources. The Association further noted the plans of the Korea Meteorological Administration to host an international workshop for the Asian Region in August 2009, and a training workshop for technology transfer in August 2010.
4.3.8.2 With regard to the important role of glaciers and snowfields in mountainous areas and the storage of freshwater in lakes and reservoirs in the Region for water resources assessment and management, the Association reiterated the importance of obtaining specific data and information especially in the context of climate change. Consequently, the Association emphasized GENERAL SUMMARY 15
the need for investigating the possibility to link with other international programmes with the aim to develop a mountain initiative as a platform to address this issue and to closely liaise with the newly established International Data Centre for the Hydrology of Lakes and Reservoirs (HYDROLARE) that has been established by ROSHYDROMET, Russian Federation. In this regard, the Association expressed its appreciation for the establishment of the Centre that is being hosted by the State Hydrological Institute in St Petersburg.
4.3.9 Data rescue
The Association reaffirmed the importance of data rescue, which is fundamental for trend analysis and understanding the effects of climate change. It urged Members to support the activity of Hydrological Data Rescue, including experimental data, through the mobilization of extrabudgetary resources including the VCP.
4.3.10 WMO Quality Management Framework for Hydrology
4.3.10.1 The Association noted that, as a follow-up to the decision of the Fourteenth Congress to work towards a Quality Management Framework (QMF) for NMHSs with a view to achieve their mission and strategic directions, the Advisory Working Group of CHy had developed a framework proposal to ensure that the core activities undertaken by NHSs, such as hydrological data acquisition and delivery of services and products, are performed efficiently and effectively.
4.3.10.2 The Association further noted that the WMO QMF-Hydrology would primarily take advantage of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards while recognizing existing national and trans-national standards of other organizations. To facilitate this approach, WMO has signed an agreement with ISO, which includes the subject of Hydrometry.
4.3.10.3 The Association requested Members to contribute to the QMF-Hydrology as an effective means to improve hydrological forecasting and assessments.
4.3.11 Working Group on Hydrology (WGH)
4.3.11.1 In appreciation of the accomplishments of the RA II WGH in the intersessional period, the Association thanked the chair of the working group for his report and in particular those members of the working group who had actively contributed to accomplish the work of the working group.
4.3.11.2 The Association agreed that the current format of presenting the themes and work plans in the WGH should be maintained as it represents a balanced combination of reports, assessments and potential pilot projects and also encourages outreach processes rather than static reports. The Association stressed that the work plan could be best implemented if individual theme leaders make substantial use of additional experts through the CHy expert database, additional experts nominated by Permanent Representatives and experts from collaborating institutions as well as other contributors.
4.3.11.3 Recognizing the priorities of the WGH, the Association agreed that a closer linkage with the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee should be maintained to harmonize the work of the WMO RA II WGH with activities undertaken by Members represented in the Typhoon Committee and likewise in the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones. The Association encouraged Members to include more hydrological experts in both the Typhoon Committee and the Panel on Tropical Cyclones. The Association further agreed that possible mechanisms for enhanced cooperation between the Typhoon Committee and the WGH should be explored.
4.3.12 Cooperative activities
Realizing the need for seeking strategic alliances to achieve the objectives of the flood forecasting initiative and the strategy to enhance the development of NHSs in the Region, the Association emphasized the importance of strengthening linkages in particular with the 16 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee, the International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM), and in this respect with the Global Flood Alert System (GFAS) undertaken with the support of Japan. The Association encouraged Members to try GFAS products and send feedback to ICHARM, for further improvement. The Association further expected closer collaboration in the implementation of its activities through existing linkages with UN ESACP and regional organizations including river basin organizations and other regional and professional national, regional and global organizations.
4.4 INTEGRATION OF WMO OBSERVING SYSTEMS (agenda item 4.4)
4.4.1 The Association recalled Resolution 30 (Cg-XV) – Towards Enhanced Integration between WMO Observing Systems, by which Congress had decided to initiate WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS). The Association reiterated that enhanced integration between the WMO observation systems was being pursued as a strategic objective of WMO and one of the 11 major Expected Results for the fifteenth financial period (2008–2011) as reflected in the WMO Strategic Plan and the Result-based Budget. The Association discussed and agreed with actions initiated towards integration of observing systems supporting overall Members’ activities in weather, climate and water.
Weather
Surface-based observations
Regional Basic Synoptic Network (RBSN)
4.4.2 The Association noted that, overall, owing to Members’ efforts, the observing system was functioning reasonably well in the Region, although there were deficiencies in some areas. It appreciated the work done by the Working Group on Planning and Implementation of the WWW in Region II (RA II-WG-PIW), through the Rapporteur on Regional Aspects of the Global Observing System, to identify and address deficiencies in the observing programmes. It also appreciated the work done by the Regional Lead Centre on Data Quality Monitoring to improve monitoring procedures and for the presentation and distribution of monitoring results on the availability and quality of surface-based observational data. The Association also noted that there has been a marked improvement in the global radiosonde observing system in recent years in many parts of the world, including RA II.
4.4.3 The Association confirmed the principles to be applied for the inclusion of stations in the RBSN and agreed to the revisions of the RBSN as proposed by the RA II-WG-PIW and circulated among RA II Members prior to this session. By adopting Resolution 2 (XIV-RA II) – Regional Basic Synoptic Network in Region II, the Association approved the new list of RBSN stations in Region II as given in the annex to this resolution.
Regional Basic Climatological Network (RBCN)
4.4.4 The Association noted with satisfaction that the RBCN in the Region continued to provide a more effective and consistent monitoring of the availability of climatological data. It stressed that in order to increase the availability of CLIMAT messages, further efforts by Members should be made to ensure that their operational observing stations compile and transmit the climate-related messages according to existing WMO regulations.
4.4.5 The Association noted that the proposed list of RBCN stations was reviewed by the RA II-WG-PIW and circulated among RA II Members prior to this session. By adopting Resolution 3 (XIV-RA II) – Regional Basic Climatological Network in Region II, the Association approved the list of RBCN stations in Region II as specified in the annex to this resolution.
GENERAL SUMMARY 17
Designation of National Focal Points
4.4.6 The Association noted that problems existed in the mechanism of updating the designated National Focal Points (NFP) on both the RBSN/RBCN (GSN and GUAN) and Weather Reporting Publication, No. 9, Volume A (Observing Stations). It recalled the concept of establishing the lists of NFP for the relevant observational programmes in the Region and urged Members to ensure an update of their designated NFP in a timely and regular manner. The Association also requested Members, through their NFP, to make sure that Volume A correctly describes respective national observing stations.
Aircraft Observations
4.4.7 The Association noted progress made in the establishment of AMDAR programmes in the Region, with currently five operational AMDAR programmes in China; Hong Kong, China; Japan; the Republic of Korea and Saudi Arabia. It also noted interest from India; Islamic Republic of Iran; Pakistan; Thailand; Russian Federation and United Arab Emirates towards implementing their own AMDAR programmes. The Association encouraged Members to enter into negotiations with the domestic airline companies to further extend AMDAR coverage in the Region.
4.4.8 The Association welcomed that the eleventh AMDAR Panel meeting and the fifth Science and Technology Workshop was held in Malaysia, Petaling Jaya, 17–21 November 2008, thus marking the interest of RA II Members in further development of Regional AMDAR programmes. In this regard, the Association requested Members to support WMO AMDAR Panel in the development and implementation of a standard suite of AMDAR software and hardware solutions that could be made available to all NMHSs.
Marine and Oceanographic Observations
4.4.9 The Association recalled and endorsed the following recommendations from the sixtieth session of the Executive Council:
• Urging Members to commit resources for the implementation of the JCOMM’s Observations Programme Area (OPA) strategic work plan for Building a Sustained Global Ocean Observing System;
• The development, in cooperation with IOC, of an ocean Observing Programme Support Centre (OPSC) and the request to Members to commit resources through voluntary contributions to support the implementation and operations of the Centre;
• Members to consider providing assistance with regard to the development of the JCOMM Catalogue on Best Practices and Standards;
• JCOMM to promote cooperation between the DBCP and the International Tsunameter Partnership (ITP) in support of the IOC Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/PTWS), and the IOC Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWS);
• Urging Members to establish a system of national ocean centres or services dedicated to implementation and maintenance of ocean observing systems and to improve cooperative support and coordination through the JCOMM.
4.4.10 The Association recalled that the concerns of ship owners and masters regarding availability of VOS ship position and identification data on public web sites – mainly for ship security reasons for VOS recruited by Members of the Association – had been addressed quite effectively through Resolution 27 (EC-LIX) as complying masking schemes have been implemented. However, the Association noted the concerns expressed by marine climate users, through JCOMM, regarding some limitations concerning access in delayed mode of unmasked 18 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
VOS reports that may impact the quality of marine climatology products made available to end users. The Association urged its Members to work out a solution in cooperation with the maritime authorities in order for the unmasked VOS data to be eventually released after a period of time to be agreed upon.
4.4.11 The Association urged Members to participate actively in the North Pacific Data Buoy Advisory Panel (NPDBAP) and nominate a co-Chairperson for representing Asia. The Association recommended that its Members work closely with the DBCP, the ISABP, the Global Drifter Programme, and Argo for providing deployment opportunities for drifting buoys and profiling floats in data sparse areas. The Association urged its Members to install barometers on all drifters they are planning to deploy in the Indian and North Pacific Oceans.
Space-based observations
4.4.12 The Association appreciated that WMO Members, through their operational and Research and Development (R&D) space agencies, were making significant contributions to the space-based GOS. In particular, nine geostationary satellites and seven low-Earth orbit satellites provided essential operational continuity of space-based observations, while nineteen R&D satellites also contributed to the GOS. It highlighted in particular the contribution of RA II Members, including the polar-orbiting satellites FY-1D and the new generation FY-3A from China, the current geostationary satellites FY-2C and FY-2D from China, Kalpana from India and MTSAT-1R from Japan. The Association was looking forward to the forthcoming launch of Meteor-M1 from the Russian Federation, FY-2E from China and COMS from the Republic of Korea. It also welcomed the plans to launch in 2008/2009 the following Research and Development satellites: GOSAT from Japan, HJ-1A, -1B, -1C from China, Oceansat-2 from India, Megha-Tropiques and SARAL from India and France, with the expectation that data from those R&D programmes would be made available to WMO Members.
4.4.13 The Association was informed of the on-going development of a new Vision for the GOS fostering new satellite missions in response to global needs and noted that the Executive Council had encouraged the proposed operation of hyperspectral infrared sounders, from low- Earth and geostationary orbits, and underscored the benefit expected from an operational constellation of radio-occultation sounders. It stressed the need to ensure continuity of altimetry and of surface wind measurements over the oceans, notably in support of tropical cyclone prediction, and encouraged the plans for a constellation of sensors for global precipitation measurements.
4.4.14 Fifteen RA II Members (44%) responded to the biennial enquiry on availability and use of satellite data and products in WMO Members, 11 of them recorded an increase in the access and the use of satellite data in 2006–2007 with respect to the previous two-year period. The Association reaffirmed the importance of regional activities to ensure full benefit of space activities to WMO Members and optimal response to regional needs. Actions related to user information and training, data accessibility, product availability, and the analysis of user feedback were considered of particular relevance for the regional level. The Association thanked Mr Tatsuya Kimura for his active contribution to this activity as the Rapporteur for the Space Programme nominated by XIII-RA II.
Implementation Plan for the Evolution of Surface- and Space-Based Sub Systems of the Global Observing System (EGOS-IP)
4.4.15 The Association recognized the importance of the Implementation Plan for the Evolution of Surface- and Space-Based Sub Systems of the Global Observing System (EGOS-IP) for the evolution of the GOS in the Region and requested Members to nominate National Focal Points for reporting progress and plans related to EGOS-IP and to report annually to WMO on the status of and plans for evolution of national components of the Surface- and Space-Based Sub Systems of the GOS vis-à-vis recommendations of the EGOS-IP. The information compiled in these reports would be also used to access the effectiveness of the GOS within the Region.
GENERAL SUMMARY 19
GOS-related regulatory material (regional aspects)
4.4.16 The Association noted the activities undertaken on updating the regional entry to the Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544), Volume II – Regional Aspects, Region II (Asia), in response to evolving requirements and adopted Resolution 4 (XIV-RA II) – Amendments to the Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544), Volume II – Regional Aspects, Region II (Asia).
Climate
Atmosphere
GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN) GRUAN
4.4.17 The Association noted that the GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN) would provide high-quality observing sites for the atmospheric profile, including surface and upper-air measurements, in support of climate applications, validation of satellite products and climate research. The “Report of the GRUAN Implementation Meeting” Germany, February 2008 (GCOS-121) provides a tentative list of 12 initial GRUAN candidate sites, including the Xilin Hot site in China. These sites have been recommended because of their significant expertise in observing the atmospheric column, their ability to share expertise and resources with other site operators, and their great potential to contribute to the development of a wider GRUAN. The Association, therefore, encouraged China to support the inclusion of the Xilin Hot site in GRUAN and to provide adequate resources for its operation.
CEOP
4.4.18 The Association noted with interest the formation of the new WCRP GEWEX Coordinated Energy and water cycle Observations Project (CEOP) and its two regional hydroclimate projects based in Asia: Monsoon Asian Hydro-Atmosphere Scientific Research and prediction Initiative (MAHASRI) and the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI). It encouraged Members that had activities associated with the GEWEX Continental Scale Experiments to provide information to CEOP according to its standards and take advantage of the CEOP data products for their hydrological and climate predictions.
Terrestrial
4.4.19 The Association agreed with the WMO/FAO framework to develop standards for terrestrial climate-related observations including the involvement of the GCOS/GTOS TOPC as a technical expert panel.
4.4.20 The Association noted that some areas of RA II are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change on water resources. It therefore urged Members to strengthen and/or maintain stations in the Global Terrestrial Network for Glaciers (GTN-G), the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN-P), and the Global Terrestrial Network for river runoff (GTN-R) as a matter of priority. The Association also encouraged appropriate provisions for data exchange and quality control to be put in place.
Cryosphere
4.4.21 The Association noted with appreciation that a report of the IGOS Theme on Cryosphere was prepared by the WCRP Climate and Cryosphere Project and approved by the IGOS Partnership in 2007. It agreed that the report and its recommendations created a framework for coordinated development of cryospheric observations by WMO Members, satellite agencies and research community and requested its Members to study and implement the recommendations of the Report where appropriate. It noted the subsequent decision of Fifteenth Congress to evaluate the feasibility of a WMO Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW) as a legacy of the 20 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
IPY. The Association, therefore, acknowledged the establishment of the ad hoc group to study the feasibility of a WMO GCW. It invited its Members to contribute to the activities of the ad hoc group so that it could produce a scoping document on the development and implementation of a GCW within WMO for consideration at the sixty-first session of the Executive Council in June 2009.
Observing Systems under Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) addressing Climate
4.4.22 In 2007, the GAW-coordinated global total ozone and balloon sonde networks were accepted as GCOS baseline networks. In order to continue to meet the UNFCCC requirements, the Association encouraged Members to support the IGACO-Ozone-UV implementation plan. It also agreed that a GAW initiative coordinating global aerosol observations was important for climate, air quality and weather prediction and encouraged Members to enhance aerosol measurements in the Region. The Association recognizes the value of the WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletins on informing of the state of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These bulletins are based on the data submitted from GAW stations to the GAW World Data Centre on Greenhouse Gases (WDCGG), hosted by the Japan Meteorological Agency. The Association encouraged Members to continue their measurements and data submission in a timely manner to the world data centre.
4.4.23 Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are an important component of the IGACO strategy, being implemented through GAW. They play a major role in chemistry-climate interactions and tropospheric air quality. It would be very important to enhance the VOC measurement network. The Association encouraged Members to consider adding these measurements to their programmes in a few strategic locations in the Region. The Association welcomed the new GAW Station Information System (GAWSIS) Website (at http://gaw.empa.ch/gawsis) with links to the WMO GAW World Data Centres (WDCs). It reminded Members that this useful tool is only as up to date as the information supplied by the station managers and urged for regular notification of changes.
Crosscutting aspects
Climate monitoring from space
4.4.24 The Association noted with appreciation that the new vision for the space-based GOS would address climate observation needs among its core objectives with the high-level goal that there should be no gap in the satellite-based climate records. It encouraged space agencies to pursue their close and successful cooperation with WMO through the WMO Consultative Meetings, the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites and the Coordination Group on Meteorological Satellites who had responded very positively to the climate monitoring requirements for sustained, comprehensive satellite-based datasets and products formulated by GCOS.
4.4.25 The Association stressed the importance of ensuring data exchange and inter- calibration of satellite sensors to ensure global consistency of space-based datasets for climate applications and expressed its appreciation to China and Japan for their active participation in this effort. The Association also encouraged China and Japan to make suitable datasets and products available through the network of Regional/Specialized Satellite Centres for Climate Monitoring (R/SSC-CM).
GCOS Implementation Progress Report 2009
4.4.26 The Association noted that progress in implementing the global observing system for climate is currently being assessed by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) based on the actions identified in the 2004 GCOS Implementation Plan. It also noted that this progress report will be submitted to the UNFCCC in June 2009 and discussed by all Parties of the Convention. Noting that national reports on GCOS activities have been requested by the UNFCCC for Annex I countries for delivery by 15 September 2008 and that these reports are an important source of GENERAL SUMMARY 21
information for the preparation of 2009 progress report, the Association urged all Members of RA II to submit a report to the UNFCCC at their earliest convenience, even though the report is not mandatory for non-Annex I countries.
4.4.27 Noting that the establishment of national GCOS coordinators and committees would greatly facilitate implementing the actions identified in the Implementation Plan and also national reporting on GCOS activities, the Association strongly encouraged its Members to establish such mechanisms if they had not yet done so.
Instrument Standards and Best Practices
Continuous evaluation of Regional Instrument Centres (RICs) and Regional Radiation Centres (RRCs) to verify their capabilities and performance
4.4.28 The Association noted that the WMO Congress and Executive Council had requested regional associations to further strengthen RICs/RRCs and to initiate the process of continuous evaluation of RICs and RRCs under their responsibility to verify their capabilities and performance. The Association requested its Members who operate RICs and RRCs to carry out such periodic evaluations, in liaison with CIMO, and to report their outcomes to the next session of the Association. The Association also requested its RICs to organize capacity-building activities in view of sharing their knowledge of meteorology, in particular on the procedure to be used for the calibration of meteorological and environmental instruments, with other Members.
WMO High Quality Radiosonde Regional Intercomparison, Region II, China
4.4.29 The Association expressed its appreciation to China for offering to host the combined WMO High Quality Radiosonde Intercomparison together with the WMO Regional Radiosonde Intercomparison in 2010. This should ensure that new radiosondes being implemented in China were compatible with the High Quality Radiosonde systems.
Test-Bed Instrument Facility
4.4.30 The Association encouraged its Members to participate in the workshops organized in conjunction with the COST Action ES0702 EG-CLIMET “European Ground-Based Observations of Essential Variables for Climate and Operational Meteorology” that addresses integration of ground- based remote sensing and in-situ observations for future upper-air observing networks.
Atmospheric Chemical Composition Measurements
4.4.31 The Association agreed that GAW support had significantly contributed to quality control/assurance and calibration of atmospheric chemistry observations in the Region. The Association recognized the vital support given by Japan to GAW by hosting quality assurance and calibration facilities for greenhouse gases and encouraged its continuation of these important activities. It is also essential to continue the Dobson intercomparisons and calibration activities in the Region. The Association recommended Members to consider hosting GAW facilities to fill gaps in the global integrated atmospheric chemistry observations system identified in the GAW Strategic Plan for 2008–2015 (GAW Report No. 172, WMO/TD-No. 1384).
Future development of GEOSS
4.4.32 The Association was informed that Fourteenth Congress reaffirmed Executive Council decisions to endorse the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) and its ten-year Implementation Plan; to provide full support for the GEO process and resulting GEOSS to the maximum possible extent within WMO’s mandate; and to make available all essential data as defined in WMO Resolution 40 (Cg-XII) through the GEO interoperable arrangements to serve the needs of the global community.
22 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
Implementation of the WIGOS concept
WIGOS Development and Implementation Plan
4.4.33 In the light of the decision of the sixtieth session of the Executive Council, the Association reiterated that Members and appropriate regional bodies be involved in the implementation of the WIGOS Development and Implementation Plan (WDIP) (available at www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/WIGOS-WIS/reports.html) and urged Members to collaborate actively in its implementation. It confirmed the decision of the sixtieth session of the Executive Council that WDIP be regularly reviewed and updated based on inputs from the technical commissions, regional associations and the advisory/steering bodies of WMO co-sponsored programmes contributing to WIGOS. In this regard, the Association requested its president to submit proposals for reviews and updates of WDIP reflecting regional aspects of implementation and further development of the WIGOS concept on an annual basis. The Association requested its working bodies to include tasks contributing to the appropriate sections and activities of the WDIP relevant to the Region into their work programmes.
4.4.34 Bearing in mind the importance of the participation of all Members in WIGOS activities, the Association requested its working bodies and the Secretariat to provide Members with timely information on the current status of WIGOS and relevant information.
WIGOS Concept of Operations
4.4.35 The Association noted with appreciation the development of the WIGOS Concept of Operations (CONOPS) elaborated by the EC Working Group on WIGOS and WIS that described the end state for a fully-operational WIGOS; it contained goals, objectives, major characteristics, operational framework, data policy and benefits of WIGOS.
4.4.36 When considering the different aspects of the WIGOS concept, the Association agreed that implementation of the WIGOS concept should offer unprecedented opportunity to include all WMO and WMO-sponsored networks and subsystems in the integration process thus allowing WMO to more effectively respond to new challenges and evolving user requirements. The Association also agreed that integration should ensure the continued partnership and participation of the bodies responsible for these observing systems as they become part of an integrated system of systems with sustained sense of ownership.
WIGOS Pilot Projects
4.4.37 The Association reiterated that undertaking at the earliest possible stage several WIGOS Pilot Projects (PP) would be useful to address major issues in the integration process and would help in elaborating the WDIP. It welcomed activities initiated under the following five Pilot Projects identified by Fifteenth Congress.
WIGOS Pilot Project for CIMO
4.4.38 The Association noted the development of the CIMO Pilot Project on WIGOS addressing the cross-cutting and underpinning role and responsibilities of CIMO within the WIGOS- WIS framework. The Association urged Members that would be carrying out WIGOS Demonstration Projects to actively cooperate with CIMO.
WIGOS Pilot Project for JCOMM
4.4.39 The Association noted the development of the Pilot Project for the integration of marine and other appropriate oceanographic observations into WIGOS in close relationship with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. The Association urged Members to participate actively in the Pilot Project through: (i) engaging in active cooperation with the oceanographic data centres in order to ensure the development or interoperable arrangements between their data systems and the WIS; and (ii) offering facilities for running regional marine instrument centres on a GENERAL SUMMARY 23
trial basis. The Association also recalled that the sixtieth session of the Executive Council urged its Members to establish a system of national ocean centres or services dedicated to implementation and maintenance of ocean observing systems and to improve cooperative support and coordination through the JCOMM. The goal is to ensure continuous operation of a global ocean observing system in support, inter alia, of coupled ocean-atmosphere climate modelling and operational ocean prediction, as well as the limited lifetime of individual platforms, data buoys, floats, ship-based and bottom-mounted systems.
WIGOS Pilot Project for AMDAR
4.4.40 The Association noted that the EC Working Group on WIGOS/WIS had approved a draft Pilot Project on Integration of AMDAR into WIGOS and established an ad hoc Steering Group to finalize this Pilot Project. An initiation meeting of this Pilot Project was held in Geneva from 2 to 3 July 2008 and developed six Pilot Project aims and objectives to assist the integration of AMDAR into WIGOS. In addition, the AMDAR Technical Coordinator function has been transferred from the WMO AMDAR Panel into a WMO full staff position funded through the AMDAR Trust Fund.
WIGOS Pilot Project for GAW
4.4.41 Noting that within GAW, for some data types transmission would be required in near real-time (NRT), while for others transmission with considerable time delay would be adequate, the Association recognized the importance of NRT delivery of ozone and aerosol variables and that these should be addressed as a matter of priority. Ozone and aerosol observations from the GAW network are needed for ingestion into atmospheric models, via data assimilation techniques, in support of improved forecasts of weather, surface UV and air quality. The GAW pilot project would contribute to the design of activities that enhance the transfer of GAW data in NRT through WIS. The Association considered that the benefits of WIGOS include the standardization of observing techniques, the routine collection and exchange of essential data as well as the transmission of data in a timely fashion to meet known requirements. The Association recognized that GAW already had in place activities and central facilities to this effect, but that these needed expansion and would benefit from improved data dissemination through WIS. The Association urged Members to support the efforts to move to NRT delivery of GAW data.
WIGOS Pilot Project for Global Hydrological Network
4.4.42 The Association noted the development of a project proposal for the Hydrological Applications and Run-Off Network (HARON) as a Hydrological Network Pilot Project for WIGOS. It supported by the thirteenth session of CHy recommendations that further steps in the implementation of this WIGOS pilot project should be undertaken. The Association urged Members to actively participate in this Pilot Project and engage in active cooperation with hydrological services and relevant data centres.
WIGOS Demonstration Projects
4.4.43 The Association noted that launching Demonstration Projects (DP) in selected NMHSs, feedback and lessons learnt from these NMHSs will be extremely beneficial in understanding others’ expectations of WIGOS concept implementation. The following countries took the initiative and formally agreed to implement DPs in their NMHSs: Kenya, Namibia (RA I), Republic of Korea (RA II), Brazil (RA III), United States of America (RA IV), Australia (RA V) and the Russian Federation (RA VI). The Association supported the involvement of regional associations and Members in the practical implementation of WIGOS concept in the operation as crucial to ensuring benefits for all Members.
4.4.44 The Association noted with appreciation the initiation of the Republic of Korea to launch Demonstration Project “Establishment of a Common Information Infrastructure for Meteorological Observation Data” and requested its Working Group on Planning and Implementation of WWW in RA II to closely collaborate with KMA in implementation of the Demonstration Project. In this regard, the Association requested the KMA to regularly inform the president of the Association on 24 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
the implementation and progress in its Demonstration Project. The Association also encouraged the Members to initiate their Demonstration Projects.
4.5 DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW WMO INFORMATION SYSTEM (agenda item 4.5)
4.5.1 WIS development and implementation strategy
WIS Implementation Plan, including support to WIGOS
4.5.1.1 The Association noted the considerable progress that occurred in the development of WIS and, in particular, the major steps taken towards the implementation of the first operational Global Information System Centre (GISC) in 2009. It expressed great appreciation for the development efforts made by several RA II Members through participation in national and/or international pilot projects. It emphasized that all these experiences should be shared among Members planning to be GISCs and/or Data Collection or Production Centres (DCPCs). It urged RA II Members to focus special efforts and resources on further development of the following key projects:
(a) Implementation of operational GISCs: 2009–2011;
(b) Implementation of DCPCs, i.e., WIS interfaces at centres with agreed international responsibilities within WMO Programmes for collecting and/or generating related data and products: 2009–2011.
The Association emphasized the crucial importance of effective communication and outreach efforts to ensure NMHSs understanding of WIS and its benefits to all potential user groups and entities, and it urged the Secretariat and Members involved in the early phase of WIS implementation to invest special efforts to this effect. In this regard, the Association urged NMHSs to participate in the WIS VPN Pilot Project in Regions II and V.
4.5.1.2 The Association noted the progress made in the development of the comprehensive WIS Project Plan, including an Implementation Plan. It urged RA II Members and technical commissions to provide early interaction and contribution at the regional level to the development and consolidation of the WIS Project Plan and WIS Implementation Plan. Noting the financial and human resources that were further needed for ensuring the proper development of WIS, the Association invited RA II Members and partner organizations to contribute to the WIS Trust Fund. In noting the contributions made by seconded staff, even for a limited duration, to WMO as a whole as well as to individual Members, the Association encouraged Members to provide suitable staff to the Secretariat through secondments.
4.5.1.3 The Association noted that WIGOS was crucially dependant upon effective WIS support and services, e.g., the specialized data collection means, the generation, collection, management and handling of related metadata and the distribution of and access to the data. It invited RA II Members to contribute, in coordination with ICG-WIS, the EC Working Group on WIGOS-WIS and relevant rechnical commission (TC) activities, to ensure that the WIS elements and components required respectively for the implementation of the five WIGOS pilot projects were developed and coordinated to meet the respective projects’ aims and requirements.
Regulatory and guidance documentatiaon
4.5.1.4 The Association emphasized the importance of appropriate regulatory and guidance documentation on the WIS. It noted and supported the significant steps forward made in the development of WIS technical documentation, i.e., the WIS Compliance Specifications of GISC, DCPC and NC (National Centre), and the WIS Functional Architecture, and that the Executive Council asked CBS and the ICG-WIS to build upon these contributions towards regulatory documentation, as a matter of priority and based on the experience gained through early WIS implementation. GENERAL SUMMARY 25
Involvement of Regional Association II and NMHSs
4.5.1.5 The Association stressed that the support and involvement of the Region in the WIS development was a crucial factor for ensuring a successful implementation and a shared ownership of the system. It requested its relevant regional working group to take a leading role in the regional WIS development and planning. It emphasized the need for capacity-building, including education and training, especially in developing countries to enable them to participate in WIS, taking into account the capabilities, opportunities and constraints of the NMHSs of developing countries. Noting WIS pilot projects already implemented in Region II, the Association stressed the high value of those pilot projects and urged its relevant working groups, with the support and coordination of the ICG-WIS, to develop and promote pilot projects that facilitate the introduction and further understanding of the WIS structure, functions and services. It invited NMHSs from developed countries, and in particular those participating in the early phase of WIS implementation, to support and assist in those initiatives, and to share technology and experience among Members. In that regard, the Association urged NMHSs to participate in the WIS VPN Pilot Project in Regions II and V as a means to build capacity.
4.5.1.6 Noting the progress made in WIS requirements from WMO Programmes, as reviewed in the ‘Report on the WIS Rolling Review of Requirements’, the Association urged its relevant working groups to actively pursue their contributions to the refinement of WIS Rolling Review of Requirements to ensure that the regional programmes requirements on WIS are taken into account. The Association encouraged the WMO Secretariat and relevant working groups to provide Members with timely information on the current status of WIS and relevant information on that activity.
GISC and DCPC designation process
4.5.1.7 The Association fully concurred with the Executive Council in stressing the crucial importance of an early identification of GISCs and DCPCs for the planning and implementation of WIS. It recalled that Fifteenth Congress endorsed in principle WIS procedures for the designation of GISCs and DCPCs and encouraged Members to adhere to them. It noted that, upon the request from the sixtieth session of the Executive Council, the Secretariat has requested Members to identify potential GISCs and DCPCs centres with supporting information. Members’ contribution on identified GISC and/or DCPC(s) will be reviewed by ICG-WIS and by CBS-XIV and consolidated for presentation to the sixty-first session of the Executive Council. The Association noted with satisfaction that several RA II Members have submitted candidate DCPCs and GISCs, and stressed the importance of coordination and planning at the regional level.
Coordination with related international projects (GEOSS, GMES/INSPIRE)
4.5.1.8 The Association concurred with the Executive Council in emphasizing the important role WMO WIS has to play as a core contribution to the GEOSS. It noted the mutual benefits made available by the interoperability arrangements between WIS and GEOSS, enabling WMO Members to have access to other GEO data and products, while facilitating the further distribution of weather, climate and water data.
4.5.2 Operation-critical data exchange and management
GTS implementation and plan
4.5.2.1 The Association expressed its deep appreciation to Members for their continued efforts in upgrading and improving GTS components, including point-to-point circuits, managed data- communication networks (e.g., for the Improved MTN and Regional Networks) and data- distribution systems via satellite (e.g., the new DVB-S system implemented by RTH Jeddah and satellite-based meteorological data transmission system implemented by India through the Indian satellite INSAT). The Association reaffirmed that, as emphasized by Fifteenth Congress, the sustained GTS progress through dedicated telecommunication means was essential to WIS implementation as the core communication component for exchange and delivery of operation- 26 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
critical data and products. It urged Members to pursue their fruitful efforts, and emphasized the importance of CBS continuing to provide updated technical guidance and further recommended practices, and to facilitate sharing experience gained by NMHSs, to benefit early from rapidly evolving technologies.
4.5.2.2 The Association agreed that improvement of the WIS/GTS communication infrastructure, and especially the Regional Meteorological Telecommunication Network (RMTN) should be continued in compliance with the following implementation strategies:
(a) Acceleration of TCP/IP migration as a first priority;
(b) Studying and promoting administrative arrangements in a collaborative framework to use new communication network services, taking into consideration respective national policies;
(c) Selecting an appropriate network service with a possible framework such as bilateral and multilateral collaboration schemes;
(d) Promoting the use of cost-effective network services such as IP-VPN (Virtual Private Network) with MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching);
(e) Actual data communication speed more than 9.6kbps (preferably over 64kbps) to meet regional WWW requirements;
(f) Use of the Internet for a GTS circuit as the very end solution, while using VPN techniques for secure data communication;
(g) Supporting the modernization of national data-collection of NMCs and RTHs systems in developing countries.
Noting the fast evolution of data-communication technology and services, the Association stressed the need for coordination between Members in managing current and new contractual arrangements with providers, and it urged Members, with the assistance and support of the Secretariat, to facilitate implementation-coordination meetings. The Association emphasized that all Members in the Region benefit from technical coordination with their associated NMCs for the implementation, operation and improvement of data communication techniques and procedures, including sharing experience and advice between the data-communication experts of the RTH and of the NMCs.
4.5.2.3 With respect to the RMTN plan, the Association noted that the current Regional plan includes three regional GTS circuits for the connection of NMC Kabul and two for NMC Baghdad that are not implemented. With a view to focusing efforts in the reconstruction process, the Association agreed that only one single GTS circuit linking each NMC to its respective associated RTH should be retained in the plan. It requested the Secretary-General to amend accordingly the RMTN plan, as included in the Manual on the GTS, Volume II, Region II. As regards the RMTN implementation, the Association emphasized that highest priority should be given to the implementation of efficient GTS links with RTH Tehran, especially RTH Jeddah – RTH Tehran and RTH Tehran – RTH New Delhi regional circuits; efforts should also be pursued with a view to connecting NMC Thimpu (Bhutan) to the associated RTH, i.e., RTH New Delhi.
4.5.2.4 With respect to the use of the Internet, the Association re-affirmed the importance of CBS updated technical guidance for the efficient use of the Internet with minimized operational and security risks. It emphasized that the Internet plays an increasingly important role for access to and delivery of a wide range of data and products and for complementing the GTS. With particular importance for smaller NMHSs, the Internet provides the means to use the WIS Data Discovery, Access and Retrieval service. The Association urged all NMCs to implement the required facilities for accessing the Internet, including VPN connections with other WWW centres, in particular RTHs.
GENERAL SUMMARY 27
IGDDS development and implementation
4.5.2.5 The Association supported the distribution of space-based data and products in near real-time through Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) systems within the Integrated Global Data Dissemination Service (IGDDS), as an operational component of the WIS architecture. These services were facilitating wide access to satellite data and it expressed its appreciation to China for expanding the service through FengYunCast over most of Asia and the South-West Pacific, and to the Russian Federation for the MITRA services. The Association emphasized the importance of appropriate mechanisms to ensure that RA II Members’ requirements for space-based data and products are considered by the respective operators of IGDDS infrastructure components for possible inclusion in the dissemination programmes and requested its relevant regional working group to follow up. The Association noted that such dissemination means had the potential to serve a wide range of applications and welcomed the expansion of this concept to other Societal Benefit Areas through the GeoNetCast initiative. It also recalled the important role of the GTS and the complementary role of the Internet to meet the various operational and other needs and ensure overall robustness.
4.5.2.6 The Association welcomed the progress made in expanding the Regional ATOVS Retransmission Service (RARS) global network to the Asia-Pacific area, which resulted in a significant benefit for Numerical Weather Prediction.
Support to early warning systems and operations
4.5.2.7 The Association emphasized the effective support currently provided by the GTS for the exchange and distribution of early warning and watch messages and related data, as particularly demonstrated for Tsunami watch in the Indian Ocean. It concurred that CBS pursue the further review of GTS exchange mechanisms with a view to improving exchange of high priority data and products in support of a virtual all hazards network within the WIS-GTS, as asked by Fifteenth Congress. The Association supported the recent Workshop on the GTS for effective Exchange of Tsunami Warnings, related Information and other Warnings in the Indian Ocean (Bangkok, December 2007) sponsored by the NOAA/NWS of the USA; it emphasized the usefulness of such operation-oriented workshops and strongly encouraged donors to sponsor and organize, with Secretariat assistance, similar events in other areas exposed to multi-natural hazards (e.g., the Pacific).
4.5.2.8 The Association re-affirmed the effective capabilities of the WIS-GTS, including the essential operational role of NMCs of NMHSs, as a crucial WMO contribution to the effective exchange and distribution of early warning and related data. It invited donors and RA II Members concerned to strengthen the WIS-GTS for the benefit of all user communities. It recognized that many of the national agencies involved operationally in the provision of warning services, e.g., for tsunami, were not NMHS, but still required access to the GTS to effectively implement their responsibilities. The Association concurred with the sixtieth session of the Executive Council in urging NMHSs in the countries concerned to arrange for such access, as a matter of urgency, and the Secretariat to encourage, coordinate and facilitate such access, as appropriate. The Association also agreed that the detailed GTS routeing plan for Tsunami Watch Information (TWI) should be regularly reviewed and made available to all centres concerned, including on the relevant WMO Web pages. It also emphasized the importance the regular participation of all RTHs in operational tests of the distribution of TWI over the GTS with their associated NMCs.
Climate-related data exchange
Monthly CLIMAT and CLIMAT TEMP reports
4.5.2.9 The Association urged Members to further increase their efforts in providing monthly surface reports from all CLIMAT stations in a timely and regular manner as stipulated by WMO regulation standards and practices, as well as their cooperation in providing historical daily datasets needed for the compilation of the World Weather Records Datasets.
28 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
4.5.2.10 The Association noted the thirteenth session of GCOS/WCRP AOPC-XIII (Geneva, Switzerland, April 2007) conclusion that CLIMAT TEMP have very limited value for ongoing climate research purposes and was no longer required for GCOS purposes, taking into account improvements in collection, exchange and quality control of the daily TEMP messages; the Hadley GUAN Monitoring Centre (MC) had already ceased its CLIMAT TEMP monitoring activities in 2007. The sixtieth session of the Executive Council requested CCl to assess all the impacts of a possible discontinuation of CLIMAT TEMP and, if a decision on discontinuation were reached, to notify CBS for required operational arrangements and NMHSs, users and instrument manufacturers.
Water-related data exchange
4.5.2.11 The Association noted the potential benefits that can be brought to the hydrological community by WIS and was pleased to learn of the possible use of a WHYCOS project as a pilot project for integrating hydrological data through WIS. Data and information flows under the Flash Flood Guidance System (FFGS) may also be considered as part of a WIS pilot project.
Data representation and Metadata
4.5.2.12 As regards the migration to Table-Driven Code Forms (TDCF), the Association urged all RA II Members to finalize and implement plans for the migration in accordance with the International Migration Plan approved by Congress. Members should benefit from recent guidance, encoder-decoder software, training, and pilot projects that were developed by CBS and Members and promoted by the Secretariat to facilitate the migration. The Association stressed the need to use TDCF to fully utilize new observing systems’ capabilities, in particular with a view to satisfying the requirements of advanced Numerical Weather Prediction Systems. The Association fully supported CBS activities in assessing data representation systems and consolidating a comprehensive WIS data representation systems policy, addressing both data exchange among NMHSs, and from NMHSs to outside, in view of the increasing demands of the NMHSs’ user community for the use of modern industry standards for data representation (e.g., XML), including aeronautical meteorology. It urged all WMO technical commissions, and CBS as the lead Commission, to participate actively.
4.5.2.13 Noting that metadata is absolutely critical for handling data by the emerging WIS centres and enabling the use and interoperability of data, the Association supported the activities of the CBS Inter-Programme Expert Team on Metadata Implementation for further development and implementation of the WMO core profile of the ISO metadata standard, and it urged RA II Members to actively contribute to these activities.
Operational Information Services, including Monitoring
4.5.2.14 The Association supported the continuous efforts made in improving Operational Information Services, and encouraged NMHSs in Region II to access the updated WWW operational information, including WMO Publications Nos. 9 and 47, and monitoring results on the WMO Web server for its use, review and updating. It also urged WMO Members operating an RTH to join the pre-operational phase of the Integrated WWW monitoring (IWM), as developed by CBS. The Association agreed upon the following action for facilitating progressive IWM implementation in the Region:
(a) RTH Tokyo will initiate the implementation of IWM in 2009 as a pilot leading RTH, in coordination with its associated NMCs;
(b) RTH Tokyo will share the experience gained with other RTHs in the Region, with a view to facilitating further IWM implementation.
Regional priorities for the technical cooperation support related to ER 5
4.5.2.15 Recalling that the Fifteenth Congress emphasized that, in implementing Part A of the WIS implementation plan, highest priority should be given to overcoming the persisting GENERAL SUMMARY 29
shortcomings in the current GTS implementation and noting the recommendation developed by its WG-PIW, the Association agreed on the regional priorities for the technical cooperation support related to WIS as follows:
(a) Highest priority should be given to the implementation of the connection of each NMC to the GTS for the exchange of observational data and processed information (at a minimum speed of 16 Kbits/s using TCP/IP procedures), including reception equipment of satellite based data-distribution systems;
(b) Highest priority should be given for the exchange of data between RTHs at a minimum speed of 64 Kbits/s using TCP/IP procedures;
(c) Highest priority should be given for the collection of data from RBSN stations at NMCs or centres with similar functions;
(d) Highest priority should be given for activities on capacity-building facilities and use of Internet and implementation of related facilities in developing countries for improving exchange of meteorological and related information, for enabling the use of virtual private network (VPN) connections in particular with RTHs, and the access to emerging WIS services (i.e., servers and portals);
(e) High priority should be given for a backup connection of each WWW centre to the GTS;
(f) High priority should be given for operational implementation of encoder/decoder in the framework of the migration to Table Driven Code Forms (TDCF).
4.5.3 Non real-time data exchange and management
GISC and DCPC Data Discovery, Access and Retrieval services
4.5.3.1 With respect to the Data Discovery, Access and Retrieval services, based on request/reply “pull” mechanism operated essentially through the Internet, that were the salient extension of services that will be provided by WIS, the Association agreed that CBS and the ICG-WIS should urgently develop recommended procedures and practices, based on international standards and current technologies, for adequate authentication and authorization mechanisms to enable and manage the use of the service, at national and international levels, by authorized users.
Data Management Applications
Interfacing Climate Data Management System with WIS
4.5.3.2 The Association was pleased to note that WMO is promoting and facilitating the interfacing of Climate Data Management Systems with WIS. This should enable NMHSs to achieve inter-operable interface for climate Data Access and Retrieval through WIS. In this regard, it noted with satisfaction and interest that the Russian Federation’s ROSHYDROMET is undertaking the CLIWARE-WIS pilot project currently in the operational implementation phase. The project is based on the Data Management System CLIWARE developed by ROSHYDROMET. The Association encouraged Members to undertake, if possible, similar projects based on Climate Data Management Systems they are currently using or are planning to implement in the future.
Data Rescue and Digitization of Climate Records
4.5.3.3 The Association reiterated the importance of WMO Data Rescue project (DARE) in safeguarding, digitizing and making available historical climate archives for the benefit of the Members in the Region as well as globally. It called all Members to continue their efforts in accelerating the digitization process of old climate records. In addition, the Association encouraged both existing and future Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) to provide, where acceptable to 30 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
Members, an alternative secure database system for duplication of Members’ data as recommended by CCl.
4.5.3.4 The Association took note with appreciation of the progress in rescuing and digitizing historical climate records in the Region and noted with satisfaction that China and India have rescued millions of paper climate files quickly increasing digitized historical data.
4.5.3.5 The Association was pleased to note the increased collaboration between Members in and outside the Region for the provision of modern Climate Data Management Systems (CDMSs) and their installation by NMHSs in the Region. It urged Members who are still operating CLICOM to accelerate the migration to modern systems. This should allow NMHSs to benefit from the increased capacity and functionalities of modern data management technology allowing better climate data management and services.
4.5.3.6 The Association thanked Viet Nam for the successful organization in December 2007 of the WMO workshop on the installation and use of CLIMSOFT software in several countries in South East Asia, back-to-back with the seminar on the application of historical climate data in climate change detection and indices. Both events were hosted by the National Hydrometeorological Service of Viet Nam. The Association thanked with appreciation the United Kingdom for providing, through WMO VCP, the needed financial support to these two events.
Requirements from special programmes and projects
THORPEX Interactive Grand Global Ensemble
4.5.3.7 The Association recognized that the THORPEX Interactive Grand Global Ensemble (TIGGE) was paving the way towards the next generation operational forecast system and that the data transfers required to utilize TIGGE presented significant challenges for the development and implementation of WIS. It agreed that WIS should take into account the needs of TIGGE.
International Polar Year
4.5.3.8 The Association recognized and appreciated the scope of the effort during the International Polar Year to advance understanding and prediction of the components of the Earth System. It requested that RA II Members continue to exchange appropriate IPY datasets and legacy measurements through the GTS and to archive observations, given that many of the special measurement campaigns were of short duration.
4.6 ENHANCED CAPABILITIES OF MEMBERS IN MULTI-HAZARD EARLY WARNING AND DISASTER PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS (agenda item 4.6)
Disaster Risk Reduction Programme Strategy and Implementation Framework
4.6.1 The Association recalled that the Fifteenth Congress approved the strategic goals of WMO in disaster risk reduction, derived from the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA). The Association further noted that the Fifteenth Congress approved the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Programme implementation framework, built upon five major thrusts: (i) modernization of NMHSs and observing networks; (ii) implementation of national operational multi-hazard early warning systems; (iii) strengthening of NMHSs capacity for maintaining hazard databases, analysis in support of hydrometeorological risk assessment tools; (iv) strengthening NMHSs cooperation with civil protection and disaster risk management agencies; and (v) coordinated training and public outreach programmes. This action plan would be implemented through coordinated regional and national projects, leveraging activities of WMO and external partners.
4.6.2 The country-level fact-finding DRR survey conducted in 2006, which provided a benchmark on Members’ capacities, requirements and priorities in disaster risk management, indicated that strong winds, thunderstorm and lightning, drought, flash flood, heat waves, river flooding, sandstorms, tropical cyclones, storm surges, forest fires and aviation hazards were the GENERAL SUMMARY 31
top ten hazards that concerned RA II Members the most. The survey confirmed that over 90% of NMHSs responding to the survey in RA II needed guidance on standard methodologies for monitoring, archiving, analysis and mapping of hazards and early warning systems with a multi- hazard approach.
4.6.3 The Association noted with appreciation the report of the Chairperson of the RA II Working Group on Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation in Regional Association II (Asia) and significant contributions of the working group to the implementation of national and regional DRR survey and other related DRR activities in the Region.
Strengthening NMHS' role in governance and institutional coordination in DRR
4.6.4 With reference to the WMO guidelines on “Opportunities and Contributions of NMHSs to Disaster Risk Management Governance, National Coordination Mechanisms, and Early Warning Systems”, the Association urged the completion and publication of that Secretariat initiative and invited NMHSs to utilize and share the guidelines with relevant national and regional stakeholders to facilitate projects through which the NMHSs could improve their roles in and contributions to disaster risk management.
4.6.5 The Association appreciated the increased recognition of the roles and activities of WMO and the NMHSs in DRR planning and management, which resulted from the active participation of WMO in high-level meetings and conferences organized by the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), the World Bank and other regional partners such as the Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) and Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC).
4.6.6 The Association noted WMO’s efforts in the establishment of a partnership with the World Bank and its newly established Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) for implementation of national and regional projects for strengthening contributions of NMHSs in disaster risk management and linkage to development and poverty reduction strategies. It urged the Members and the Secretary-General to explore opportunities for benefiting from these funding opportunities, towards strengthening of cooperation and capacities of NMHSs in support of disaster risk management through establishment of DRR projects.
Provision of hazard information and analysis for risk assessment and planning
4.6.7 Concerning the preparation of statistical reports on hydrometeorological and climate- related hazards and their impacts for use by specialized agencies of the UN System, the Association noted the results of WMO DRR survey and the development of guidelines on drought, floods, and other meteorological hazard risk assessment. It reiterated the importance of completion of these guidelines and to develop a framework for coordinated collection of hazard information from NMHSs in RA II to support risk assessment projects and other statistical analysis and reports.
4.6.8 The Association recalled that hazard and disaster impact database development and risk modelling projects were being carried out by the World Bank and the Global Risk Identification Programme (GRIP). In recognizing the importance of risk assessment for disaster risk management, the Association:
(a) Requested the Secretariat to develop such information as the criteria for describing weather events as hazardous, the data and metadata to be collected relating to dangerous events, and guidelines and principles for collecting socio-economic data relating to dangerous weather events, and to place these on the WMO Website;
(b) Encouraged Members to ensure that their NMHSs establish mechanisms and methodologies for the collection and exchange of hazard data and metadata, analyses, value-added information and technical expertise in a fashion that is consistent with the WMO guidelines;
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(c) Requested the Secretary-General to inform RA II Members of opportunities emerging in these areas;
(d) Requested the president to promote participation of NMHSs in risk assessment pilot projects through the provision of hazard data, analysis and mapping, in which the contribution of NMHSs could be demonstrated.
4.6.9 Some Members in RA II have been exploring plans for renewing their nuclear energy. In this connection, the NMHSs have been requested to contribute DRR-related services and hydrometeorological information for improving safety, selection of location and operations of nuclear facilities. Stressing the need for continuing collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Association confirmed the need to review and update relevant WMO technical publications and to arrange training on disaster risk reduction in this area.
Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (EWS) and Emergency Response Operations
4.6.10 At its fifty-eighth session (2006) the Executive Council agreed to use several demonstration projects to, among other objectives, determine whether economies and synergies could be achieved through a multi-hazard approach to EWS. In order to keep track of these demonstration projects and to ensure the objectives are being kept in focus, the Association requested:
(a) The Secretary-General to publish by 2009 a preliminary report on the status and results that would have been achieved by then through the demonstration projects, and to inform, the RA II Working Group on DRR and Service Delivery particularly pertaining to initiatives and opportunities in this Region;
(b) The president to take necessary actions to ensure that issues pertaining to transboundary operational cooperation and exchange of forecasts, warnings and other information on a real-time basis through the GTS and other mechanisms be addressed in relevant Multi-Hazard Early Warning demonstration projects in RA II;
(c) Its Working Group on DRR and Service Delivery to assess the emerging results and conclusions as regards their viability for other RA II Members and to make recommendations to the Association for further development of this area through national and regional cooperation projects.
4.6.11 The Association was informed of a new initiative for development of a multi-hazard EWS project in Central America for meteorological, hydrological and climate-related hazards. This project addresses the role of the NMHSs in the governance and institutional issues as well as EWS’ concept of operations on the basis of standard operational procedures for collaboration of the NMHSs with disaster risk management and civil protection authorities and agencies at national to local levels. The Association requested the president to explore with the Secretariat possibilities for development of similar pilot projects in RA II.
4.6.12 Concerning the establishment of a Regional Drought Management Centre in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the Association encouraged participating countries to continue the active involvement of their NMHSs in that project. Furthermore, the Association acknowledged the need for the establishment of such centres in other parts of the Region where drought poses a major risk.
4.6.13 The Association welcomed the progress of the WMO initiative in the implementation of the project on community approaches to flood management in Bangladesh, India and Nepal aimed at strengthening the resilience of these countries to floods. The Association requested the replication of such a project in other RA II Member countries.
4.6.14 The Association also acknowledged progress in the implementation of the WMO Flood Forecasting Initiative, in particular the regional planning meeting for the implementation of the initiative, organized by WMO in collaboration with UNESCAP, in Bangkok, in 2006 and the regional GENERAL SUMMARY 33
meetings on flash flood forecasting in 2005, jointly organized by WMO with the government of Japan in Tsukuba, Japan and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Lhasa, China and stressed the need to strengthen flood warning capacities in the Region.
4.6.15 The Association re-emphasized the continuing need to improve technical capacities and methodologies for the generation of forecasts and warnings for hazards such as severe weather, flash flood, heat-health, sand and dust storm, marine meteorological and environmental hazards.
4.6.16 The Association noted the progress made towards the development of a Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System (SDS-WAS), and recalled that Fifteenth Congress called for CAS and CBS collaboration to establish SDS-WAS regional nodes with the appropriate operational and research capabilities and to clarify the future role of the SDS-WAS nodes in the context of the GDPFS and RSMC structures. In RA II, the SDS-WAS Asia/Central- Pacific node consists of a partnership of RA II Members supported by a Regional Centre hosted by CMA. Currently China, Kazakhstan, Japan, Mongolia and Republic of Korea are engaged. The first meeting of the Regional Steering Group for the node in RA II was held in Beijing, China (November 2008) discussing further steps in implementing the SDS-WAS.
4.6.17 The Association recognized the potential benefits of collaboration between DRR and activities taking place under CAS, for more rapid transfer of the tools currently under development by the research community for improved disaster risk management and preparedness. The Association stressed that operationalization of these capacities could provide unique, new and effective solutions, particularly for the developing nations. The Regional Association highlighted the WWRP TIGGE programme, which would provide critical information for risk quantification and urged the involvement of TIGGE in DDR demonstration projects in RA II.
4.6.18 The Association emphasized the growing application by NMHSs of probabilistic forecasts to assist forecasters to improve, in particular, the warnings of severe weather. It urged its Members to make maximum use of the recently produced Guidelines on Communicating Forecast Uncertainty (WMO/TD-No. 1422, PWS-18), which aim at assisting NMHSs to develop strategies and techniques to communicate uncertainty information as part of their service.
4.6.19 The Association agreed that these technical capacities must be linked to operational disaster risk management and emergency preparedness processes as part of effective early warning systems, through well-defined projects that define clearly role of NMHSs in the planning and legislation aspects of early warning systems, the concept of operations based on standard operational procedures and user requirements.
4.6.20 The Association recalled the potential increase in hydrometeorological disasters associated with climate variability and change. The Association stressed the importance of climate information from monthly to decadal timescales for climate adaptation and disaster risk management decision-making. In this regard, the Association was informed that UNDP had initiated a number of national ”Climate Risk Management Projects” together with the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) in Indonesia and Armenia, with plans to expand to a few other countries in the Region and stressed the need for active participation of NMHSs in these projects. Furthermore, the Association stressed the importance of the WMO/World Bank project, funded through GFDRR, to undertake “climate observations and regional modelling in support of climate risk management and sustainable development” in Africa and the need to launch similar initiatives and collaboration in RA II.
4.6.21 The Association noted that specifically, EWS and services related to coastal risk management including observations, telecommunications, detection, forecasting and warning systems related to tropical cyclones, storm surge, waves and extreme waves, sea level, tsunami and coastal flooding depend on the crosscutting cooperation of several scientific disciplines and programmes with specific attention being given to the needs and capabilities of LDCs and SIDS. The Association therefore requested the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee and the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones, based on technical advice of technical commissions concerned, 34 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
foremost JCOMM, CHy, CAS and CBS, and in consultation with UNESCO/IOC, to set up or strengthen existing collaboration mechanisms for developing and improving the service delivery in coastal risk management.
4.6.22 The Association recalled the environmental catastrophes during 2007–2008 resulting from tropical cyclones and their associated coastal marine hazards (mainly storm surges), including the recent tropical cyclone Nargis that caused major devastation and loss of lives in the most populous and low-lying areas of Myanmar in May 2008. The Association recognized that while storm surge warnings are national responsibilities it appreciated that some tropical cyclone RSMC advisories included storm surge information. It therefore agreed that a storm surge watch scheme would help increase advisory lead-time and thus contribute to saving lives and property, and would be the first step towards a comprehensive and integrated marine multi-hazard forecasting and warning system for improved coastal risk management. The Association therefore requested RSMCs with specialization in tropical cyclones (New Delhi and Tokyo) and other storm surge forecast producing centres, based on the technical advice of JCOMM, to consider participation in a regional storm surge watch scheme, and to develop a proposal for consideration primarily by the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee, the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones and the Association.
4.6.23 The Association noted that the ESCAP/WMO Panel on Tropical Cyclones is an open body and encouraged those Members that were not yet involved in the work of the panel, but were exposed to the hazards associated with tropical cyclones, to participate in its work. The Association also noted the forthcoming meeting on Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclones and Climatic Change in Oman, 8–12 March 2009, to be held in association with the ESCAP/WMO Panel on Tropical Cyclones meeting, and encouraged members to participate.
4.6.24 The Association recognized that sea level observations are critical for enhancing storm surge forecasting and invited the Members in the Region to continue efforts to routinely collect and share such observations.
4.6.25 The Association recognized that storm surges are not only caused by tropical cyclones but may also be originated by extra-tropical systems and other causes. Furthermore, the severity of impacts could be amplified due to river flooding. In this regard, the Association requested its Members working with JCOMM, CAS and CHy and in close cooperation with other relevant regional UNESCO/IOC subsidiary bodies, to implement the scientific/technical recommendations from the First JCOMM Scientific and Technical Symposium on Storm Surges (Seoul, October 2007), including coastal inundation and linkages to storm surge forecast and warning operations.
4.6.26 The Association noted that the Fifth TCP/JCOMM Regional Workshop on Storm Surge and Wave Forecasting would be convened in Melbourne, Australia, from 1 to 5 December 2008 and that RMSC-New Delhi could be considered for conducting training workshops for South Asian countries. With reference to the JCOMM Guide to Storm Surge Forecasting, the Association urged the completion and publication of the Guide and the expansion of training workshops on storm surge and wave forecasting for the benefit of all Members exposed to these risks.
4.6.27 The Association recognized strengthened collaboration between WMO and UNESCO- IOC following the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, for the development of tsunami warning systems. It acknowledged that WMO initiatives in Multi-Hazard EWS demonstration projects, for strengthening the operational cooperation of NMHSs with disaster risk management agencies, would be instrumental in strengthening tsunami early warning system capacities in those countries, where NMHSs were designated as the tsunami warning focal point.
4.6.28 The Association acknowledged the Secretariat’s initiatives in participating in international negotiations that resulted in the adoption of GTS as primary telecommunication mechanisms for the exchange of tsunami related warnings and information. It further acknowledged efforts in fundraising that led to the upgrade of GTS in eight countries in the Indian Ocean including Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. GENERAL SUMMARY 35
4.6.29 The Association noted that the International Ocean Institute (IOI) together with the Institute of Technology of Zurich had developed a project proposal for promotion of local community preparedness, mitigation and response in the Mekong River and Southeast Asia (China, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam). The Association suggested that opportunities for collaboration between WMO and IOI be explored in this regard.
4.6.30 The Association recalled the successful collaboration of WMO, ECMWF and UNOSAT following the devastating earthquake in the northern part of Pakistan and encouraged similar collaborations to be initiated in advance to support provision of value-added satellite information to support emergency preparedness and response operations. Furthermore, following tragic disasters such as the tsunami of 2004, and tropical cyclone Nargis in Myanmar in 2008, the Association stressed the importance for WMO to develop a framework with ISDR partners for responding promptly after a disaster event with the aim to mobilize resources for disaster preparedness and early warning systems. In this regard, the Association urged that, as part of this framework, opportunities for linking the humanitarian agencies such as OCHA, IFRC, World Food Programme (WFP) among others, to official sources of information such as analyses, forecasts, warnings and other information available through the RSMCs and NMHSs be explored and a plan of action be developed jointly with these agencies through pilot projects in the Region.
4.6.31 The Association noted with interest the RA II pilot project on Aviation-weather Disaster Risk Reduction (ADRR) established by CAeM-XIII (2006). The pilot project involved Members in the region, airlines and ICAO and had been initiated to assess the usefulness of forecasts of tropical cyclones, valid for the time period 24 to 48 hours ahead, to aviation. Based on users’ feedback a Website (http://adrr.weather.gov.hk) had been established by staff of the Hong Kong Observatory in September 2007. The site includes products from China; Hong Kong, China; Japan; the Philippines; the United States; and ECMWF. The Association noted that more Members were planning to contribute to the site and that training events associated with the site’s products were planned, and encouraged all Members to participate in and support the pilot.
Catastrophe insurance and weather risk management within financial risk transfer markets
4.6.32 The risks of economic damage associated with hydrometeorological and climate-related hazards can be hedged through catastrophe insurance services and financial risk transfer markets. The Association stressed the importance of these new opportunities for NMHSs and particularly appreciated the WMO expert meeting held in December 2007 on “Requirements of Catastrophe Insurance and Weather Risk Management Markets” involving NMHSs with experience in this area, the World Bank, the World Food Programme, the reinsurance sector and Weather Risk Management Association (WRMA), to identify potential contributions of NMHSs to these markets. These activities would, among others, require from NMHSs the provision of reliable historical and near real-time observations of hydrometeorological parameters, related metadata and other relevant information and services. The Association considered that this would lead to new challenges as well as opportunities for strengthening the observing networks, data rescue and management systems for NMHSs, as demonstrated in Ethiopia, India and Malawi. The Association requested:
(a) The Secretary-General to continue with collaboration and development of an action plan with relevant partners to assist NMHSs with serving markets;
(b) The Secretariat to facilitate relevant fora and mechanisms for NMHSs to share their experiences and transfer their knowledge, as well as to ensure the timely development of useful guidance for the NMHSs on identification of requirements and how best to meet them for these markets;
(c) NMHSs to monitor these developments and related emerging requirements in their countries and provide relevant information to the Secretariat, as appropriate, to assist in determining further activities of WMO in this field;
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(d) The Secretariat to include on the DRR Web pages information collected from Members relating to their experiences with catastrophe insurance and financial risk transfer markets.
Cooperation and partnership in DRR
4.6.33 The Association reaffirmed the importance and the benefits WMO has gleaned from its institutional collaboration and partnerships with the ISDR System, UNDP, IASC, the World Bank and other development and humanitarian programmes and agencies, which have been manifested through several projects and programmes, such as the South Eastern Europe Disaster Risk Management Initiative and the project for “Climate Observations and Regional Modelling in Support of Climate Risk Management and Sustainable Development”. The Association agreed that the participation in, contributions to, and joint planning with newly emerging partner projects at the regional level, should be continued through the coordinated provision of technical advice and services, including from the NMHSs, and efforts should be enforced towards roll-out of such projects in other regions.
4.7 ENHANCED CAPABILITIES OF MEMBERS TO PROVIDE AND USE WEATHER, CLIMATE, WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES (agenda item 4.7)
User focus
Public Weather Services (PWS) 4.7.1 The Association agreed to enhance user focus in public education and awareness- building initiatives. In this regard, the Association urged RA II Members to enhance user interactions through user requirement assessments and creation of feedback mechanisms to gauge user satisfaction in order to enable NMHSs to better focus on end-user needs.
4.7.2 The Association considered the outcome of the PWS Survey on Severe Weather Warning Services, which was carried out by the PWS Expert Team on Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (ET/DPM) in collaboration with the PWS Expert Team on Services and Products Improvement (ET/SPI) in 2006. The Survey had indicated that the main obstacles in the provision of alerts and warnings for all hazard types were insufficient accuracy of forecasts and insufficient understanding of warnings by the public. The Association requested the Secretary-General to pay particular attention to assisting NMHSs in the Region to improve in these areas.
Agricultural Meteorology (AGM) 4.7.3 The Association endorsed the Dhaka Symposium Declaration of the International Symposium on Climate Change and Food Security in South Asia (Dhaka, Bangladesh, 25 to 30 August, 2008). It particularly urged the Secretary-General to take steps for the creation of a Network on Climate Change and Food Security in South Asia, to strengthen regional institutional and policy mechanisms, to promote and facilitate implementation of location-specific adaptation and mitigation practices, and to establish the South Asia Climate Outlook Forum in 2009.
4.7.4 The Association noted that climate change and extreme climatic events are a major production risk and uncertainty impacting agricultural systems performance and management. It therefore welcomed the strategies proposed at the International Workshop on Agrometeorological Risk Management: Challenges and Opportunities (New Delhi, India, 25 to 27 October 2006), and encouraged the Members to use a combination of locally adapted traditional farming technologies, seasonal weather forecasts and warning methods for improving yields and incomes.
Improved products and services
PWS 4.7.5 The Association considered the results of the survey on “The Status of Implementation of the Previous RA II Strategic Plans” which showed that 9 out of 35 NMHSs of the Region have GENERAL SUMMARY 37
yet to provide nowcasting services of high-impact weather to the public. It requested the Secretary- General to advance the development of nowcasting capabilities and their implementation in NMHSs of RA II through initiatives of the PWS/World Weather Research Programme (WWRP) Joint Nowcasting Applications & Services (JONAS) Steering Committee and the Shanghai Integrated Multi-hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) Demonstration Project.
4.7.6 The Association stressed the need to develop probabilistic forecasting skills and urged Members to make maximum use of the recently published WMO Guidelines on Communicating Forecast Uncertainty (WMO/TD-No. 1422).
4.7.7 The Association recognized the potential service improvement aspects of the Shanghai MHEWS Demonstration Project. It requested that experiences and lessons learned be documented, with a view to assist other Members of RA II to develop EWS solutions for mega-city risk management, related emergency warning and response systems and for improving the service delivery functions of NMHSs.
Global Data Processing and Forecasting System (GDPFS)/Atmospheric Research and Environment (ARE)
4.7.8 The Association endorsed the initiative of WWRP, GAW and GDPFS to assist Members to gain better access to services related to Sand and Dust Storms (SDS) prediction through capacity-building and improved operational arrangements. It welcomed the establishment of the two SDS Warning Assessment System (SDS-WAS) regional centres in China and Spain and encouraged Members to access the Websites http://salam.upc.es/wmo/ and http://www.sds.cma.gov.cn/ established by these centres, and to periodically verify the accuracy of information on the services they provide.
4.7.9 The Association recommended that Members develop Air Quality Forecasting (AQF) and dissemination skills as part of expanding and improving their service products to decision- makers and the general public. It requested the Secretary-General to continue the GAW Urban Research Meteorology and Environment (GURME) project and to assist Members in developing capability in air quality forecasting and delivering related services to users.
AGM
4.7.10 The Association noted that WMO, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have been working jointly since 2007 to establish a Drought Management Centre for Central Asia. It noted that a Draft Ministerial Declaration of Intent for the establishment of the Centre was adopted at the Second Workshop on preparation of the Terms of Reference (ToR) (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 29 to 30 May 2008). The Association urged the Secretary-General to continue to support the rapid establishment of the Centre.
4.7.11 The Association noted that at the fourteenth session of the Commission for Agricultural Meteorology (New Delhi, India, 28 October to 3 November 2006) quality deliverables were authored by Commission members, resulting in special issues of four scientific journals and two books. It urged Members to make maximum use of these publications.
4.7.12 The Association noted that the ICTs of the Commission for Agricultural Meteorology recommended several potential pilot projects for regional implementation. It encouraged Members to actively examine the feasibility of implementing the pilot projects of interest in Asia, and requested the Secretary-General to provide assistance in the resource mobilization efforts for such pilot projects.
4.7.13 The Association noted the activities of the RA II Working Group on Agricultural Meteorology and the final technical report. It recommended that the report of the meeting of the Working Group (Hanoi, Viet Nam 17 to 19 December 2007) be published by WMO and be widely distributed. 38 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
Service delivery
PWS
4.7.14 The Association urged its Members to use the outcomes of the “International Symposium on Public Weather Services: A Key to Service Delivery” (Geneva, 3-5 December 2007) to guide future evolution of their public weather services, especially in the implementation of the Madrid Action Plan (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/amp/pwsp/PWS_Symposium_en.htm).
4.7.15 The Association considered the new approach endorsed by the sixtieth session of the Executive Council (June 2008) to build capacity of NMHSs using the ‘Learning through Doing’ concept whereby a coordinated training and mentoring programme focusing on a group of neighbouring countries is implemented with the aim of developing an improved range of products and services to benefit targeted social and/or economic sectors. It requested the Secretary- General to introduce projects based on the concept in RA II.
4.7.16 The Association recalled that the WMO Website ‘World Weather Information Service (WWIS)’ (http://worldweather.wmo.int/), which is in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish languages, and coordinated from Hong Kong, China had won the Stockholm Challenge Award – Environmental Category – 2008, for demonstrating a strong vision and global objectives. It congratulated all those involved and urged Members to increase their contribution of information to the Website, including the expansion of its capabilities to include additional languages.
4.7.17 Regarding the WMO Severe Weather Information Centre (SWIC) Website, (http://severe.worldweather.wmo.int/), the Association noted the outcome of the survey on “The Status of Implementation of the Previous RA II Strategic Plans” which reviewed that 71% of NMHSs of RA II have yet to contribute information to SWIC and urged its Members who had not yet started, to strongly consider participating in SWIC.
4.7.18 The Association welcomed the successful implementation of the WMO RA II City- Specific NWP Products Pilot Project on the provision of site-specific forecasts in the medium- range. It agreed to explore ways to enhance the outcomes of the project, especially in the use of products from Ensemble Prediction Systems for probabilistic forecasting. It further resolved to continue supporting the project, including efforts to expand it to other WMO Regions as necessary.
Marine Meteorology and Oceanography (MMO)
4.7.19 The Association noted that the sixtieth session of the Executive Council had approved the establishment of five new METAREAs for the Arctic region with the same boundary limits as the corresponding NAVAREAs, due to the increased use in the Arctic region by the marine community (including commercial, military and scientific), and the coordinated initiative by WMO, International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) to expand the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and the World-Wide Navigational Warning Service (WWNWS) into the Arctic waters. The Association noted the commitment by the Roshydromet (Russian Federation) to serve as METAREA Issuing Service for METAREA XX and XXI. It requested the Roshydromet to report on the progress of the implementation of Maritime Safety Information Services to the next RA II session.
4.7.20 The Association noted with appreciation the expansion of the GMDSS-Weather Website to include navigational warnings in the various NAVAREASs (http://weather.gmdss.org/navareas.html), and thanked all the contributors from the Region.
4.7.21 In the context of maritime safety services, the Association noted the gradual demise of HF radiofax as a means of disseminating graphical products to mariners at sea and the considerable resources required for software development and distribution in developing alternative methods of transmission, as well as for the ongoing communications costs. It therefore requested the Secretary-General to address this issue as a matter of priority. GENERAL SUMMARY 39
Aeronautical Meteorology (AEM)
4.7.22 Regarding collaboration between the NMHSs and the various users of aeronautical meteorological services in order to strengthen the NMHSs in their service delivery capabilities and to sustain cost recovery from these services, the Association urged Members in the Region to develop and improve, in close collaboration with CAeM and its Expert Team on Customer Relations, the working relationships with all relevant partners and user groups, and to cooperate closely in the development of future service provision on a more regionalized basis. The Association called on Members to support the meeting on quality management systems for aviation meteorological services to be convened by the Russian Federation in early 2009.
AGM
4.7.23 The Association noted that the World AgroMeteorological Information Service (WAMIS- www.wamis.org) has products from over 29 countries and provides tools and resources to help countries improve their AgroMeteorological bulletins and services. It urged Members to disseminate their products to the global community through these bulletins in both real-time and from a historical perspective.
Hydrology
4.7.24 The Association noted the need for the provision of information on rainfall and runoff to a wide variety of users, including those in the agriculture sector, transport industries as well as the public generally and urged greater attention be given to determining, and meeting the needs of users of hydrological data and information.
Quality management system for aviation weather forecasting
AEM
4.7.25 The Association further requested Members in RA II, in particular developing country Members, to make best use of the Pilot Project for the implementation of a Quality Management System, currently starting in the United Republic of Tanzania, where templates and relevant software for the formulation and documentation of processes would be made available at no cost, in their own implementation of this ICAO required system.
Socio-economic issues related to weather, climate and environmental applications
PWS
4.7.26 The Association recognized the value of the mechanism set up by the Secretary- General in the form of the “WMO Forum: Social and Economic Applications and Benefits of Weather, Climate, and Water Services” to address socio-economic related issues. It urged its Members to make use of the Forum in addressing the follow-up actions arising from the WMO International Conference on Secure and Sustainable Living (Madrid, Spain, 2007) Action Plan (MAP).
4.7.27 The Association welcomed the organization of a series of training courses on assessment methodologies to estimate benefits of meteorological and hydrological services in different regions, and requested that one such training be implemented for RA II in the near future.
4.7.28 The Association recognized that with respect to assessing, quantifying and demonstrating benefits of weather, climate and water services to user sectors such as health, energy, tourism, transport and urban environment, many NMHSs would require assistance and guidance. In this regard, it urged its Members to make optimum use of the decision-support tools provided at: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/amp/pwsp/socioeconomictools.htm.
40 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
4.7.29 The Association noted the necessity of the operational exchange of information regarding the use of runoff data for international rivers, as the absence of such an exchange may bring about negative social and environmental consequences.
Human resource capacity-building in service delivery
PWS
4.7.30 The Association recognized that NMHSs need to strengthen their abilities in communicating information and knowledge to user communities including government officials and decision-makers. In this regard, it urged the Secretary-General to provide opportunities to educate managers of NMHSs in effective communication with government officials, politicians and decision- makers in different user communities; educate NMHS staff on better communication skills with end-users; and educate users on understanding products, services and information provided by NMHSs and their application to decision-making.
4.7.31 The Association acknowledged the benefits of the Radio Internet (RANET) communication initiative to the public in isolated rural communities. It noted that the system, which combines affordable technologies with appropriate applications to create communication systems suitable for dissemination of products to personal computers in Web form, without the need for Internet connectivity, is being used by many WMO Members. The Association encouraged Members, especially the developing countries, to implement RANET as needed.
AEM
4.7.32 The Association noted the initiatives taken by the Aeronautical Meteorology Programme to support training and capacity-building events for the Region (workshops and trainings held in Beijing, China in March 2007, Alanya, Turkey in June 2008, Seoul, Republic of Korea in November 2008) and strongly encouraged Members to follow this example by organizing such training events in future.
AGM
4.7.33 Giving the example of the successful organization of nine Roving Seminars on Weather, Climate and Farmers during October–December 2007 in nine villages in Andhra Pradesh, India, the Association stressed the importance of sensitizing farmers to available weather and climate information and their application to operational farm management.
4.7.34 The Association noted that WMO and FAO organized a Regional Training Workshop for the Anglophone Countries on Meteorological Information for Locust Monitoring and Control (Muscat, Oman, 8–12 April 2006). It encouraged Members to ensure timely dissemination of daily weather data to the National Locust Control Centres (NLCCs) and international organizations and urged Members to exploit the potential of advanced weather forecast model products for locust monitoring and control.
4.7.35 The Association endorsed the proposals made for courses for the undergraduate and postgraduate programme as well as training of Intermediaries at the Expert Meeting on Review of Curriculum in Agricultural Meteorology from 14–16 March 2007 at the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences of India in New Delhi, India.
4.8 BROADER USE OF WEATHER-, CLIMATE- AND WATER-RELATED OUTPUTS FOR DECISION- MAKING AND IMPLEMENTATION BY MEMBERS AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS (agenda item 4.8)
Cooperation between WMO and the regional bodies of the United Nations system and regional organizations
4.8.1 The Association noted with satisfaction that the cooperation between WMO and the regional bodies of the United Nations system had been strengthened through active support and GENERAL SUMMARY 41
participation in relevant events, including regular sessions of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the UNESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee, the WMO/UNESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones in the fields of meteorology, hydrology and disaster risk reduction. Noting the continued cooperation of ESCAP and WMO in supporting the Typhoon Committee and the Panel on Tropical Cyclones, the Association invited the Secretary-General and ESCAP to continue their support to the activities of the two intergovernmental bodies. The Association also noted the participation of Members in various programmes initiated by the United Nations system organizations, in particular in the field of adaptation to climate change, including the UNFCCC Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change and the New Delhi work programme for education, training and public awareness.
4.8.2 The Association further noted with satisfaction that the Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific and the WMO Office for West Asia had participated in the various activities of the regional organizations including the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Sub- Committee on Meteorology and Geophysics (SCMG), the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Regional Centre for Natural Disaster Risk Management, the Permanent Meteorological Committee of the League of Arab States (LAS) and the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC). The Association encouraged the Offices to continue and strengthen the partnership with such regional organizations and requested the Secretary-General and Members to provide support for the Offices to ensure expanding strategic partnerships to other potential partners in the Region. In that connection, the Association was pleased to note that the South Asian Association Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Meteorological Research Centre (SMRC) at Dhaka, Bangladesh, is fully operational with active partnerships of eight South Asian Members. It agreed to further develop linkage with SMRC and support its research activity. The Association further encouraged Members in the Region to actively participate in and become involved in programme and activities of regional organizations related to weather, climate, water and natural disaster risk reduction.
Communication and Public Affairs
4.8.3 The Association was pleased to note the numerous activities and products implemented under the WMO Global Communication Strategy with objectives of projecting a unified and consolidated image of WMO and NMHSs; strengthening constituencies both at the national and regional levels; spreading key messages giving a local voice to a global undertaking and vision; fostering strategic alliances with the media; and promoting a communication culture throughout WMO. The Association urged Members and the Secretary-General to further implement the Strategy with the aim to position WMO and NMHSs in a manner which plays to their unique strengths and raises the Organization's visibility as a key player in international cooperation and in contributing to sustainable development of Members.
4.8.4 The Association noted that the revamped Website had enhanced WMO communications. It called on Members to establish a link to the WMO Website, to identify them as an integral part of the WMO system and to make full use thereof. The Association was pleased with the concept of featuring a WMO front-page link to the NMHS of an area struck by natural disaster to create more awareness and provide relief organizations with critical meteorological data. In this context, it invited Members to provide the Secretariat with timely notifications of extreme weather events and other newsworthy activities for attracting the attention of the international media and the public. It further encouraged Members to continue to develop NMHSs’ Websites, including an e-library dedicated to disaster information, with reference to WMO and linked to the WMO Website and highlight major WMO events with appropriate linkage.
4.8.5 The Association expressed its appreciation to the Secretary-General for assisting NMHSs in the celebration of World Meteorological Day (WMD) as a significant instrument for increasing the visibility of NMHSs. It encouraged Members to provide extrabudgetary resources to the IPA trust fund and in-kind support to enable production of public information materials including for the WMD.
42 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
4.8.6 The Association recalled that Fifteenth Congress called for a greater involvement of NMHSs in developing strategic alliances with the national media for the purpose of disseminating key messages and providing greater visibility for all activities of the NMHSs, and further called on NMHSs for a closer interaction with United Nations Offices in the field in order to increase recognition of NMHSs’ contribution to disaster prevention and mitigation and other areas.
4.8.7 The Association noted that WMO would participate in the World Exposition 2010 “Better City, Better Life” (Shanghai, China, May-October 2010). The WMO Pavilion “Meteoland” will seek to enhance public awareness of the work undertaken by WMO and NMHSs and their contribution to people’s daily life. The Association requested Members to support participation of WMO in the 2010 World Expo and contribute extrabudgetary resources, in-kind support and public information materials for the WMO Pavilion.
4.8.8 The Association noted with satisfaction the efforts of the Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific and the WMO Office for West Asia as information focal points in the WMO Secretariat for the Region. In order to enhance WMO's information and Public Affairs Programme in the Region, it requested the Offices to further strengthen its links with the Members of the Association.
4.9 ENHANCED CAPABILITIES OF NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL SERVICES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, TO FULFIL THEIR MANDATES (agenda item 4. 9)
Development cooperation requirements and opportunities for Members, particularly Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
Strategic Partnerships and coordination
4.9.1 The Association recalled that a comprehensive needs analysis/assessment is a starting point for positioning NMHSs in the national development framework and urged developing countries in the Region, particularly LDCs, to pursue their efforts in this regard at national, subregional and regional levels. In this regard it requested developed country Members and their Development Agencies to enter into partnership with developing and least developed countries at national, subregional and regional levels.
4.9.2 The Association recognized that there is a need to lead coordination with the technical commissions, including the Commission for Basic Systems, in addressing the articulated needs. It requested the Secretary-General to develop and support relevant technical cooperation projects that offer opportunities to maximize efficiencies through large scale and regional projects.
4.9.3 The Association agreed that in addition to building technical capabilities, NMHSs require support to strengthen their abilities in advocacy and in marketing to their users, including government officials, decision-makers and funding agencies. It requested the Secretary-General to give priority to assisting Members to educate NMHS managers in social-marketing and effective communication with government officials, decision-makers and development partners.
4.9.4 The Association recognized the need for preparation or review of sound national strategic plans of the NMHSs of LDCs in the Region to be aligned with national development strategies and priorities and requested the Secretary-General to provide support as appropriate.
4.9.5 The Association noted a lack of national visibility and integration of NMHSs of LDCs in national and regional development planning and consequently their inability to mobilize in-country and external resources. Noting that significant in-country financing opportunities exist such as through national budgeting processes; overseas Missions and Embassies; UN country funds; Global Environment Facility and other mechanisms where Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) is programmed directly with National Governments, the Association requested the Secretary-General to develop an “enhancing visibility” strategy based on existing examples of best GENERAL SUMMARY 43
practices. The Association further requested that WMO representations to relevant government ministers and at other high level fora be undertaken by the Secretary-General.
4.9.6 The Association stressed the important role of the network of international advisers to Permanent Representatives in Asia (INTAD II). It requested the Secretary-General to assist NMHSs in the Region in effective functioning of INTAD II and invited those Members who have not designated their adviser to the Permanent Representative on external relations and international cooperation to do so and to actively participate in the activities of INTAD II.
4.9.7 The Association endorsed the decision of the Executive Council to: increase coordination and collaboration in better identifying the training needs of Members; make more use of the education and training facilities offered by the Regional Training Centres and other specialist institutions conducting training such as the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) course; and actively seek opportunities to coordinate their training activities with wider projects to increase the overall impact of training.
Basic infrastructure and facilities development
4.9.8 The Association considered the key findings and recommendations of the WMO Coordination and Capacity-building Workshop for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Asia- Pacific held in Port Vila, Vanuatu, from 6 to 10 October 2008 and urged Members and partners to give their full support to enhancing the capacities of NMHSs in the respective LDCs.
4.9.9 The Association noted with concern that not all NMHSs of LDCs in the Region had the infrastructure and facilities, and human resources capacity, to meet the existing needs of their NMHSs in terms of observing systems, telecommunications and information technology with consequent significant impacts on their current and future ability to deliver services and initiatives in support of development goals.
4.9.10 In this regard, the Association urged the Secretary-General to actively seek guidance and assistance from Members and development partners to address these concerns and to prioritize on sustainable capacity-building in the following areas: (a) Update and/or upgrade of regional observing systems; (b) Implementation of a regional Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) programme; (c) Regional implementation of the WMO Information System (WIS); (d) Migration to Table Driven Code Formats (TDCF);
(e) Implementation of a Quality Management System (QMS); (f) Increasing broadband Internet access; and (g) Strengthening relevant technical expertise.
4.9.11 The Association welcomed the initiatives by a number of its Members to provide a range of training opportunities for Members of this Association and other Associations over the last four years. In order to assist Members make the most of future education and training opportunities, and to allow the Secretariat to plan for, and support these events from a logistic and possibly a financial perspective, the Association strongly encouraged its Members to advise the Secretary-General of their training workshop and seminar plans well ahead of time, and if possible provide indicative plans for the next four years. Using this information Members and the Secretary- General will be able to maximize the education and training opportunities available to Members for not only the ongoing demand but potentially be in a better position to meet some of the demands for training in emerging high priority areas such as aviation forecasting, disaster risk reduction, telecommunications and socio-economic benefits. The Association encouraged the Secretary- General to make this collated information readily available to Members and to keep it up to date.
44 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
4.9.12 Noting that 112 of the 123 regional fellowship nominations proposed in the last four years have been awarded, the Association acknowledged the benefit of the WMO Fellowship Programme in the Region. In addition to providing education and training opportunities for Members in the Region, the Association noted the role its Members were playing in providing long- term education and training placements for fellows from other Regions such as RA I and thanked all Members, in particular Bahrain, China, India and the Islamic Republic of Iran for their positive support for the Programme. The Association encouraged Members to further develop support for the Fellowship Programme by seeking new and alternative means to provide placements for fellows that would increase the number of places available for fellows without using more of the WMO Regular Budget.
4.9.13 Noting that only 19 of the 35 Members in the Region responded to the 2006 Survey on the Education and Training Requirements, Opportunities and Capabilities in Meteorology and Hydrology, including four of the nine LDCs, the Association encouraged all Members of the Region to participate in the 2010 Survey. As the Survey is one of the primary inputs to the development of the Regional Training Needs dataset, responses should correctly reflect the training needs of Members, particularly the LDCs.
4.9.14 The Association acknowledged the implementation of Centres of Excellence for training in satellite meteorology (CoE) in Muscat, Oman established in 2006, in Beijing, China in 2007 and the preparatory process for the creation of a new CoE in the Russian Federation. Furthermore, the Association noted the role played by the Qatar College of Aeronautical Meteorology Centre in providing training opportunities for Members in the Association. Many Members in the Associations supported promoting this College as a WMO RMTC.
4.9.15 The Association called on Members to review their human resource development plans to make the most effective use of the (limited) long-term fellowships and short-term training opportunities. It further encouraged the Secretary-General to assist Members in the development and refinement of their human resources development plans.
Enhancing the Resource Mobilization Strategy in the Region
4.9.16 The Association expressed its appreciation to the Voluntary Cooperation Programme (VCP) donors for their valuable assistance in supporting RA II Members in need. It encouraged Members to further contribute to and participate more actively in the Programme to address the requirements of NMHSs.
4.9.17 The Association reaffirmed that the VCP support should be in line with the needs and priorities of developing countries in RA II. The Association, acknowledging that the VCP cannot address all these needs, requested Members and the Secretary-General to mobilize resources through development of bilateral and multilateral partnerships. In this regard, the Association requested the Secretary-General to further enhance the WMO resource mobilization efforts to support NMHSs of developing countries, particularly LDCs in the Region.
Pilot Project to Enhance the Availability and Quality Management Support for NMHSs in Surface, Climate and Upper-air Observations
4.9.18 In the discussion of the “Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of NMHSs in RA II” (Annex III to the present report), and Regional Seminar during 3–4 December 2008), the Association acknowledged the importance of surface, climate and upper-air observations to the broader use of weather, climate and water outputs for decision-making and implementation by NMHSs, including NMHSs of developing countries and in particular Least Developed Countries (LDCs). It was pleased to note that a number of advanced centres in RA II are engaged in availability assessment, quality assurance and identification of deficiencies in the observational data in the framework of various WMO programmes, thereby improving the quality of weather, climate, hydrological and water-related services including advisories, forecasts and warnings. It was further noted that access to and the use of the Internet had grown significantly in the Region and that the GENERAL SUMMARY 45
Internet offered a good opportunity to strengthen the capabilities of NMHSs by expanding information dissemination methods and connectivity at low costs.
4.9.19 NMHSs in general have made significant progress in recent years in their provision of services. This makes it all the more important that the observational data are properly analysed and quality assured. However, the Association felt that a pilot project should be established to further enhance the availability and quality of the surface, climate and upper-air observations. The identification of current status and reasons of any deficiencies in the observations would be a good starting point of the project. As such, the project was not intended to duplicate the effort of the WWW Programme or WIGOS project, but rather to create synergy and greater benefits with less effort among NMHSs in the Region in their provision of services. The pilot project will cover activities, including training, to enable NMHSs in developing countries and LDCs to make available, analyse, quality assure, and make full use of the observational data in the provision of their services.
4.9.20 The Association considered with interest the proposal to launch a Pilot Project to Develop Quality Management Support for NMHSs in Surface, Climate and Upper-air Observations. In this regard, the Association agreed that the work to coordinate the implementation of the pilot project should be carried out by a Pilot Project Coordination Group and adopted Resolution 5 (XIV- RA II) – Pilot project to enhance the availability and quality management support for NMHSs in surface, climate and upper-air observations.
Pilot Project to Develop Support for NMHSs in Numerical Weather Prediction
4.9.21 In the discussion of the “Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of NMHSs in RA II” (RA II Regional Seminar on 3 and4 December 2008), the Association acknowledged the importance of numerical weather prediction (NWP) to support the broader use of weather outputs for decision- making and implementation by NMHSs, including in particular NMHSs of developing countries. It was pleased to note that a number of advanced centres in RA II had already provided NWP products and relevant technical support to developing countries in the framework of WMO and through other channels including bilateral cooperation. The Association, however, felt that the use of NWP could be further promoted by facilitating access to the NWP data and product, and exchange of expertise in the development and application of NWP.
4.9.22 NWP in recent years has continued to register rapid progress, with remarkable results reported in, but not limited to, ensemble prediction system (EPS) and tropical cyclone forecasting. As RA II is one that constantly suffers severely from adverse weather and water-related disasters, it would be desirable for NMHSs in developing countries to have easier access to knowledge in NWP, including areas such as data assimilation, modelling, post-processing and computational aspects of NWP as well as its application to weather forecasts and warnings. The project is not intended to duplicate the effort of the advanced centres themselves, but rather to create synergy and greater benefits with less effort in capacity-building by NMHSs. The pilot project will cover activities, including scientific exchanges and training, to enable NMHSs in developing countries to make use of NWP products and develop their own NWP activities to contribute to disaster reduction and reducing loss of lives and property in accordance with their circumstances. To facilitate the pilot project, a consortium of NWP providers and operators would be established.
4.9.23 The Association considered with interest the proposal to launch a Pilot Project to Develop Support for NMHSs in Numerical Weather Prediction. In this regard, the Association agreed that the work to coordinate the implementation of the pilot project should be carried out by a Pilot Project Coordination Group and adopted Resolution 6 (XIV-RA II) – Pilot project to develop support for NMHSs in numerical weather prediction.
Pilot Project to Develop Support for NMHSs in Satellite Data, Products and Training
4.9.24 In the discussion of the “Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of NMHSs in RA II” and “Report of the Rapporteur on the WMO Space Programme”, the Association acknowledged the importance of satellite data and products to the broader use of weather, climate and water outputs 46 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
for decision-making and implementation by NMHSs, including NMHSs of developing countries and in particular Least Developed Countries (LDCs). It was pleased to note that a number of advanced centres in RA II had provided such data and developed such products in the framework of WMO and through other channels including bilateral cooperation. It was further noted that access to and the use of the Internet had grown significantly in the Region and that the Internet offered a good opportunity to strengthen the capabilities of NMHSs by expanding information dissemination methods and connectivity at low costs. However it felt that the application of satellite data and products should be further promoted by implementing a pilot project to enhance the relevant technical support.
4.9.25 The project scope should cover information on meteorological satellite operation as well as imageries, data and products including application products, and their dissemination modes, to help build the capacity of NMHSs including NMHSs in developing countries and in particular LDCs in the provision of weather services including forecasts and warnings. Satellite technology including telecommunications is enjoying rapid progress, making it desirable for the latest information on a wide variety of satellite imageries, data and products including application products to be provided to NMHSs to enable them to keep abreast of the latest services available. As such, the project was not intended to duplicate the effort of the WMO Space Programme, but rather to create synergy and greater benefits with less effort and to lessen the burden on the WMO Space Programme Office. The pilot project will cover activities, including training, to enable NMHSs in developing countries and LDCs to make use of the satellite imageries, data and products including application products in the provision of their weather services.
4.9.26 The Association considered with interest the proposal to launch a Pilot Project to Develop Support for NMHSs in Satellite Data, Products and Training. In this regard, the Association agreed that the work to coordinate the implementation of the pilot project should be carried out by a Pilot Project Coordination Group and adopted Resolution 7 (XIV-RA II) – Pilot project to develop support for NMHSs in satellite data, products and training.
5. EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT AND GOOD GOVERNANCE (agenda item 5)
5.1 INTERNAL MATTERS OF THE ASSOCIATION (agenda item 5.1)
5.1.1 Internal matters of WMO
5.1.1.1 The Association took advantage of the Secretary-General’s presence at the session to hold a discussion on internal matters of WMO of concern to Members of the Region, particularly in connection with ongoing reorganization of the WMO Secretariat.
5.1.1.2 In his presentation, the Secretary-General informed the Association that the WMO Secretariat structure and organizational changes took place on 1 January 2008, with the goals to: align Secretariat structure to WMO strategic direction; improve integration of plans and programmes; optimize use of resources; and streamline management and decision-making; increase flexibility through clustering; promote synergies and crosscutting coordination; and minimize the need for micro entities.
5.1.1.3 The Secretary-General, in referring to the WMO Strategic Plan (2008–2011) with three Top-level Long-term Objectives, five Strategic Thrusts and 11 Expected Results, emphasized the need to work closely with Regional Associations and Technical Commissions to improve the integration of plans and programmes, optimize the use of resources and streamline management and decision-making.
5.1.1.4 In that connection, the Association was informed by the Director of the new Development and Regional Activities (DRA) Department that, within the process of reorganization of the Secretariat, the DRA Department was restructured to implement programme activities towards Expected Results 7 (Enhanced capabilities of Members to provide and use weather, climate, water and environmental applications and services) and 9 (Enhanced capabilities of GENERAL SUMMARY 47
NMHSs in developing countries, particularly least developed countries, to fulfil their mandates). The DRA Department manages the Technical Cooperation Programme including the WMO Voluntary Cooperation Programme (VCP); the WMO Programme for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs); the Regional Programme; and the Education and Training Programme.
5.1.1.5 The Association was pleased to note the emphasis the restructured DRA provides for capacity-building and appreciated renewed efforts to organize the Secretariat in line with the approved WMO Strategic Plan.
5.1.1.6 The Association welcomed the further harmonized approach for capacity development activities for Members including technical cooperation, regional activities and human resources development activities expected to be carried out by the Regional Offices and WMO Offices in the Region. In this regard, in view of the expected increased workload and the current human resources of the Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific, including the WMO Office for West Asia compared to other Regions, the Association requested the Secretary-General and potential donor Members to consider providing appropriate funding and human resources support for the enhancement of the Regional Office activities.
5.1.1.7 The Association expressed its appreciation to the Secretary-General and the Director of the DRA Department for the information provided as well as the opportunity to consider suggestions for further improvement.
5.1.2 Report of the Advisory Working Group of RA II
5.1.2.1 The Association noted with appreciation the reports of the sessions of the RA II Advisory Working Group (AWG). The Association complimented Mr A. Majeed H. Isa, president and chairperson of the RA II AWG, and members of the Group for the activities carried out according to its terms of reference, in particular for the follow-up actions on the implementation of the Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of NMSs in Asia (2005–2008), the work of RA II working groups and rapporteurs, as well as the implementation of the WMO Programmes and activities in the Region. The AWG made a number of recommendations concerning assistance to the NMHSs of developing countries in the implementation of high-priority projects and arrangement of training events. The AWG also provided guidance for updating and revising the current Strategic Plans and for preparation of an integrated RA II Strategic Plan for the enhancement of NMHSs, as well as for the organization of the fourteenth session of RA II in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
5.1.2.2 The Association, in recognizing the importance of coordinating its activities, agreed to re-establish the Advisory Working Group and to rename it the Management Group. The RA II Management Group was expected to deal with capacity-building and partnership as well as strategic planning issues and to consider the optimal use of resources that might be allocated or could be made available in connection with the activities of the subsidiary bodies of RA II. It might provide the basis for a rationalization of the number, nature and activities of the subsidiary bodies, including rapporteurs.
5.1.3 Review of the Subsidiary Bodies of the Association 5.1.3.1 The Association noted with appreciation the information provided by the president and chairpersons of Working Groups and rapporteurs on the activities of the RA II subsidiary bodies during the intersessional period. It expressed its satisfaction for the working groups’ activities, but noted with concern that some had not been able to perform satisfactorily for various reasons. The Association encouraged Members to assist in ensuring that the designated members of working groups and theme leaders discharged their responsibilities efficiently.
5.1.3.2 With regard to the future working mechanism of the Association, the Association considered that: (a) Enhancing integration between WMO observing systems should proceed in parallel to the planning and implementation of the relevant WMO Information System (WIS) components; 48 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
(b) The Association should continue to play an important and active role in the implementation of WMO regional activities in the field of climate and agrometeorological services;
(c) The Association should continue to play an important and active role in the implementation of WMO regional activities in the field of hydrology and water resources; and
(d) Disaster risk reduction and service delivery are cross-cutting issues requiring the expertise of weather, climate and water professionals and also the expertise of social and economic specialists and sector-based experts.
5.1.3.3 In view of the need to align the working mechanism of the Association to the Strategic Thrusts and Expected Results of the WMO Strategic Plan as well as Expected Results of RA II Strategic Plan, it was agreed to establish the following RA II subsidiary bodies:
(a) Working Group on WMO Integrated Observing System and WMO Information System (WG-IOS/WIS), with Sub-group on Integrated Observing System; and Sub-group on WIS;
(b) Working Group on Climate Services, Adaptation and Agrometeorology (WGCAA), with Sub-group on Climate Applications and Services; and Sub-group on Agrometeorology;
(c) Working Group on Hydrological Forecasts and Assessments (WGH);
(d) Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Service Delivery (WGDRS) with Sub- group on Disaster Risk Reduction; Sub-group on Service Delivery; and Sub-group on Aeronautical Meteorological Services; and
(e) Management Group.
5.1.3.4 The Association requested the Management Group to review the activities of the RA II Working Groups annually and take appropriate measures to ensure the continued progress be made by the Working Groups and their Sub-groups, including appropriate adjustments to the terms of reference and membership. The Management Group may also establish mechanisms to ensure cross-cutting coordination among regional activities of subsidiary bodies. It further requested the Working Group chairpersons to submit an annual report to the Management Group summarizing Working Group activities, including inputs from relevant theme leaders and plans for future activities.
5.1.3.5 The Association agreed that the rapporteur be called the theme leader in view of the need to clearly outline the responsibility. The Theme Leaders are expected to lead the activities in their respective theme areas including close coordination with the Members in the Region, monitoring of the key performance indicators/targets concerned, and reporting progress of development and implementation to the WG chairperson and coordinator concerned. The membership of RA II working groups composed of coordinators and theme leaders is given in Annex I to the present report.
5.1.3.6 The Association agreed on the terms of references of the newly established bodies. In that connection, the Association adopted Resolutions 8 (XIV-RA II) – RA II Working Group on WMO Integrated Observing System and WMO Information System, 9 (XIV-RA II) – RA II Working Group on Climate Services, Adaptation and Agrometeorology, 10 (XIV-RA II) – RA II Working Group on Hydrological Forecasts and Assessments, 11 (XIV-RA II) – RA II Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Service Delivery and 12 (XIV-RA II) – RA II Management Group.
5.1.4 Volunteerism in the work of the Regional Association II
5.1.4.1 The Association recalled that the Executive Council at its sixtieth session (June 2008) agreed in principle with the suggestions of the presidents of the Commission for Basic Systems GENERAL SUMMARY 49
and the Commission for Hydrology to award recognition to the experts who volunteered to devote their time to undertake the activities planned by technical commissions and regional associations. It urged the Secretary-General to propose a common scheme for awarding such recognition. The Council also urged Permanent Representatives to facilitate the participation and voluntary contribution of experts, not only from the NMHSs but also from other institutions, to the activities of WMO.
5.1.4.2 In that regard, the Association decided that volunteerism in the work (nomination, performance monitoring and recognition) of the working groups, sub-groups and theme leaders should receive the required attention as portrayed in Annex II to the present report.
5.1.4.3 In this context, the Association expressed its deep appreciation to the chairpersons and members of the working groups and rapporteurs/theme leaders, who had effectively collaborated in carrying out the activities of the Association during the intersessional period, by giving recognition to their valuable work for the Regional Association.
5.2 EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE AND OVERSIGHT OF THE ORGANIZATION (agenda item 5.2)
5.2.1 WMO Strategic Planning – regional aspects
5.2.1.1 The Association noted that WMO has adopted the Results-Based Management approach and that Strategic Planning, the WMO Operating Plan, Results-Based Budgeting as well as Monitoring and Evaluation are integral parts thereof. It further noted that EC-LX had endorsed the schedule for delivering the first draft of the next WMO Strategic Plan for the period 2012–2015 by the end of 2008.
5.2.1.2 The Association recalled Resolution 11 (EC-LX) which, inter alia, urged regional associations to ensure their active and timely engagement in the preparatory process of the next WMO Strategic Plan to ensure the delivery of the draft WMO Strategic Plan by the end of 2008 and the draft WMO Operating Plan by the end of 2009.
5.2.1.3 The Association agreed with the overall structure of the revised Strategic Plan and the optimization of Expected Results and urged the Secretariat to ensure that the revised edition takes due cognizance of the evolving societal needs.
5.2.1.4 The Association considered that the Region is the most populated in the world, hit frequently by a variety of natural disasters, has a number of least developed countries and suffers the most loss from those disasters in terms of property and life, and therefore suggested that multi- hazard early warning, disaster mitigation and prevention as well as climate adaptation should be listed as high-priority areas in the next WMO Strategic Plan. In that regard, all meteorological, hydrological and secondary disasters induced should be taken into consideration. It was encouraged that a proactive approach be taken by Members in contributing to sustainable development through specialized services such as early warning by NMHSs that result in coherent actions by various stakeholders and government agencies, as well as the general public.
5.2.2 Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Regional Association II (Asia)
Implementation of the Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological Services (NMSs) in Regional Association II (Asia) (2005–2008)
5.2.2.1 The Association recalled that the thirteenth session of RA II (Hong Kong, China, December 2004) had adopted the updated Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological Services in RA II (Asia) (2005–2008) and endorsed the steps for the implementation of the Strategic Plan as mentioned in the Plan.
50 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
5.2.2.2 The Association expressed its appreciation and gratitude to all those Members who had provided technical and expert support for the implementation of the Strategic Plan. Recalling with appreciation that Hong Kong, China; Japan; Mongolia; and Saudi Arabia provided their contributions to the trust fund for the development and implementation of the Strategic Plan, the Association encouraged all Members to further contribute to the trust fund.
5.2.2.3 Recalling that the thirteenth session encouraged Members to consider the Strategic Plan, as appropriate, in the development of their respective national plans, the Association was pleased to note that some developing countries had reported successful enhancement of their weather, climate and water services in line with the Strategic Plan. The Association thanked Hong Kong, China for providing experts to assist in this process.
5.2.2.4 The Association noted that, as a measure for monitoring the implementation of the Strategic Plan, the Survey on the Basic Capability of National Meteorological Services in RA II had been conducted in 2005, 2006 and 2008, and was pleased to note that all the 35 Members in RA II responded to the latest survey in 2008. In reviewing the key findings from the survey, the Association acknowledged that NMSs in Asia reported great progress in general and in particular in observation and telecommunication systems during the survey period from 2005 to 2008.
5.2.2.5 The Association expressed its satisfaction with the successful implementation of the two RA II pilot projects, set up by the thirteenth session to assist developing countries in relation to the Strategic Plan, on the “Provision of City-Specific Numerical Weather Prediction Products to Developing Countries via the Internet” and to “Develop Support for the Developing Countries in the Aeronautical Meteorology Programme”. It reaffirmed that these projects raised the profile of NMHSs of developing countries, especially LDCs and requested the Secretary-General and Members to continue to support further development and implementation of the pilot projects.
Implementation of the Strategy for the Enhancement of National Hydrological Services (NHSs) in Regional Association II (Asia) (2006–2008)
5.2.2.6 The Association further recalled that the Strategy for the Enhancement of National Hydrological Services (NHSs) in Regional Association II (Asia) (2006–2008), adopted by the Association in August 2005, identified the main issues to be addressed in RA II. The Association was pleased to note that a survey on progress evaluation for the enhancement of NHSs in RA II was conducted in 2008 to monitor the level of achievements for the relevant main issues.
5.2.2.7 The Association recognized that, from the survey responses from 20 Members, 20 percent of Members reached the level of advanced achievements for the establishment of effective hydrological services. However, most Members still have not reached the level of advanced achievements for the strengthening of NHSs technical capacity, in particular in areas such as forecasting including drought, the use of modern technologies and institutional issues.
Development of the Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in Regional Association II (Asia) (2009–2011)
5.2.2.8 The Association recalled that the Executive Council at its sixtieth session urged regional associations to complete the development of their Regional Strategic Plans taking into account the WMO strategic planning cycle and specific regional needs and requirements; and to prepare related Regional Operating Plans, that would feed into the WMO Strategic Plan.
5.2.2.9 In this respect, the Association was pleased to note that a draft Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of NMHSs in RA II (2009–2011) was developed with expert services by Hong Kong, China, and in consultation with Members and with guidance by the Advisory Working Group. The draft Strategic Plan has taken into account the previous Strategic Plan for NMSs (2005–2008) and the Strategy for NHSs (2006–2008), the WMO Strategic Plan (WMO-No. 1028), the WMO Secretariat Operating Plan 2008–2011 (WMO/TD-No. 1417), and suggestions from Members of the Region. In particular, the WMO Secretariat Operating Plan addresses the interaction among the WMO Programmes and other regional and international programmes in support of NMHSs in GENERAL SUMMARY 51
the various Regions, under the context of WMO’s top-level objectives, strategic thrusts and corresponding expected results.
5.2.2.10 The Association commended the unique approach of RA II that the Strategic Plan has been developed on the basis of the survey results for the period 2005–2008, by analysing the likely trends, developments, evolving needs and deficiencies of the Region, to identify a set of deliverables. These deliverables are action-oriented and categorized under Regional Expected Results in accordance with WMO’s set of Expected Results. For each of these deliverables, a key performance target(s), and the attendant activities to be undertaken by the regional association, were identified. Together, deliverables, key performance targets and attendant activities would constitute the Action Plan.
5.2.2.11 The Association examined the draft Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in Regional Association II (Asia) 2009–2011, as given in Annex III to the present report, and agreed to adopt the Plan and Resolution 13 (XIV- RA II) – Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Regional Association II (Asia) (2009–2011), in view of the usefulness of having an integrated and unified regional strategic plan and of using the Strategic Plan as a guideline for NMHSs’ planning their improvement. The Association requested the Secretary-General to provide assistance to Members in the implementation of the Strategic Plan.
5.2.2.12 The Association, in view of the usefulness of the survey to monitor the implementation of the Strategic Plan, invited its Members to continue to send the WMO Secretariat the completed survey on the basic capability of NMHSs in RA II, to be appended to the Strategic Plan, by the beginning of each year.
5.2.3 Fifth Technical Conference on Management of Meteorological Services in Regional Association II (Asia)
5.2.3.1 The Association expressed its appreciation to the Secretary-General for assisting Members in developing their NMHSs particularly by organizing regional events including technical conferences on management to enable them to exchange views on, and share experience in the management and operation of the Services. The Association noted with appreciation that the Fourth Technical Conference on Management of Meteorological Services in RA II had been held in Islamabad, Pakistan, from 5 to 9 February 2007 at the kind invitation of the Government of Pakistan. It expressed satisfaction that the Conference was attended by 37 Directors or senior officials of NMHSs of 17 Members in Region II, one representative from a regional organization, and two invited lecturers. Many Directors and senior officials of NMHSs had presented lectures or case studies on six topics: Social and economic benefits of weather, climate and water services; New initiatives for observations: WMO Integrated Observing System (IOS) and the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS); WMO Information System (WIS) and use of information and communication technology; Strengthening of NMHSs to provide accurate and timely information to end-users; Role of NMHSs in disaster risk reduction; and Strategy for sustainable development of NMHSs.
5.2.3.2 Considering that constant improvement on management techniques and practices is needed for NMHSs to increase efficiency of their Services and to improve the ability to address challenges facing them under financial and other constraints, the Association agreed that the Fifth Technical Conference on Management of Meteorological Services in Regional Association II be held during the fifteenth financial period with the following topics, among others:
(a) Strategic planning and management of NMHSs;
(b) Human resources development in NMHSs;
(c) Social and economic benefits of weather, climate and water services;
(d) Emerging technologies in meteorology, climatology and hydrology; 52 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
(e) Role of NMHSs in disaster risk reduction including emergency response;
(f) Adaptation to climate variability and change;
(g) Quality management for weather, climate and water services;
(h) Partnerships with stakeholders.
5.2.3.3 The delegation of the Republic of Korea extended its invitation to host the Fifth Technical Conference. The Association expressed its appreciation for that offer.
5.2.3.4 The Association also noted with appreciation that the third Regional Seminar on Strategic Capacity Development of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in Regional Association II (Asia) had been held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 3 to 4 December 2008 at the kind invitation of the Government of Uzbekistan. It expressed the satisfaction with the level of participation of Members of the Association in the Seminar and that many senior officials of NMHSs had presented lectures or case studies on four topics: Disaster risk reduction; Emerging technologies in meteorology; Socio-economic benefits of weather, climate and water services; and National strategic plans and challenges of NMHSs in RA II (including Regional Strategic Plan and Quality Management System).
5.2.3.5 The Association also expressed its appreciation to the Secretary-General for planning to organize a Regional Seminar during the next financial period. It agreed that the topics of the Seminar could include the following:
(a) Strategic planning;
(b) Strengthening of the management of NMHSs;
(c) Social and economic benefits of weather, climate and water services;
(d) Disaster risk reduction;
(e) Resource mobilization.
5.2.3.6 The Association requested the Management Group to select, as appropriate, the topics of the above-mentioned technical conference and seminar.
6. EMERGING ISSUES AND SPECIFIC CHALLENGES (agenda item 6)
6.1 SAND AND DUST STORMS
The Association noted the human and environmental toll associated with sand and dust storms over Asia and how the frequency and intensity of these events have increased over the Southwest Asia during the last quarter of 2007 and in 2008 due to drought. To improve prediction and help mitigate the undesirable effects of sand and dust storms, the Association encouraged:
(a) Members of the Region that experience sand and dust storms to participate in the Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System (SDS-WAS) project (http://www.wmo.ch/pages/prog/arep/wwrp/new/Sand_and_Dust_Storm.html);
(b) The Secretary-General to seek regional partners’ support and organize a training workshop for the use of operational and research products developed by the SDS-WAS and Members to make proposals;
(c) Members of the Region with the ability to forecast, even in research mode, to implement modeling and data dissemination efforts that cover those regions of central GENERAL SUMMARY 53
Asia, the western portions of the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent that are not adequately covered by the current regional nodes of the SDS-WAS. It would be desirable if these efforts led to a regional node of SDS-WAS that covered these areas;
(d) Members to continue and enhance support for the maintenance of SDS-WAS towards the establishment of a regional node for East Asia-Pacific and the exploration of a possible Central Asian region node;
(e) Stressed the importance of the exchange of real-time observational data to advance the monitoring and prediction of sand storms.
6.2 QUALITY MANAGEMENT FOR WEATHER, CLIMATE AND WATER SERVICES WITH EMPHASIS ON AERONAUTICAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
6.2.1 Having been informed of recent developments in the implementation of the WMO Quality Management Framework and a Pilot Project for QMS for services to aviation in Tanzania, the Association endorsed the QMF plan and requested its Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Service Delivery to follow and support the implementation of QMS making best use of the (interim and final) results of the Pilot Project, in addition to the already available guidance material in WMO-No. 1001 and successful implementation experience of other Members.
6.2.2 The Association noted the revised plans of ICAO regarding the implementation of a QMS for meteorological services to civil aviation, which will become Standard by the forthcoming Amendment 75 to Annex 3 of ICAO. The Association advised Members considering adopting a quality management system to note that ISO 9001–2000 will be the ICAO Recommended Practice through until at least 2013.
Required qualifications of aeronautical meteorologists
6.2.3 The Association noted with concern the implementation of the two-tier WMO personnel classification as described in the Fourth Edition of WMO-No. 258 Guidelines for the Education and Training of Personnel in Meteorology and Operational Hydrology (2002). The 2006 WMO Education and Training (ETR) survey and other information suggested that many WMO Members (in particular those in the developing countries and LDCs) will have difficulty demonstrating that their Aeronautical Meteorological Forecasters (AMF) meet the ICAO personnel qualification requirements as described in WMO-No. 258 and its Supplement No. 1 Training and Qualification Requirements for Aeronautical Meteorological Personnel (available at: http://www.caem. wmo.int/pdf/wmo/SuppNo1_to_WMONo258_10May06.pdf). EC-LX strongly supported the work done by the EC Panel of Experts on Education and Training on this issue at its twenty-third meeting in Costa Rica in March and endorsed the establishment of two task teams to:
(a) Review the proposed implementation time lines suggested by the EC Panel;
(b) Provide clarification of the meaning of relevant items of text contained in WMO-No. 258, and Supplement 1, including the term “or equivalent” and its application in Supplement 1, and recommend revisions as necessary; and,
(c) Investigate means of enhancing the availability of university-level education opportunities for meteorological personnel.
EC-LX further requested that the status of Supplement 1 to WMO-No. 258 be reviewed by appropriate WMO bodies, and the implementation plan and any revision recommendations should be presented to EC-LXI for consideration of adoption. This work will accordingly be closely monitored by the CAeM Management Group, with the necessary inputs to be provided to the team.
6.2.4 While EC would consider adoption of the implementation plan and recommendations at its sixty-first session in June 2009, the Association urged Members to check whether their traditional Class II forecasters, who did not possess a university-level degree (or equivalent 54 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
education), had received the necessary training and possess the appropriate competencies and experience. Any knowledge and/or competency shortfall could thereby be identified and corrected, ensuring that the quality of service delivery by those forecasters meets the relevant provisions of ICAO and WMO. In this connection, RA II Members were reminded of the CAeM training Website at http://www.caem.wmo.int/moodle/ which provides access to the best available aeronautical training and guidance material sourced from around the world. Members were also invited to submit to the CAeM Expert Team on Education and Training aviation meteorology training materials and aviation weather related case studies for potential inclusion and sharing with other Members on the website.
6.2.5 The Association requested the Secretariat to urgently collect the views of the RA II Members concerning the qualifications required of an aviation meteorological forecaster and to reflect those in the process of review and consideration of the matter, including at the forthcoming meeting of the ETR Task Team, to be held in Geneva in February 2009, that would be considering the issue.
Provision of SIGMET messages in line with ICAO requirements
6.2.6 The Association further noted that ICAO was studying the re-structuring of the provision of SIGMET by regional or international centres to overcome the deficiencies of a number of Meteorological Watch Offices (MWOs) in the provision of SIGMET in the Region. These developments would have significant impact on the role of NMHSs in delivering AeM services and also possibly on their revenue, as aviation services were providing an important part of their overall funding. In the light of the regional cooperation demonstrated by the RA II Pilot Project to Develop Support for Developing Countries in AeMP, the Association agreed that the model of provision of technical assistance to developing countries through cooperation and collaboration between neighbouring countries, on a regional or subregional level, should be extended to address these issues without delay.
7. WMO REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC, INCLUDING THE WMO OFFICE FOR WEST ASIA (agenda item 7)
7.1 The Association reviewed the activities of the Regional Office for Asia and the South- West Pacific including the newly established WMO Office for West Asia in Bahrain since its thirteen session. It recognized that, through the reorganization of the WMO Secretariat and in particular of the Development and Regional Activities (DRA) Department in January 2008 aiming at further harmonized implementation of capacity-building activities for Members, the Offices were strengthening its functions and responsibilities as an integral part of the WMO Secretariat. The Association noted that the effective assistance has been provided by the Offices to the president, vice-president and subsidiary bodies of the Association in discharging their responsibilities. It expressed its appreciation to the Secretary-General and the staff of the Offices for their continued and enhanced support to the activities of the Association during the intersessional period.
7.2 The Association further noted with satisfaction that since its inauguration in Manama, Bahrain on 12 March 2007, the WMO Office for West Asia has played a key role by coordinating communications with NMHSs in West Asia, by identifying the requirements for the development of the NMHSs and by organizing several meetings in the subregion, including the thirty-fifth session of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (Manama, Bahrain, 5–9 May 2008). The Office developed and maintained close working relationships with other UN agencies and regional and subregional organizations in West Asia, including the League of Arab States (LAS), in particular in the areas of disaster risk reduction and natural hazard risk management. The Association expressed its appreciation to the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain for its considerable support for the establishment and operation of the WMO Office and requested Members to continue support for this Office.
7.3 The Association was pleased to note the increasing role of the Regional Office as a focal point and an information centre for regional activities and in assisting Members to develop GENERAL SUMMARY 55
their NMHSs and implement WMO Programmes and other activities that had a regional focus. It recognized the efforts of the Regional Office to contribute to the new high-priority needs in the areas of science and technology, capacity development, climate adaptation, water resources management and disaster risk reduction as well as other environmental issues that had been identified by Members. The Association requested the Secretary-General to continue his efforts to strengthen the Regional Office in order to respond quickly to the growing needs and requirements of Members in the Region.
7.4 The Association expressed its satisfaction at the commendable efforts of the Regional Office in maintaining close contact with Members through visits; in supporting regional events; and in developing and implementing technical cooperation projects in order to ensure the enhanced Members’ capabilities in providing weather, climate and water services at national and regional levels. The Association encouraged the staff of the Regional Office to continue to further strengthen contact with Members and facilitate the implementation of regional activities.
7.5 The Association, recognizing the efforts of the Regional Office in maintaining a close liaison and collaboration with regional bodies such as UNESCAP, ASEAN and LAS, invited the Office to continue that type of activity and to use those institutions to promote weather-, climate- and water-related issues and to increase the awareness of policy makers of the role of NMHSs and WMO in contributing to sustainable development.
7.6 The Association, noting that the Website on regional activities in Asia provided a vehicle for the exchange and dissemination of regional news and a means of maintaining a close liaison between the Regional Office and Members, emphasized that the Website should be enhanced with a focus on issues of interest to the Region. In that connection, it urged Members to actively contribute news items and articles to the Regional Office on a regular basis. The Association requested the Secretary-General to include, in the relevant Web pages under the WMO Website, information on the activities and programmes being undertaken by Members in the Region.
7.7 The Association recognized that Members continued to benefit from development cooperation activities carried out within the framework of various funding sources such as the WMO VCP, Trust Fund and the UNDP. The Association was pleased to note that two UNDP projects, implemented in the Maldives and the United Arab Emirates with government cost sharing, had contributed in the development and enhancement of the capacity of NMHSs and relevant institutions through the provision of expert/consultant services, equipment and education and training.
7.8 The Association also noted that trust fund projects had been implemented by the Regional Office in Islamic Republic of Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka for the procurement and installation of equipment, education and training, and improvement of services. The Association encouraged Members to make use of such arrangements, which had proven to be cost-effective for their NMHSs.
7.9 The Association further recognized the considerable support provided to 29 projects for 15 Members within the framework of the WMO VCP during the period 2005–2008, in particular for strengthening WWW operational facilities and for climatological and hydrological activities, and urged potential donor and recipient Members to participate more actively in the VCP Programme.
7.10 The Association expressed its appreciation to the Secretary-General and the Regional Office and the WMO Office for West Asia for immediate actions taken after the occurrence of disasters that had seriously affected the NMHSs, in particular the earthquake in Pakistan in October 2005, Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh in November 2007 and Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar in May 2008. The Association noted that WMO emergency assistance was provided to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iraq, Myanmar, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in response to disasters. The Association, in this context, requested the Secretary-General to continue to take proactive and immediate response and assistance actions to meet the urgent requirements of affected Members for the restoration of key operational facilities and for human resources development. 56 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
7.11 The Association reaffirmed the advantage of location of the Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific at the WMO headquarters to ensure effective and efficient implementation of capacity development and regional activities.
8. SCIENTIFIC LECTURES AND DISCUSSIONS (agenda item 8)
8.1 The following scientific lectures were presented during the session:
(a) Effective use of information on hazardous winds associated with severe storms, by Mr Kunio Sakurai (Japan) for Dr Tetsu Hiraki (Japan);
(b) Progress in natural disaster risk reduction in China, presented by Mr Chen Zhenlin (China);
(c) Integrated approach to disaster risk management, roles and opportunities for NMHSs, by Dr Ali Mohammad Noorian (Islamic Republic of Iran); and
(d) Climate change impact on hydrometeorological processes, agroclimatic and water resources, by Prof. Victor E. Chub (Uzbekistan).
8.2 The lectures were followed by fruitful discussions. The Association expressed its appreciation to the lecturers for their interesting and informative presentations. It requested the Secretary-General, in consultation with the president of RA II, to make the necessary arrangements for scientific lectures during the next session of the Association.
9. REVIEW OF PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ASSOCIATION AND OF RELEVANT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS (agenda item 9)
9.1 The Association examined those of its resolutions which were still in force at the time of the fourteenth session.
9.2 The Association noted that most of its past resolutions had been replaced by new resolutions adopted during the session. It further noted that while a few resolutions had been incorporated in the appropriate WMO publications, some of the previous resolutions were still required to be kept in force.
9.3 The Association accordingly adopted Resolution 14 (XIV-RA II) – Review of previous resolutions and recommendations of the Association.
9.4 The Association considered that Resolution 7 (EC-LVII) on the report of the thirteenth session of the Association did not need to be kept in force, and requested that the Executive Council be informed of the view of the Association.
10. ELECTION OF OFFICERS (agenda item 10)
The Association elected Prof. Victor E. Chub (Uzbekistan) as president and Dr Qamar- uz-Zaman Chaudhry (Pakistan) as vice-president of WMO Regional Association II (Asia).
11. DATE AND PLACE OF THE FIFTEENTH SESSION (agenda item 11)
In accordance with Regulation 170 of the WMO General Regulations, the president of the Association should determine the date and place of the fifteenth session in agreement with the President of the World Meteorological Organization and after consultation with the Secretary- General, during the intersessional period GENERAL SUMMARY 57
12. CLOSURE OF THE SESSION (agenda item 12)
12.1 The principal delegates of Members of the Region, including Bahrain; China; Hong Kong, China; Islamic Republic of Iran; Iraq; Japan; Nepal; Pakistan; Republic of Korea; and the Russian Federation, expressed their gratitude to the Government of Uzbekistan for having hosted the session, and for the excellent arrangements and the warm hospitality extended to all participants. The Association also expressed its appreciation to the WMO Secretariat and the local secretariat for the support that was instrumental in the smooth running of the session. Prof. Victor Chub and Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry were congratulated on their election as president and vice-president, respectively. The Association extended special thanks and acknowledgement to Mr A. Majeed H. Isa and Mr Chiu-Ying Lam, president and vice-president, respectively, by presenting Certificates of Outstanding Services, in recognition of their strong leadership and significant contributions in implementing the activities of the Association.
12.2 Mr Jerry Lengoasa, the representative of the Secretary-General, thanked the Government of Uzbekistan, as well as Prof. Victor Chub, Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan with WMO, and his staff for the excellent arrangements and their warm hospitality. He extended his appreciation to all the delegates and supporting staff for their considerable contributions, which had led to an excellent session, and expressed his high expectations for future activities in the Region.
12.3 Prof. Victor Chub, Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan with WMO, on behalf of the host country, expressed the hope that the participants had enjoyed a comfortable and memorable stay in Tashkent. He congratulated the new vice-president on his election and thanked the participants for the support for his election as president of the Association. He also thanked all those who had taken part in ensuring the success of the session. He wished all participants a safe journey home.
12.4 In closing, Mr A. Majeed H. Isa, outgoing president of RA II, expressed his appreciation to participants, the host country and co-chairpersons for their valuable contributions, and hoped that the activities of the Association would be further strengthened in the light of the newly adopted RA II Strategic Plan. He also thanked Mr M. Jarraud, Secretary-General of WMO, and his staff, in particular those of the Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific and the WMO Office for West Asia, for their close cooperation and valuable support to the work of the Association and himself during his tenure as president of the Association. He congratulated the newly elected president and vice-president and wished them every success in the coming years.
12.5 The fourteenth session of Regional Association II (Asia) closed at 11.35 a.m. on 11 December 2008.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE SESSION
Resolution 1 (XIV-RA II)
ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGIONAL CLIMATE CENTRE NETWORK IN REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA)
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting:
(1) The Abridged Final Report with Resolutions of the Thirteenth Session of Regional Association II (Asia) (WMO-No. 981), Hong Kong, China, 7–15 December 2004, including Resolution 9 (XIII-RA II) – Establishment of a Regional Climate Centres Network in RA II (RCC-RA II),
(2) The Abridged Final Report with Resolutions of the Fifteenth World Meteorological Congress (WMO-No. 1026),
(3) The Proceedings of the Meeting of the Commission for Climatology Implementation/Coordination Team (Geneva, 9–11 October 2007),
(4) The Proceedings of the CCl/CBS Intercommission Technical Meeting on Designation of Regional Climate Centres (WMO/TD-No. 1479, WCASP-No. 77), Geneva, 21–22 January 2008,
(5) The Interim Guidance on Establishment and Designation of WMO Regional Climate Centres (RCCs),
(6) The Report of the Meeting of the Working Group on Climate-Related Matters for Regional Association II (WMO/TD-No. 1382, WCASP-No. 73), Beijing, 7–8 April 2007,
(7) The Report of the Meeting of the Working Group on Climate-Related Matters for Regional Association II (WMO/TD-No. 1470, WCASP-No. 76), Tokyo, 7–8 August 2008,
(8) The evolution of the former Working Group on Climate-Related Matters into a new Working Group on Climate Services, Adaptation and Agrometeorology (WGCAA), with a Sub-Group on Climate Applications and Services (WGCAA-CAS),
Recognizing:
(1) The enhanced worldwide attention to climate change, the associated vulnerabilities in the Region and the need to support decision-making for adaptation to climate change and variability with more detailed regional climate information,
(2) The decision of the Association at its thirteenth session to implement a network of multiple multifunctional centres and/or specialized centres on a pilot basis as the structure for implementing RCC activities in Region II,
(3) The endorsement of the RA II Working Group on Climate-Related Matters of a number of Members in this pilot phase, based on eligibility criteria that identify capacity to undertake the mandatory RCC functions for the Region,
RESOLUTIONS 59
(4) The near-final development of the WMO technical regulations to include a formal WMO mechanism for the designation of RCCs,
Decides:
(1) To ensure that all RA II Members are aware of the latest guidance on “Establishment and Designation of WMO Regional Climate Centres (RCCs)”;
(2) To ensure that all RCCs and RCC proponents comply with the definitions of RCCs and RCC Networks and the Commission for Climatology-Commission for Basic Systems recommended mandatory functions and criteria for designation adhere to the relevant WMO Technical Regulations;
(3) To continue the pilot phase as a means to demonstrate the capabilities of centres in the Region aspiring to be designated as WMO RCCs, under the guidance of the WGCAA-CAS, of which the terms of reference are described under Resolution 9 (XIV-RA II);
Urges:
(1) RCC proponents to undertake a self-appraisal prior to submitting their proposals, to determine their capabilities to fulfil the requirements of RCC designation criteria, develop implementation plans and submit these to the RA II WGCAA-CAS for assessment and advice on commencing a pilot phase;
(2) RCCs in pilot phase to submit activity reports on an annual basis to the RA II WGCAA- CAS, and to undertake recommended remedial actions during the pilot phase, to ensure fulfillment of WMO designation criteria;
(3) RCCs to additionally include as many as possible of the “highly recommended” functions in their activities, particularly those related to downscaling, to climate change and to organizing Regional Climate Outlook Forums;
(4) RCCs to closely integrate the implementation of their mandatory as well as recommended functions with Climate Information and Prediction Services activities in the Region, to enable National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to develop user-targeted climate information products and services;
(5) RCCs and RCC proponents to make all efforts to highlight their role in providing climate information for decision-making at the World Climate Conference-3 and to use the Conference outcomes to guide their future operational activities;
(6) RA II WGCAA-CAS to assist the president of Regional Association II on all matters related to RCC implementation;
(7) The president of RA II to consult with the Commission for Climatology, the Commission for Basic Systems, the WMO Secretariat and RA II WGCAA-CAS in effective implementation of RCCs and in determining the eligibility of new RCC proponents;
(8) All Members to support RA II RCC activities, and to use the products and to provide feedback to RCCs and Global Producing Centres on effectiveness, improvement and tailoring.
______Note: This resolution replaces Resolution 9 (XIII-RA II), which is no longer in force.
60 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
Resolution 2 (XIV-RA II)
REGIONAL BASIC SYNOPTIC NETWORK IN REGION II
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting:
(1) Resolution 2 (XIII-RA II) – Regional Basic Synoptic Network,
(2) The report of the fifth session of the Working Group on Planning and Implementation of the WWW in Region II,
(3) The Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544), Volume I, Part III, 2.1.3.1– 2.1.3.5, and the definition of the Regional Basic Synoptic Network,
(4) The Manual on the Global Telecommunication System (WMO-No. 386), Volume I, Part I, Attachment 1-3, section 3,
Considering that the establishment and maintenance of a Regional Basic Synoptic Network (RBSN) of surface and upper-air synoptic stations, adequate to meet the requirements of Members and of the World Weather Watch, constitute one of the most important obligations of Members under Article 2 of the WMO Convention,
Decides that the stations and observational programmes listed in the annex to this resolution constitute the Regional Basic Synoptic Network in Region II;
Urges Members:
(1) To secure, at the earliest date possible, full implementation of the network of the stations and observational programmes set forth in the annex to this resolution;
(2) To comply fully with the standard times of observation, the global and regional coding procedures and data-collection standards, as laid down in the WMO Technical Regulations (WMO-No. 49) and the Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544), Manual on Codes (WMO-No. 306) and Manual on the Global Telecommunication System (WMO- No. 386);
Authorizes the president of the Association to approve, at the request of the Members concerned and in consultation with the Secretary-General, minor amendments to the list of RBSN stations in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544), Volume II – Regional Aspects, Region II (Asia).
______Note: This resolution replaces Resolution 2 (XIII-RA II), which is no longer in force.
RESOLUTIONS 61
Annex to Resolution 2 (XIV-RA II)
LIST OF STATIONS COMPRISING THE REGIONAL BASIC SYNOPTIC NETWORK IN REGION II
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS AFGHANISTAN 48995 KOMPONG CHAM S 40904 FAIZABAD S 48997 PREY VENG S 40913 KUNDUZ S 48998 SVAY RENG S 40922 MIMANA S CHINA 40938 HERAT S 50557 NENJIANG S 40938 HERAT R 50557 NENJIANG R 40942 CHAKHCHARAN S 50603 XIN BARAG YOUQI S 40945 BAMIYAN S 50632 BUGT S 40948 KABUL AIRPORT R 50727 ARXAN S 40954 JALALABAD S 50745 QIQIHAR S 40971 KHOST S 50756 HAILUN S 40974 FARAH S 50774 YICHUN S 40977 TIRIN KOT S 50774 YICHUN R 40988 BUST S 50788 FUJIN S 40990 KANDAHAR AIRPORT S 50915 ULIASTAI S 40996 DESHOO S 50949 QIAN GORLOS S BAHRAIN 50953 HARBIN S 41150 BAHRAIN (INT.AIRPORT) S 50953 HARBIN R 41151 JARIM S 50963 TONGHE S 41152 HOWAR S 50978 JIXI S 41153 COUSWAY S 51076 ALTAY S 41154 JABEL AL DOKHAN S 51076 ALTAY R 41155 F1 (FORMULA 1) S 51087 FUYUN S 41156 RAS ALBER S 51133 TACHENG S BANGLADESH 51156 HOBOKSAR S 51243 KARAMAY S 41859 RANGPUR S 51288 BAYTIK SHAN S 41883 BOGRA S 51334 JINGHE S 41883 BOGRA R 51431 YINING S 41886 MYMENSINGH S 51431 YINING R 41891 SYLHET S 51463 WU LU MU QI S 41907 ISHURDI S 51495 SHISANJIANFANG S 41923 DHAKA S 51542 BAYANBULAK S 41923 DHAKA R 51573 TURPAN S 41936 JESSORE S 51644 KUQA S 41943 FENI S 51644 KUQA R 41950 BARISAL S 51656 KORLA S 41978 CHITTAGONG (PATENGA) S 51709 KASHI S 41992 COX'S BAZAR S 51709 KASHI R CAMBODIA 51716 BACHU S 48966 SIEM REAP S 51730 ALAR S 48972 STUNG TRENG S 51747 TAZHONG S KOMPONG SOM/VILLE (EX 48983 SIHANOUKVILLE) S 51765 TIKANLIK S 48985 KOMPOT S 51777 RUOQIANG S 48991 PHNOM-PENH/POCHENTONG S 51777 RUOQIANG R 48991 PHNOM-PENH/POCHENTONG R 51811 SHACHE S 62 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 51828 HOTAN S 53845 YAN AN S 51828 HOTAN R 53845 YAN AN R 51839 MINFENG R 53915 PINGLIANG S 51886 MANGNAI S 53915 PINGLIANG R 52203 HAMI S 53959 YUNCHENG S 52203 HAMI R 54012 XI UJIMQIN QI S 52267 EJIN QI S 54026 JARUD QI S 52267 EJIN QI R 54027 LINDONG S 52323 MAZONG SHAN S 54094 MUDANJIANG S 52323 MAZONG SHAN R 54102 XILIN HOT S 52418 DUNHUANG S 54102 XILIN HOT R 52418 DUNHUANG R 54135 TONGLIAO S 52495 BAYAN MOD S 54161 CHANGCHUN S 52533 JIUQUAN S 54161 CHANGCHUN R 52533 JIUQUAN R 54208 DUOLUN S 52602 LENGHU S 54218 CHIFENG S 52652 ZHANGYE S 54218 CHIFENG R 52681 MINQIN S 54236 ZHANGWU S 52681 MINQIN R 54273 HUADIAN S 52713 DA-QAIDAM S 54292 YANJI S 52754 GANGCA S 54292 YANJI R 52818 GOLMUD S 54337 JINZHOU S 52818 GOLMUD R 54342 SHENYANG S 52836 DULAN S 54342 SHENYANG R 52866 XINING S 54374 LINJIANG S 52866 XINING R 54374 LINJIANG R 52983 YUZHONG S 54377 JI'AN S 53068 ERENHOT S 54401 ZHANGJIAKOU S 53068 ERENHOT R 54423 CHENGDE S 53083 NARAN BULAG S 54471 YINGKOU S 53149 MANDAL S 54497 DANDONG S 53192 ABAG QI S 54511 BEIJING S 53231 HAILS S 54511 BEIJING R 53276 JURH S 54539 LETING S 53336 HALIUT S 54618 POTOU S 53391 HUADE S 54662 DALIAN S 53463 HOHHOT S 54662 DALIAN R 53463 HOHHOT R 54727 ZHANGQIU R 53502 JARTAI S 54753 LONGKOU S 53513 LINHE S 54776 CHENGSHANTOU S 53513 LINHE R 54823 JINAN S 53529 OTOG QI S 54843 WEIFANG S 53543 DONGSHENG S 54857 QINGDAO S 53564 HEQU S 54857 QINGDAO R 53588 WUTAI SHAN S 54909 DINGTAO S 53614 YINCHUAN S 55228 SHIQUANHE S 53614 YINCHUAN R 55279 BAINGOIN S 53646 YULIN S 55299 NAGQU S 53723 YANCHI S 55299 NAGQU R 53772 TAIYUAN S 55472 XAINZA S 53772 TAIYUAN R 55578 XIGAZE S 53798 XINGTAI S 55591 LHASA S RESOLUTIONS 63
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 55591 LHASA R 57178 NANYANG S 55664 TINGRI S 57245 ANKANG S 55696 LHUNZE S 57265 GUANGHUA S 55773 PAGRI S 57297 XINYANG S 56004 TUOTUOHE S 57328 DA XIAN S 56018 ZADOI S 57411 NANCHONG S 56021 QUMARLEB S 57447 ENSHI S 56029 YUSHU S 57447 ENSHI R 56029 YUSHU R 57461 YICHANG S 56033 MADOI S 57461 YICHANG R 56046 DARLAG S 57494 WUHAN S 56079 RUO'ERGAI S 57494 WUHAN R 56080 HEZUO S 57516 CHONGQING S 56080 HEZUO R 57516 CHONGQING R 56096 WUDU S 57633 YOUYANG S 56106 SOG XIAN S 57662 CHANGDE S 56116 DENGQEN S 57679 CHANGSHA R 56137 QAMDO S 57687 CHANGSHA S 56137 QAMDO R 57745 ZHIJIANG S 56146 GARZE R 57749 HUAIHUA R 56152 SERTAR S 57799 JI'AN S 56172 BARKAM S 57816 GUIYANG S 56182 SONGPAN S 57816 GUIYANG R 56187 WENJIANG S 57866 LINGLING S 56187 WENJIANG R 57902 XINGREN S 56247 BATANG S 57957 GUILIN S 56312 NYINGCHI S 57957 GUILIN R 56444 DEQEN S 57972 CHENZHOU S 56462 JIULONG S 57972 CHENZHOU R 56492 YIBIN S 57993 GANZHOU S 56571 XICHANG S 57993 GANZHOU R 56571 XICHANG R 58027 XUZHOU S 56651 LIJING S 58027 XUZHOU R 56691 WEINING S 58040 GANYU S 56691 WEINING R 58102 BOXIAN S 56739 TENGCHONG S 58141 HUAIYIN S 56739 TENGCHONG R 58150 SHEYANG S 56778 KUNMING S 58150 SHEYANG R 56778 KUNMING R 58203 FUYANG S 56951 LINCANG S 58203 FUYANG R 56964 SIMAO S 58221 BENGBU S 56964 SIMAO R 58238 NANJING S 56969 MENGLA S 58238 NANJING R 56985 MENGZI S 58251 DONGTAI S 56985 MENGZI R 58265 LUSI S 57036 XI'AN R 58314 HUOSHAN S 57067 LUSHI S 58362 SHANGHAI S 57083 ZHENGZHOU S 58362 SHANGHAI R 57083 ZHENGZHOU R 58424 ANQING S 57127 HANZHONG S 58424 ANQING R 57127 HANZHONG R 58457 HANGZHOU S 57131 JINGHE S 58457 HANGZHOU R 64 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 58472 SHENGSI S DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA 58477 DINGHAI S 47003 SENBONG S 58527 JINGDEZHEN S 47005 SAMJIYON S 58606 NANCHANG S 47008 CHONGJIN S 58606 NANCHANG R 47014 CHUNGGANG S 58633 QU XIAN S 47016 HYESAN S 58633 QU XIAN R 47020 KANGGYE S 58665 HONGJIA R 47022 PUNGSAN S 58666 DACHEN DAO S 47025 KIMCHAEK S 58725 SHAOWU S 47028 SUPUNG S 58725 SHAOWU R 47031 CHANGJIN S 58752 RUIAN S 47035 SINUIJU S 58847 FUZHOU S 47037 KUSONG S 58847 FUZHOU R 47039 HUICHON S 58921 YONG'AN S 47041 HAMHEUNG S 58968 TAIBEI S 47046 SINPO S 58968 TAIBEI R 47050 ANJU S 58974 PENGJIA YU S 47052 YANGDOK S 59007 GUANGNAN S 47055 WONSAN S 59023 HECHI S 47058 PYONGYANG S 59082 SHAOGUAN S 47058 PYONGYANG R 59117 MEI XIAN S 47060 NAMPO S 59134 XIAMEN S 47061 CHANGJON S 59134 XIAMEN R 47065 SARIWON S 59211 BAISE S 47067 SINGYE S 59211 BAISE R 47068 RYONGYON S 59265 WUZHOU S 47069 HAEJU S 59265 WUZHOU R 47070 KAESONG S 59280 QING YUAN R 47075 PYONGGANG S 59287 GUANGZHOU S HONG KONG, CHINA 59293 HEYUAN S 45004 KOWLOON R 59316 SHANTOU S HONG KONG 59316 SHANTOU R 45007 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT S 59358 TAINAN S INDIA 59417 LONGZHOU S 42027 SRINAGAR S 59431 NANNING S 42027 SRINAGAR R 59431 NANNING R 42071 AMRITSAR S 59501 SHANWEI S 42101 PATIALA S 59559 HENGCHUN S 42101 PATIALA R 59644 BEIHAI S 42111 DEHRADUN S 59663 YANGJIANG S 42131 HISSAR S 59758 HAIKOU S 42165 BIKANER S 59758 HAIKOU R 42182 NEW DELHI/SAFDARJUNG S 59792 DONGSHA DAO S 42182 NEW DELHI/SAFDARJUNG R 59838 DONGFANG S 42189 BAREILLY S 59948 SANYA S 42260 AGRA S 59981 XISHA DAO S 42309 NORTH LAKHIMPUR S 59981 XISHA DAO R 42314 DIBRUGARH /MOHANBARI S 59985 SANHU DAO S 42314 DIBRUGARH /MOHANBARI R 59995 YONGSHUJIAO S 42328 JAISALMER S 59997 NANSHA DAO S 42339 JODHPUR S 42339 JODHPUR R RESOLUTIONS 65
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 42348 JAIPUR/SANGANER S 42921 NASHIK S 42361 GWALIOR S 42933 AKOLA S 42361 GWALIOR R 42971 BHUBANESHWAR S 42369 LUCKNOW/AMAUSI S 42971 BHUBANESHWAR R 42369 LUCKNOW/AMAUSI R 42977 SANDHEADS S 42379 GORAKHPUR S 43003 BOMBAY/SANTACRUZ S 42379 GORAKHPUR R 43003 BOMBAY/SANTACRUZ R 42397 SILIGURI R AURANGABAD CHIKALTHANA 43014 AERODROME S 42398 SILIGURI S AURANGABAD CHIKALTHANA 42410 GUWAHATI S 43014 AERODROME R 42410 GUWAHATI R 43041 JAGDALPUR S 42415 TEZPUR S 43041 JAGDALPUR R 42452 KOTA AERODROME S 43063 PUNE S 42475 ALLAHABAD/BAMHRAULI S 43086 RAMGUNDAM S 42492 PATNA S 43110 RATNAGIRI S 42492 PATNA R 43117 SHOLAPUR S 42559 GUNA S 43128 HYDERABAD AIRPORT S 42571 SATNA S 43128 HYDERABAD AIRPORT R 42587 DALTONGANJ S CWC 43150 VISHAKHAPATNAM/WALTAIR S 42591 GAYA S CWC 42591 GAYA W 43150 VISHAKHAPATNAM/WALTAIR R 42623 IMPHAL/TULIHAL S 43185 MACHILIPATNAM/FRANCHPET S 42623 IMPHAL/TULIHAL W 43185 MACHILIPATNAM/FRANCHPET R 42634 BHUJ-RUDRAMATA S 43189 KAKINADA S 42634 BHUJ-RUDRAMATA W 43192 GOA/PANJIM S 42647 AHMADABAD S 43192 GOA/PANJIM R 42647 AHMADABAD R 43198 BELGAUM/SAMBRE S 42667 BHOPAL/BAIRAGHAR S 43201 GADAG S 42667 BHOPAL/BAIRAGHAR R 43213 KURNOOL S 42675 JABALPUR S 43226 HONAVAR S 42675 JABALPUR W 43233 CHITRADURGA S 42701 M.O.RANCHI S 43237 PBO ANANTAPUR S 42701 M.O.RANCHI R 43245 NELLORE S 42706 BANKURA S 43279 CHENNAI/MINAMBAKKAM S 42724 AGARTALA S 43279 CHENNAI/MINAMBAKKAM R 42724 AGARTALA R 43284 MANGALORE/BAJPE S 42734 JAMNAGAR W 43285 MANGALORE/PANAMBUR R 42737 RAJKOT S 43295 BANGALORE S 42754 INDORE S 43295 BANGALORE R 42779 PENDRA S 43311 AMINIDIVI S 42798 JAMSHEDPUR S 43311 AMINIDIVI R 42809 KOLKATA / DUMDUM S 43314 KOZHIKODE S 42809 KOLKATA / DUMDUM R 43321 COIMBATORE/PEELAMEDU S 42840 SURAT S 43329 CUDDALORE S 42867 NAGPUR/SONEGAON S 43333 PORT BLAIR S 42867 NAGPUR/SONEGAON R 43333 PORT BLAIR R 42874 PBO RAIPUR S 43344 TIRUCHCHIRAPALLI S 42874 PBO RAIPUR R 43346 KARAIKAL S 42886 JHARSIGUDA S 43346 KARAIKAL R 42895 BALASORE S 43353 KOCHI/WILLINGDON S 42909 VERAVAL S 43353 KOCHI/WILLINGDON R 42909 VERAVAL W 43369 MINICOY S 66 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 43369 MINICOY R 40798 SHAHRE-KORD S 43371 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM S 40800 ESFAHAN S 43371 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM R 40800 ESFAHAN R IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF 40809 BIRJAND S 40700 PARS ABAD MOGHAN S 40809 BIRJAND R 40701 MAKKO S 40811 AHWAZ S 40703 KHOY S 40812 MASJED-SOLEYMAN S 40704 AHAR S 40818 ABADEH S 40706 TABRIZ S 40821 YAZD S 40706 TABRIZ R 40827 NEHBANDAN S 40708 ARDEBIL S 40829 ZABOL S 40710 SARAB S 40831 ABADAN S 40712 ORUMIEH S 40833 OMIDIEH S 40713 MARAGHEH S 40835 GACH SARAN DU GUNBADAN S 40716 MEYANEH S 40836 YASOGE S 40718 ANZALI S 40841 KERMAN S 40719 RASHT S 40841 KERMAN R 40721 MARAVE-TAPPEH S 40848 SHIRAZ S 40723 BOJNOURD S 40848 SHIRAZ R 40726 MOHABAD S 40851 SIRJAN S 40727 SAGHEZ S 40853 BAFT S 40729 ZANJAN S 40854 BAM S 40731 GHAZVIN S 40856 ZAHEDAN S 40732 RAMSAR S 40856 ZAHEDAN W 40734 NOSHAHR S 40857 BUSHEHR S 40736 BABULSAR S 40859 FASA S 40737 GHARAKHIL S 40872 BANDAR DAYYER S 40738 GORGAN S 40875 BANDARABBASS S 40739 SHAHRUD S 40875 BANDARABBASS R 40740 GHUCHAN S 40877 KAHNUJ S 40741 SARAKHS S 40878 SARAVAN S 40743 SABZEVAR S 40879 IRANSHAHR S 40745 MASHHAD S 40882 KISH ISLAND S 40745 MASHHAD R 40883 BANDAR LENGEH S 40747 SANANDAJ S 40889 SIRI ISLAND S 40754 TEHRAN-MEHRABAD S 40890 ABU MUSA S 40754 TEHRAN-MEHRABAD R 40893 JASK S 40757 SEMNAN S 40897 KONARAK S 40762 TORBAT-HEYDARIEH S 40763 KASHMAR S 40898 CHAHBAHAR S IRAQ 40766 KERMANSHAH S 40608 MOSUL S 40766 KERMANSHAH R 40608 MOSUL R 40768 HAMEDAN S 40621 KIRKUK S 40769 ARAK S 40634 HADITHA S 40780 ILAM S 40637 KANAQIN S 40782 KHORRAM ABAD S 40642 RUTBAH S 40783 ALI-GOODARZ S 40650 BAGHDAD R 40785 KASHAN S 40658 NUKAIB S 40789 KHOR S 40665 KUT-AL-HAI S 40791 TABAS S 40672 DIWANIYA S 40792 FERDOUS S 40676 NASIRIYA S 40794 SAFI-ABAD DEZFUL S RESOLUTIONS 67
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 40676 NASIRIYA W 47817 NAGASAKI S 40684 AL-SALMAN S 47827 KAGOSHIMA S 40686 BUSSAYA S 47827 KAGOSHIMA R 40689 BASRAH W 47830 MIYAZAKI S JAPAN 47843 FUKUE S 47401 WAKKANAI S 47887 MATSUYAMA S 47401 WAKKANAI R 47891 TAKAMATSU S 47407 ASAHIKAWA S 47893 KOCHI S 47409 ABASHIRI S 47895 TOKUSHIMA S 47412 SAPPORO S 47909 NAZE S 47412 SAPPORO R 47909 NAZE R 47418 KUSHIRO S 47918 ISHIGAKIJIMA S 47420 NEMURO S 47918 ISHIGAKIJIMA R 47420 NEMURO R 47927 MIYAKOJIMA S 47421 SUTTSU S 47936 NAHA S 47426 URAKAWA S 47945 MINAMIDAITOJIMA S 47430 HAKODATE S 47945 MINAMIDAITOJIMA R 47570 WAKAMATSU S 47971 CHICHIJIMA S 47575 AOMORI S 47971 CHICHIJIMA R 47582 AKITA S 47991 MINAMITORISHIMA S 47582 AKITA R 47991 MINAMITORISHIMA R 47584 MORIOKA S KAZAKHSTAN (IN ASIA)
47590 SENDAI S 28679 PETROPAVLOVSK S 47600 WAJIMA S 28766 BLAGOVESHCHENKA S 47600 WAJIMA R 28867 URITSKY S 47604 NIIGATA S 28879 KOKSHETAU S 47605 KANAZAWA S 28952 KOSTANAY S 47610 NAGANO S 28952 KOSTANAY R 47624 MAEBASHI S 28966 RUZAEVKA S 47629 MITO S 28978 BALKASHINO S 47636 NAGOYA S 28984 SHCHUCHINSK S 47646 TATENO R 29802 MIKHAILOVKA S 47648 CHOSHI S 29807 ERTIS S 47651 TSU S 35067 ESIL S 47655 OMAEZAKI S 35078 ATBASAR S 47662 TOKYO S 35085 AKKOL S 47675 OSHIMA S 35108 URALSK S 47678 HACHIJOJIMA S 35173 ZHALTYR S 47678 HACHIJOJIMA R 35188 ASTANA S 47740 SAIGO S 35217 DZHAMBEJTY S 47741 MATSUE S 35229 AKTOBE S 47744 YONAGO R 35229 AKTOBE R 47746 TOTTORI S 35302 CHAPAEVO S 47750 MAIZURU S 35357 BARSHINO S 47765 HIROSHIMA S 35358 TORGAI S 47772 OSAKA S 35394 KARAGANDA S 47778 SHIONOMISAKI S 35394 KARAGANDA R 47778 SHIONOMISAKI R 35406 TAIPAK S 47800 IZUHARA S 35416 UIL S 47807 FUKUOKA S 35426 TEMIR S 47807 FUKUOKA R 35497 ZHARYK S 47815 OITA S 35532 MUGODZARSKAJA S 68 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 35576 KYZYLZHAR S 38616 KARA-SUU S 35671 ZHEZKAZGAN S LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC 35671 ZHEZKAZGAN R 48924 LUANG NAMTHA (M.SING) S 35699 BEKTAU-ATA S 48925 OUDOMXAY S 35700 ATYRAU S 48926 HOUEI-SAI S 35700 ATYRAU R 48927 VIENGSAY S 35746 ARALSKOE MORE S 48928 SAMNEUA S 35796 BALHASH S 48930 LUANG-PRABANG S 35849 KAZALINSK S PLAINE DES JARRES 48935 (XIENGKHOUANG) S 35925 SAM S 48940 VIENTIANE S 35953 DZHUSALY S 48945 PARKXANH S 35969 ZLIKHA S 48946 THAKHEK S 36003 PAVLODAR S 48947 SAVANNAKHET S 36003 PAVLODAR R 48952 SARAVANE S 36152 SEMIJARKA S 48955 PAKSE S 36177 SEMIPALATINSK S 48957 ATTOPEU S 36208 RIDDER S MACAO, CHINA 36397 ZHALGYZTOBE S 45011 TAIPA GRANDE S 36428 ULKEN NARYN S MALDIVES 36535 KOKPEKTY S 43533 HANIMAADHOO S 36639 URDZHAR S 43555 MALE S 36686 ALGA ZY OSTROV S 43555 MALE W 36821 BAKANAS S 43577 KADHDHOO S 36859 ZHARKENT S 43588 KAADEHDHOO S 36864 OTAR S 43599 GAN S 36870 ALMATY S 43599 GAN R 36870 ALMATY R MONGOLIA 38001 FORT SHEVCHENKO S 44203 RINCHINLHUMBE S 38062 KYZYLORDA S 44207 HATGAL S 38069 CHIILI S 44212 ULAANGOM S 38196 ACHISAY S 44212 ULAANGOM R 38198 TURKESTAN S 44213 BARUUNTURUUN S 38222 TOLE BI S 44214 ULGI S 38232 AKKUDUK S 44215 OMNO-GOBI S 38328 SHYMKENT S 44218 HOVD S 38334 AUL TURARA RYSKULOVA S 44230 TARIALAN S 38341 TARAZ S 44231 MUREN S 38341 TARAZ R 44231 MUREN R 38343 KULAN S 44232 HUTAG S 38439 CHARDARA S 44239 BULGAN S KUWAIT 44241 BARUUNHARAA S 40570 AL-SALMI S 44256 DASHBALBAR S KUWAIT INTERNATIONAL 40582 AIRPORT S 44259 CHOIBALSAN S KUWAIT INTERNATIONAL 44259 CHOIBALSAN R 40582 AIRPORT R 44265 BAITAG S KYRGYZSTAN 44272 ULIASTAI S 36911 TOKMAK S 44277 ALTAI S 36974 NARYN S 44277 ALTAI R 36982 TIAN-SHAN' S 44282 TSETSERLEG S 38345 TALAS S 44284 GALUUT S 38353 BISHKEK S 44285 HUJIRT S 38613 JALAL-ABAD S RESOLUTIONS 69
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 44287 BAYANHONGOR S VICTORIA 48112 POINT/KAWTHOUNG S 44288 ARVAIHEER S NEPAL 44288 ARVAIHEER R 44404 DADELDHURA S 44292 ULAANBAATAR S 44406 DIPAYAL S 44292 ULAANBAATAR R 44409 DHANGADHI S 44294 MAANTI S 44416 SURKHET S 44298 CHOIR S 44418 NEPALGUNJ AIRPORT S 44302 BAYAN-OVOO S 44424 JUMLA S 44304 UNDERKHAAN S 44429 DANG S 44305 BARUUN-URT S 44434 POKHARA AIRPORT S 44313 KHALKH-GOL S 44438 BHAIRAWA AIRPORT S 44314 MATAD S 44449 SIMARA S 44336 SAIKHAN-OVOO S 44454 KATHMANDU AIRPORT S 44341 MANDALGOBI S 44462 OKHALDHUNGA S 44347 TSOGT-OVOO S 44474 TAPLEJUNG S 44352 BAYANDELGER S 44477 DHANKUTA S 44373 DALANZADGAD S 44478 BIRATNAGAR AIRPORT S MYANMAR OMAN 48001 PUTAO S 41240 KHASAB S 48004 HKAMTI S 41242 DIBA S 48008 MYITKYINA S 41244 BURAIMI S 48008 MYITKYINA R 41246 SOHAR MAJIS S 48010 HOMALIN S 41253 RUSTAQ S 48018 KATHA S 41254 SAIQ S 48019 BHAMO S 41255 NIZWA S 48020 MAWLAIK S 41256 SEEB, INT'L AIRPORT S 48025 KALEWA S 41256 SEEB, INT'L AIRPORT R 48035 LASHIO S 41257 SAMAIL S 48037 MONYWA S 41258 MINA SULTAN QABOOS S 48042 MANDALAY S 41262 FAHUD S 48042 MANDALAY R 41263 BAHLA S 48045 MINDAT S 41264 ADAM S 48048 NYUNG-U S 41265 IBRA S 48053 MEIKTILA S 41267 QALHAT S 48053 MEIKTILA R 41268 SUR S 48057 TAUNGGYI S 41275 QARN ALAM S 48060 KENGTUNG S 41288 MASIRAH S 48060 KENGTUNG W 41304 MARMUL S 48062 SITTWE S 41312 MINA SALALAH S 48062 SITTWE R 41314 THUMRAIT S 48071 KYAUKPYU S 41315 QAIROON HAIRITI S 48077 PROME/PYAY S 41316 SALALAH S 48078 TOUNGOO S 41316 SALALAH R 48080 SANDOWAY/THANDWE S PAKISTAN 48094 PATHEIN S 41504 GUPIS S 48094 PATHEIN W 41506 CHITRAL S 48097 YANGON S 41508 DIR S 48097 YANGON R 41515 DROSH S 48108 DAWEI S 41516 GILGIT S 48109 COCO ISLAND S 41517 SKARDU S 48109 COCO ISLAND W 41518 BUNJI S 48110 MERGUI/MYEIK S 70 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 41519 CHILLAS S 41749 NAWABSHAH W 41520 ASTORE S 41756 JIWANI S 41523 SAIDU SHARIF S 41756 JIWANI W 41530 PESHAWAR S 41757 GAWADAR S 41530 PESHAWAR W 41759 PASNI S 41532 MUZAFFAR ABAD S 41764 HYDERABAD S 41533 RISALPUR S 41764 HYDERABAD W 41535 KAKUL S 41768 CHHOR S 41536 BALAKOT S 41768 CHHOR W 41560 PARACHINAR S 41780 KARACHI AIRPORT S 41564 KOHAT S 41780 KARACHI AIRPORT R 41565 CHERAT S 41785 BADIN S 41571 ISLAMABAD AIRPORT S QATAR 41573 MURREE S DOHA INTERNATIONAL 41170 AIRPORT S 41577 ISLAMABAD CITY S DOHA INTERNATIONAL 41592 MIANWALI S 41170 AIRPORT R 41594 SARGODHA S REPUBLIC OF KOREA 41594 SARGODHA R 47090 SOKCHO S 41598 JHELUM S 47090 SOKCHO R 41598 JHELUM W 47095 CHEORWON S 41600 SIALKOT S 47098 DONGDUCHEON S 41600 SIALKOT W 47099 MUNSAN S 41620 ZHOB S 47100 DAEGWALLYEONG S 41624 DERA ISMAIL KHAN S 47101 CHUNCHEON S 41624 DERA ISMAIL KHAN W 47102 BAENGNYEONGDO S 41630 FAISALABAD S 47102 BAENGNYEONGDO R 41640 LAHORE CITY R 47105 GANGNEUNG S 41641 LAHORE AIRPORT S 47106 DONGHAE S 41660 QUETTA AIRPORT S 47108 SEOUL S 41661 QUETTA (SHEIK MANDA) W 47112 INCHEON S 41672 RAFIQUE S 47114 WONJU S 41675 MULTAN S 47115 ULLEUNGDO S 41675 MULTAN W 47119 SUWON S 41678 BAHAWALNAGAR S 47121 YEONGWOL S 41678 BAHAWALNAGAR W 47122 OSAN AB R 41685 BARKHAN S 47127 CHUNGJU S 41696 KALAT S 47129 SEOSAN S 41697 SIBI S 47130 ULJIN S 41700 BAHAWALPUR S 47131 CHEONGJU S 41710 NOKKUNDI S 47133 DAEJEON S 41712 DAL BANDIN S 47135 CHUPUNGNYEONG S 41715 JACOBABAD S 47136 ANDONG S 41715 JACOBABAD W 47137 SANGJU S 41718 KHANPUR S 47138 POHANG S 41718 KHANPUR W 47138 POHANG R 41725 ROHRI S 47140 GUNSAN S 41738 TURBAT S 47143 DAEGU S 41739 PANJGUR S 47146 JEONJU S 41739 PANJGUR W 47152 ULSAN S 41744 KHUZDAR S 47155 MASAN S 41746 PADIDAN S 47156 GWANGJU S 41749 NAWABSHAH S 47158 GWANGJU AB R RESOLUTIONS 71
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 47159 BUSAN S 23472 TURUHANSK S 47162 TONGYEONG S 23472 TURUHANSK R 47165 MOKPO S 23552 TARKO-SALE S 47168 YEOSU S 23606 UHTA S 47169 HEUKSANDO S 23625 SOSVA S 47169 HEUKSANDO R 23631 BEREZOVO S 47170 WANDO S 23678 VERHNEIMBATSK S 47175 JINDO S 23711 TROICKO-PECHERSKOE S 47184 JEJU S 23724 NJAKSIMVOL' S 47185 GOSAN S 23734 OKTJABR'SKOE S 47185 GOSAN R 23803 UST'-KULOM S 47189 SEOGWIPO S 23804 SYKTYVKAR S 47192 JINJU S 23804 SYKTYVKAR R RUSSIAN FEDERATION (IN ASIA) 23849 SURGUT S POLARGMO IM. E.T. 23884 BOR S 20046 KRENKELJA S 23884 BOR R POLARGMO IM. E.T. 20046 KRENKELJA R 23891 BAJKIT S 20069 OSTROV VIZE S 23909 GAJNY S 20087 OSTROV GOLOMJANNYJ S 23914 CHERDYN' S 20292 GMO IM.E.K. FEDOROVA S 23921 IVDEL' S 20667 IM. M.V. POPOVA S 23921 IVDEL' R 20674 OSTROV DIKSON S 23933 HANTY-MANSIJSK S 20674 OSTROV DIKSON R 23933 HANTY-MANSIJSK R 20744 MALYE KARMAKULY S 23955 ALEKSANDROVSKOE S 20744 MALYE KARMAKULY R 23955 ALEKSANDROVSKOE R 20891 HATANGA S 23966 VANZIL’-KYNAK S 21432 OSTROV KOTEL'NYJ S 23973 VOROGOVO S 21802 SASKYLAH S 23975 SYM S 21824 TIKSI S 23987 JARCEVO S 21824 TIKSI R 24125 OLENEK S 21908 DZALINDA S 24125 OLENEK R 21921 KJUSJUR S 24143 DZARDZAN S 21931 JUBILEJNAJA S 24266 VERHOJANSK S 21946 CHOKURDAH S 24266 VERHOJANSK R 21946 CHOKURDAH R 24329 SELAGONCY S 21982 OSTROV VRANGELJA S 24343 ZHIGANSK S 23022 AMDERMA S 24343 ZHIGANSK R 23032 MARESALE S 24382 UST’-MOMA S 23074 DUDINKA S 24507 TURA S 23205 NAR'JAN-MAR S 24507 TURA R 23205 NAR'JAN-MAR R 24639 NJURBA S 23219 HOSEDA-HARD S 24641 VILJUJSK S 23256 TAZOVSKOE S 24641 VILJUJSK R 23274 IGARKA S 24652 SANGARY S 23330 SALEHARD S 24656 BATAMAJ S 23330 SALEHARD R 24671 TOMPO S 23383 AGATA S 24688 OJMJAKON S 23405 UST'-CIL'MA S 24688 OJMJAKON R 23412 UST'-USA S 24724 CHERNISHEVSKIJ S 23418 PECHORA S 24726 MIRNVY R 23418 PECHORA R 24738 SUNTAR S 23426 MUZI S 24768 CURAPCA S 72 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 24817 ERBOGACEN S 28411 IZHEVSK S 24908 VANAVARA S 28434 KRASNOUFIMSK S 24908 VANAVARA R 28440 EKATERINBURG S 24923 LENSK S 28445 VERHNEE DUBROVO R 24944 OLEKMINSK S 28481 VIKULOVO S 24944 OLEKMINSK R 28491 BOL'SIE UKI S 24951 ISIT' S 28493 TARA S 24959 JAKUTSK S 28506 ELABUGA S 24959 JAKUTSK R 28522 ASKINO S 24962 AMGA S 28552 SADRINSK S 24966 UST’-MAJA S 28573 ISHIM S 24988 ARKA S 28593 BOL'SHERECH'E S 25123 CHERSKIJ S 28621 BIRSK S 25123 CHERSKIJ R 28645 CHELJABINSK-GOROD S 25173 MYS SHMIDTA S 28661 KURGAN S 25248 ILIRNEJ S 28661 KURGAN R 25325 UST'-OLOJ S 28666 MAKUSINO S 25378 EGVEKINOT S 28698 OMSK S 25399 MYS UELEN S 28698 OMSK R 25400 ZYRJANKA S 28711 BUGUL’MA S 25400 ZYRJANKA R 28722 UFA-DIOMA S 25428 OMOLON S 28722 UFA-DIOMA R 25428 OMOLON R 28748 TROIZK S 25538 VERHNE-PENZHINO S 28786 POLTAVKA S 25551 MARKOVO S 28797 ODESSKOE S 25563 ANADYR' S 28799 CERLAK S 25703 SEJMCHAN S 28807 SAMARA (SNYSLJAEVKA) S 25913 MAGADAN R 28825 STERLITAMAK S 25744 KAMENSKOE S 28838 MAGNITOGORSK S 25913 MAGADAN S 29023 NAPAS S 25913 MAGADAN R 29111 SREDNY VASJUGAN S 25954 KORF S 29122 KARGASOK S 25956 APUKA S 29209 MAJSK S 28009 KIRS S 29231 KOLPASEVO S 28044 SEROV S 29231 KOLPASEVO R 28049 GARI S 29253 LOSINOBORSKOE S 28064 LEUSI S 29263 ENISEJSK S 28076 DEM’JANSKOE S 29263 ENISEJSK R 28116 KUDYMKAR S 29282 BOGUCANY S 28144 VERHOTUR'E S 29282 BOGUCANY R 28214 GLAZOV S 29313 PUDINO S 28224 PERM’ S 29328 BAKCHAR S 28225 PERM’ R 29348 PERVOMAJSKOE S 28240 NIZHNYJ TAGIL S 29405 KYSTOVKA S 28255 TURINSK S 29418 SEVERNOE S 28275 TOBOL’SK S 29430 TOMSK S 28275 TOBOL’SK R 29471 BOL'SHAJA MURTA S 28319 NOZOVKA S 29481 DZERZHINSKOE S 28321 OHANSK S 29524 KRESCHENKA S 28334 SAMARY S 29551 MARIINSK S 28367 TJUMEN' S 29553 BOGOTOL S 28382 UST’-ISIM S 29562 KEMCHUG S RESOLUTIONS 73
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS KRASNOJARSK OPYTNOE 30393 CUL'MAN S 29570 POLE S 30405 TANGUJ S 29572 EMEL'JANOVO R 30433 NIZHNEANGARSK S 29581 KANSK S 30455 UAKIT S 29594 TAJSHET S 30469 KALAKAN S 29602 CHANY S 30493 NAGORNYJ S 29605 TATARSK S 30499 TYNDA S 29612 BARABINSK S 30504 TULUN S 29612 BARABINSK R 30521 ZHIGALOVO S 29631 KOLYVAN' S 30554 BAGDARIN S 29634 NOVOSIBIRSK R 30554 BAGDARIN R 29636 TOGUCHIN S 30603 ZIMA S NOVOSIBIRSK 29638 (OGOURTSOVO) S 30612 BALAGANSK S 29653 UZUR S 30622 KACUG S 29654 CENTRAL'NYJ RUDNIK S 30627 BAJANDAJ S 29675 KOLBA S 30635 UST'-BARGUZIN S 29676 AGINSKOE S 30650 ROMANOVKA S 29698 NIZHNEUDINSK S 30664 TUNGOKOCEN S 29698 NIZHNEUDINSK R 30669 ZILOVO S 29706 KUPINO S 30673 MOGOCHA S 29712 ZDVINSK S 30683 EROFEJ PAVLOVIC S 29724 KOCHKI S 30692 SKOVORODINO S 29726 ORDYNSKOE S 30695 DZALINDA S 29736 MASLJANINO S 30703 INGA S 29759 KOMMUNAR S 30715 ANGARSK R 29766 IDRINSKOE S 30731 GORJACINSK S 29789 VERHNJAJA GUTARA S 30739 HORINSK S 29814 KARASUK S 30741 ZAMAKTA S 29827 BAEVO S 30745 SOSNOVO-OZERSKOE S 29838 BARNAUL S 30758 CHITA S 29839 BARNAUL R 30758 CHITA R 29846 NOVOKUZNETSK S 30764 USUGLI S 29862 HAKASSKAJA R 30781 URJUPINO S 29864 UYBAT S 30791 IRKUTSK S 29869 ERMAKOVSKOE S 30802 MONDY S 29923 REBRIHA S 30823 ULAN-UDE S 29937 ALEJSKAJA S 30829 NOVOSELENGINSK S 29939 BIJSK ZONAL'NAJA S 30838 PETROVSKIJ ZAVOD S 29956 TASTYP S 30844 HILOK S 29998 ORLIK S 30846 ULETY S 30054 VITIM S 30859 AGINSKOE S 30054 VITIM R 30862 SHILKA S 30230 KIRENSK S 30879 NERCHINSKIJ ZAVOD S 30230 KIRENSK R 30925 KJAHTA S 30252 MAMAKAN S 30935 KRASNYJ CHIKOJ S 30307 BRATSK S 30935 KRASNYJ CHIKOJ R 30309 BRATSK R 30949 KYRA S 30328 ORLINGA S 30957 AKSA S 30337 KAZACHINSK S 30965 BORZJA S 30372 CHARA S 30965 BORZJA R 30372 CHARA R 30975 PRIARGUNSK S 30385 UST'-NJUKZHA S 31004 ALDAN S 74 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 31004 ALDAN R 31873 DAL'NERECHENSK S 31054 UST'-JUDOMA S 31873 DAL'NERECHENSK R 31088 OHOTSK S 31878 KIROVSKIJ S 31088 OHOTSK R 31909 TERNEJ S 31123 CJUL'BJU S 31915 POGRANICHNYJ S 31137 TOKO S 31921 ASTRAHANKA S 31168 AJAN S 31959 RUDNAJA PRISTAN' S 31168 AJAN R 31960 VLADIVOSTOK S 31174 BOL'SOJ SANTAR S 31969 POS'ET S 31253 BOMNAK S 31977 VLADIVOSTOK (SAD GOROD) R 31295 MAGDAGACI S 31981 ANUCINO S 31300 ZEJA S 31987 PARTIZANSK S 31300 ZEJA R 31989 PREOBRAZHENIE S 31329 EKIMCHAN S 32027 POGIBI S 31348 BURUKAN S 32053 NOGLIKI S 31369 NIKOLAEVSK-NA-AMURE S ALEKSANDROVSK- 32061 SAHALINSKIJ S 31369 NIKOLAEVSK-NA-AMURE R ALEKSANDROVSK- 31371 CHERNJAEVO S 32061 SAHALINSKIJ R 31388 NORSK S 32069 PIL'VO S 31416 IM POLINY OSIPENKO S 32076 POGRANICHNOE S 31418 VESELAJA GORKA S 32098 PORONAJSK S 31439 BOGORODSKOE S 32098 PORONAJSK R 31442 SIMANOVSK S 32121 ILYINSKIY S 31445 SVOBODNYJ S 32150 JUZHNO-SAHALINSK S 31474 UST'-UMAL'TA S 32150 JUZHNO-SAHALINSK R 31478 SOFIJSKIJ PRIISK S 32165 JUZHNO-KURIL'SK S 31484 HULARIN S 32215 SEVERO-KURIL'SK S 31489 GORIN S 32252 UST'-VOJAMPOLKA S 31510 BLAGOVESCENSK S 32389 KLJUCHI S 31510 BLAGOVESCENSK R 32389 KLJUCHI R 31521 BRATOLJUBOVKA S 32408 UST'-KAMCHATSK S 31527 ZAVITAJA S 32411 ICA S 31532 CEKUNDA S 32509 SEMJACHIK S 31534 SEKTAGLI S PETROPAVLOVSK- 32540 KAMCHATSKIJ R 31538 SUTUR S PETROPAVLOVSK- 31538 SUTUR R 32583 KAMCHATSKIJ S 31587 POJARKOVO S 32594 OZERNAJA S 31594 ARHARA S 32618 OSTROV BERINGA S 31632 KUR S 35026 ZILAIR S 31655 TROICKOE S 35121 ORENBURG S 31702 OBLUC'E S 35121 ORENBURG R 31707 EKATERINO-NIKOL'SKOE S 36021 KLJUCI S 31713 BIROBIDZHAN S 36022 VOLCIHA S 31725 SMIDOVICH S 36034 RUBCOVSK S 31735 HABAROVSK S 36038 ZMEINOGORSK S 31736 HABAROVSK R 36058 CEMAL S 31754 TIVJAKU S 36061 TUROCAK S 31801 GVASJUGI S 36096 KYZYL S 31825 AGZU S SAUDI ARABIA 31829 ZOLOTOJ S 40356 TURAIF S 31845 KRASNYJ JAR S 40357 ARAR S 31866 SOSUNOVO S 40360 GURIAT S RESOLUTIONS 75
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 40361 AL-JOUF S TAJIKISTAN 40362 RAFHA S 38599 KHUDJANT S 40369 HAQL S 38609 ISFARA S 40373 AL-QAISUMAH S 38705 PENDJIKENT S 40373 AL-QAISUMAH R 38713 URA-TYUBE / ISTARAVSHAN S 40375 TABUK S 38744 LYAKHSH S 40375 TABUK R 38836 DUSHANBE S 40377 HAFR AL-BATIN S 38836 DUSHANBE R 40386 AL-HULAIFAH S 38838 ISANBAI S 40394 HAIL S 38846 KHOVALING S 40394 HAIL R 38847 DANGARA S 40400 AL-WEJH S 38933 KURGAN-TYUBE S 40405 GASSIM S 38937 SHAARTUZ S 40416 DHAHRAN S 38944 PARKHAR S K.F.I.A. (KING FAHAD INT. 38947 PYANDJ S 40417 AIRPORT) DAMMAM R 38954 KHOROG S 40420 AL-AHSA S 38954 KHOROG R 40430 AL-MADINAH S THAILAND 40430 AL-MADINAH R 48300 MAE HONG SON S 40432 UQLAT AL-SUQ0R S 48303 CHIANG RAI S 40435 AL-DAWADAMI S 48307 THUNG CHANG S 40437 KING KHALED INT. AIRPORT S 48310 PHAYAO S 40437 KING KHALED INT. AIRPORT R 48315 THA WANG PHA S 40438 RIYADH OBS. (O.A.P.) S 48325 MAE SARIANG S 40439 YENBO S 48327 CHIANG MAI S 41006 MUWAIH S 48327 CHIANG MAI R 41010 LAYLA S 48328 LAMPANG S 41014 OBAYLAH S 48329 LAMPHUN S 41016 SHAWALAH S 48330 PHRAE S JEDDAH (KING ABDUL AZIZ 41024 INT. AIRPORT) S 48331 NAN S JEDDAH (KING ABDUL AZIZ 48351 UTTARADIT S 41024 INT. AIRPORT) R 48352 NONG KHAI S 41036 AL-TAIF S 48353 LOEI S WADI AL-DAWASSER 41061 AIRPORT S 48354 UDON THANI S 41080 AL-QUNFUDAH S 48356 SAKON NAKHON S 41084 BISHA S 48357 NAKHON PHANOM S 41112 ABHA S 48372 SUKHOTHAI S 41112 ABHA R 48374 LOM SAK S 41114 KHAMIS MUSHAIT S 48375 MAE SOT S 41128 NAJRAN S 48376 TAK S 41136 SHARORAH S 48377 BHUMIBOL DAM S 41140 GIZAN S 48378 PHITSANULOK S SRI LANKA 48379 PHETCHABUN S 43415 VAVUNIYA S 48380 KAM PHAENG PHET S 43418 TRINCOMALEE S 48381 KHON KAEN S 43424 PUTTALAM S 48382 KOSUM PHISAI S 43436 BATTICALOA S 48383 MUKDAHAN S 43450 KATUNAYAKE S 48385 UMPHANG S 43466 COLOMBO S 48386 PICHIT AGROMET S 43473 NUWARA ELIYA S 48400 NAKHON SAWAN S 43495 GALLE S 48402 CHAI NAT AGROMET S 43497 HAMBANTOTA S 48403 CHAIYAPHUM S 76 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 48405 ROI ET S 48565 PHUKET AIRPORT S 48407 UBON RATCHATHANI S 48565 PHUKET AIRPORT R 48407 UBON RATCHATHANI R 48567 TRANG S 48409 SISAKET AGROMET S 48568 SONGKHLA S 48413 WICHIAN BURI S 48568 SONGKHLA R 48415 AYUTTHAYA AGROMET S 48569 HAT YAI S 48416 THA TUM S 48570 SATUN S 48418 BUA CHUM S 48574 SA DAO S 48419 PATHUMTHANI AGROMET S 48583 NARATHIWAT S 48421 THONG PHA PHUM S TURKMENISTAN 48425 SUPHAN BURI S 38388 EKEZHE S 48426 LOP BURI S 38392 DASHKHOVUZ S SUVARNABHUMI INT’L 38392 DASHKHOVUZ R 48429 AIRPORT S 38507 TURKMENBASHI S 48430 PRACHIN BURI S 38507 TURKMENBASHI R 48431 NAKHON RATCHASIMA S 38511 CHAGYL S 48432 SURIN S 38545 DARGANATA S 48434 CHOK CHAI S 38647 GAZANDZHYK S 48436 NANG RONG S 38656 ERBENT S 48437 BURIRAM S 38687 CHARDZHEV S 48439 KABIN BURI S 38750 ESENGYLY S 48440 SRAKAEW S 38763 GYZYLARBAT S 48450 KANCHANA BURI S 38774 BAKHERDEN S 48451 NAKHONPATHOM AGROMET S 38799 UCHADZHY S 48453 BANGNA AGROMET S 38806 BYRDALYK S 48453 BANGNA AGROMET R 38880 ASHGABAT KESHI S 48455 BANGKOK S 38886 TEDZHEN S 48456 DON MUANG S 38895 BAJRAMALY S 48458 CHACHOENGSAO AGROMET S 38911 KERKI S 48459 CHON BURI S 38915 CARSANGA S 48461 PHATTHAYA S 38974 SARAGT S 48462 ARANYAPRATHET S 38987 GYSHGY S 48465 PHETCHABURI S UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 48475 HUA HIN S RAS AL KHAIMAH 48477 SATTAHIP S 41184 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT S 48478 RAYONG S DUBAI INTERNATIONAL 41194 AIRPORT S 48480 CHANTHABURI S 41196 SHARJAH INTER. AIRPORT S 48480 CHANTHABURI W 41198 FUJAIRAH S 48500 PRACHUAP KHIRIKHAN S 41217 ABU DHABI INTER. AIRPORT S 48501 KHLONG YAI S 41217 ABU DHABI INTER. AIRPORT R 48517 CHUMPHON S UZBEKISTAN 48532 RANONG S 38141 JASLYK S 48550 KO SAMUI S 38149 KUNGRAD S 48551 SURAT THANI S 38178 AK-BAJTAL S 48551 SURAT THANI W 38262 CHIMBAJ S 48552 NAKHON SI THAMMARAT S 38264 NUKUS S 48556 PHRASANG S 38396 URGENCH S 48557 CHAWANG S 38403 BUZAUBAJ S 48560 PHATTHALUNG AGROMET S 38413 TAMDY S 48561 TAKUA PA S 38457 TASHKENT S 48563 KRABI S 38462 PSKEM S 48564 PHUKET S 38565 NURATA S RESOLUTIONS 77
INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS INDEX STATION NAME OBSERVATIONS 38579 DZIZAK S 48916 THO CHU S 38583 SYR-DAR'JA S 48917 PHU QUOC S 38611 NAMANGAN S 48918 CON SON S 38618 FERGANA S 48919 HUYEN TRAN S 38683 BUHARA S 48920 TRUONG SA S 38696 SAMARKAND S YEMEN 38812 KARSHI S 41363 AL-BOUQE S 38927 TERMEZ S 41372 SAADA S VIET NAM 41391 IIAJJAH S 48803 LAO CAI S 41393 AL-JOUF S 48806 SON LA S 41396 SEIYOUN S 48808 CAO BANG S 41398 AL-GHAIDAH S 48820 HANOI S 41399 AMRAN S 48820 HANOI R 41404 SANA'A S 48823 NAM DINH S 41407 MARIB S 48826 PHU LIEN S 41431 HODEIDAH S 48830 LANG SON S 41434 DHAMAR S 48839 BACH LONG VI S 41437 ATAQ S 48840 THANH HOA S 41438 AL-SADDAH S 48845 VINH S 41443 RIYAN S 48848 DONG HOI S 41450 AL-KOOD S 48852 HUE S 41450 AL-KOOD R 48855 DA NANG S 41452 IBB S 48855 DA NANG R 41466 TAIZ S 48860 HOANG SA (PATTLE) S 41477 MOKHA S 48870 QUY NHON S 41480 ADEN S 48877 NHA TRANG S 41481 TOWAHI S 48887 PHAN THIET S 41482 SAHAREEG S SONG TU TAY (SOUTH WEST 41494 SOCOTRA S 48892 CAY) S
48900 TAN SON HOA S Legend: S = Surface observations 48900 TAN SON HOA R W = Radiowind observations 48914 CA MAU S R = Radiosonde observations 48914 CA MAU W
Note: An up-to-date list of Regional Basic Synoptic Network stations is available at http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/ois/rbsn-rbcn/rbsn-rbcn-home.htm.
Resolution 3 (XIV-RA II)
REGIONAL BASIC CLIMATOLOGICAL NETWORK IN REGION II
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting:
(1) Resolution 3 (XIII-RA II) – Regional Basic Climatological Network in Region II,
78 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
(2) The report of the fifth session of the Working Group on Planning and Implementation of the WWW in Region II,
(3) The Manual on the Global Telecommunication System (WMO-No. 386), Volume I, Part I, Attachment 1-3, paragraph 2.4 (i),
Considering that the Fourteenth World Meteorological Congress welcomed the establishment of the Regional Basic Synoptic Network in all WMO Regions and the Antarctic and urged Members to ensure that their operational observing stations compiled and transmitted the CLIMAT/CLIMAT TEMP messages according to existing regulations,
Decides that the stations listed in the annex to this resolution constitute the Regional Basic Climatological Network (RBCN) in Region II;
Urges Members:
(1) To ensure, at the earliest date possible, full implementation of the network of RBCN stations set forth in the annex to this resolution;
(2) To comply fully with the global and regional coding procedures and data collection standards in accordance with procedures laid down in the WMO Technical Regulations (WMO-No. 49) and the Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544), Manual on Codes (WMO- No. 306) and Manual on the Global Telecommunication System (WMO- No. 386) when operating the Regional Basic Climatological Network;
Authorizes the president of the Association to approve, at the request of Members concerned and in consultation with Secretary-General, minor amendments to the list of RBCN stations in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544), Volume II – Regional Aspects, Region II (Asia).
______Note: This resolution replaces Resolution 3 (XIII-RA II), which is no longer in force.
Annex to Resolution 3 (XIV-RA II)
LIST OF STATIONS COMPRISING THE REGIONAL BASIC CLIMATOLOGICAL NETWORK IN REGION II
CLIMAT CLIMAT INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN AFGHANISTAN 41950 BARISAL X 40930 NORTH SALANG X X 41992 COX’S BAZAR X 40938 HERAT X X CAMBODIA 40942 CHAKHCHARAN X 48966 SIEM REAP X 40948 KABUL AIRPORT X PHNOM-PENH/ 48991 POCHENTONG X X 40990 KANDAHAR AIRPORT X CHINA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN 50527 HAILAR X X X X 41150 (INT.AIRPORT) X X 50745 QIQIHAR X X BANGLADESH 50963 TONGHE X 41859 RANGPUR X 51076 ALTAY X X X 41883 BOGRA X X 51243 KARAMAY X 41891 SYLHET X 51431 YINING X X 41923 DHAKA X 51463 WU LU MU QI X X X 41936 JESSORE X 51644 KUQA X RESOLUTIONS 79
CLIMAT CLIMAT INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN 51656 KORLA X 57816 GUIYANG X X 51709 KASHI X X X X 57993 GANZHOU X X 51747 TAZHONG X 58027 XUZHOU X 51777 RUOQIANG X X X 58238 NANJING X 51828 HOTAN X X X 58238 NANJING X 52203 HAMI X X X 58362 SHANGHAI X X X 52267 EJIN QI X 58606 NANCHANG X X 52323 MAZONG SHAN X 58633 QU XIAN X X 52418 DUNHUANG X 58666 DACHEN DAO X 52495 BAYAN MOD X 58847 FUZHOU X X 52533 JIUQUAN X X X 58968 TAIBEI X X 52681 MINQIN X X X 59211 BAISE X 52818 GOLMUD X 59280 QING YUAN X 52836 DULAN X X 59287 GUANGZHOU X X 52866 XINING X 59316 SHANTOU X X 52983 YUZHONG X X 59358 TAINAN X 53068 ERENHOT X X X X 59431 NANNING X X X 53336 HALIUT X 59758 HAIKOU X X X 53463 HOHHOT X X 59792 DONGSHA DAO X 53614 YINCHUAN X X X 59948 SANYA X 53772 TAIYUAN X X X 59981 XISHA DAO X X 53845 YAN AN X DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA 54026 JARUD QI X 47014 CHUNGGANG X X 54102 XILIN HOT X X 47016 HYESAN X 54161 CHANGCHUN X X 47025 KIMCHAEK X 54218 CHIFENG X 47035 SINUIJU X 54292 YANJI X 47055 WONSAN X 54342 SHENYANG X X X 47058 PYONGYANG X X 54511 BEIJING X X X 47069 HAEJU X 54662 DALIAN X X HONG KONG, CHINA 54727 ZHANGQIU X X 45004 KOWLOON X X X 54857 QINGDAO X X X INDIA 55228 SHIQUANHE X 42027 SRINAGAR X X X 55299 NAGQU X X 42071 AMRITSAR X 55472 XAINZA X 42083 SHIMLA X X 55591 LHASA X X X 42147 MUKTESWAR X 56004 TUOTUOHE X 42165 BIKANER X X 56029 YUSHU X X NEW DELHI/ 42182 SAFDARJUNG X X X 56046 DARLAG X 42295 DARJEELING X X 56079 RUO'ERGAI X DIBRUGARH 56106 SOG XIAN X 42314 /MOHANBARI X 56137 QAMDO X X 42339 JODHPUR X X 56187 WENJIANG X X X 42369 LUCKNOW/AMAUSI X 56444 DEQEN X 42379 GORAKHPUR X 56571 XICHANG X X 42404 DHUBRI X 56739 TENGCHONG X X X 42410 GUWAHATI X X X 56778 KUNMING X X X 42452 KOTA AERODROME X 56964 SIMAO X ALLAHABAD/ 56985 MENGZI X X 42475 BAMHRAULI X 57036 XI’AN X 42492 PATNA X 57083 ZHENGZHOU X X X 42515 CHERRAPUNJI X X 57127 HANZHONG X 42539 DEESA X X 57131 JINGHE X X 42587 DALTONGANJ X X 57461 YICHANG X X X X 42619 SILCHAR X 57494 WUHAN X X 42647 AHMADABAD X X 57516 CHONGQING X 42671 SAGAR X X 57687 CHANGSHA X 42731 DWARKA X X 57745 ZHIJIANG X X 42754 INDORE X 57749 HUAIHUA X 42779 PENDRA X X 42798 JAMSHEDPUR X 80 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
CLIMAT CLIMAT INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN 42807 CALCUTTA/ALIPORE X 47412 SAPPORO X X X 42809 KOLKATA / DUMDUM X 47418 KUSHIRO X 42867 NAGPUR/SONEGAON X X 47420 NEMURO X X X 42909 VERAVAL X 47421 SUTTSU X 42933 AKOLA X 47426 URAKAWA X 42971 BHUBANESHWAR X X 47430 HAKODATE X 42977 SANDHEADS X 47570 WAKAMATSU X BOMBAY/ 47575 AOMORI X 43003 SANTACRUZ X 47582 AKITA X X X 43041 JAGDALPUR X X 47584 MORIOKA X 43057 BOMBAY/COLABA X 47590 SENDAI X 43063 PUNE X X 47600 WAJIMA X X X HYDERABAD 43128 AIRPORT X X X 47604 NIIGATA X CWC 47605 KANAZAWA X VISHAKHAPATNAM/ 47610 NAGANO X 43150 WALTAIR X X 47624 MAEBASHI X MACHILIPATNAM/ 43185 FRANCHPET X 47629 MITO X 43192 GOA/PANJIM X X 47636 NAGOYA X 43198 BELGAUM/SAMBRE X 47646 TATENO X X CHENNAI/ 47648 CHOSHI X X 43279 MINAMBAKKAM X X X 47651 TSU X 43284 BAJPE X 47655 OMAEZAKI X MANGALORE/ 43285 PANAMBUR X 47662 TOKYO X 47675 OSHIMA X 43295 BANGALORE X X 47678 HACHIJOJIMA X X 43311 AMINIDIVI X 47740 SAIGO X 43314 KOZHIKODE X 47741 MATSUE X 43333 PORT BLAIR X X X 47744 YONAGO X 43339 KODAIKANAL X X 47746 TOTTORI X 43346 KARAIKAL X 47750 MAIZURU X 43363 PAMBAN X X 47765 HIROSHIMA X 43369 MINICOY X X X THIRUVANAN- 47772 OSAKA X 43371 THAPURAM X X 47778 SHIONOMISAKI X X X IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF 47800 IZUHARA X 40706 TABRIZ X X X 47807 FUKUOKA X X 40712 ORUMIEH X 47815 OITA X X 40718 ANZALI X 47817 NAGASAKI X X 40745 MASHHAD X X X 47827 KAGOSHIMA X X X 40754 TEHRAN-MEHRABAD X 47830 MIYAZAKI X 40766 KERMANSHAH X 47843 FUKUE X 40800 ESFAHAN X 47887 MATSUYAMA X 40827 NEHBANDAN X 47891 TAKAMATSU X 40831 ABADAN X 47893 KOCHI X 40841 KERMAN X X X 47895 TOKUSHIMA X 40848 SHIRAZ X X 47909 NAZE X X 40879 IRANSHAHR X 47918 ISHIGAKIJIMA X X X IRAQ 47927 MIYAKOJIMA X X 40608 MOSUL X 47936 NAHA X X 40621 KIRKUK X 47945 MINAMIDAITOJIMA X X X 40634 HADITHA X 47971 CHICHIJIMA X X X X 40637 KANAQIN X 47991 MINAMITORISHIMA X X X X 40642 RUTBAH X KAZAKHSTAN (IN ASIA) 40650 BAGHDAD X 28679 PETROPAVLOVSK X 40665 KUT-AL-HAI X X BLAGOVESH- 28766 CHENKA X 40676 NASIRIYA X JAPAN 28879 KOKSHETAU X 28952 KOSTANAY X X X 47401 WAKKANAI X X X 28966 RUZAEVKA X 47407 ASAHIKAWA X 28978 BALKASHINO X 47409 ABASHIRI X 29807 ERTIS X X RESOLUTIONS 81
CLIMAT CLIMAT INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN 35067 ESIL X 44214 ULGI X 35078 ATBASAR X X 44215 OMNO-GOBI X 35108 URALSK X X 44218 HOVD X X 35188 ASTANA X 44230 TARIALAN X 35217 DZHAMBEJTY X 44231 MUREN X X X 35229 AKTOBE X X 44232 HUTAG X 35357 BARSHINO X 44239 BULGAN X X 35394 KARAGANDA X X X 44241 BARUUNHARAA X 35406 TAIPAK X 44256 DASHBALBAR X 35416 UIL X X 44259 CHOIBALSAN X X X 35426 TEMIR X 44265 BAITAG X 35532 MUGODZARSKAJA X 44272 ULIASTAI X X 35576 KYZYLZHAR X 44277 ALTAI X X 35671 ZHEZKAZGAN X 44282 TSETSERLEG X 35700 ATYRAU X X 44284 GALUUT X 35746 ARALSKOE MORE X 44285 HUJIRT X 35796 BALHASH X X 44287 BAYANHONGOR X 35849 KAZALINSK X X 44288 ARVAIHEER X X X 35925 SAM X X 44292 ULAANBAATAR X X 35953 DZHUSALY X 44294 MAANTI X 36003 PAVLODAR X X 44298 CHOIR X 36177 SEMIPALATINSK X X 44302 BAYAN-OVOO X 36208 RIDDER X 44304 UNDERKHAAN X 36428 ULKEN NARYN X 44305 BARUUN-URT X 36535 KOKPEKTY X X 44313 KHALKH-GOL X 36859 ZHARKENT X X 44314 MATAD X 36870 ALMATY X X X 44317 ERDENE-TSAGAAN X X 38062 KYZYLORDA X 44336 SAIKHAN-OVOO X 38069 CHIILI X 44341 MANDALGOBI X X 38198 TURKESTAN X 44347 TSOGT-OVOO X 38232 AKKUDUK X 44352 BAYANDELGER X 38328 SHYMKENT X 44373 DALANZADGAD X X AUL TURARA MYANMAR 38334 RYSKULOVA X 48008 MYITKYINA X 38341 TARAZ X X 48042 MANDALAY X X 38343 KULAN X 48062 SITTWE X X 38439 CHARDARA X 48097 YANGON X X KUWAIT VICTORIA POINT/ KUWAIT INT’L 48112 KAWTHOUNG X 40582 AIRPORT X X X NEPAL
KYRGYZSTAN KATHMANDU 36982 TIAN-SHAN' X 44454 AIRPORT X X 38345 TALAS X 44477 DHANKUTA X 38353 BISHKEK X OMAN 38616 KARA-SUU X 41246 SOHAR MAJIS X LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC 41253 RUSTAQ X 48930 LUANG-PRABANG X 41254 SAIQ X X 48940 VIENTIANE X X 41256 SEEB, INT'L AIRPORT X X 48947 SAVANNAKHET X 41262 FAHUD X 48955 PAKSE X 41264 ADAM X MACAO, CHINA 41265 IBRA X 45011 TAIPA GRANDE X 41268 SUR X MALDIVES 41288 MASIRAH X X 43555 MALE X X 41304 MARMUL X 43599 GAN X X X 41314 THUMRAIT X MONGOLIA 41316 SALALAH X X X 44203 RINCHINLHUMBE X PAKISTAN 44207 HATGAL X 41515 DROSH X X 44212 ULAANGOM X X X 41530 PESHAWAR X X 44213 BARUUNTURUUN X 41560 PARACHINAR X X 82 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
CLIMAT CLIMAT INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN 41571 ISLAMABAD AIRPORT X 21921 KJUSJUR X X 41594 SARGODHA X X 21931 JUBILEJNAJA X X 41598 JHELUM X 21946 CHOKURDAH X X 41600 SIALKOT X 21982 OSTROV VRANGELJA X X 41620 ZHOB X X 23022 AMDERMA X 41624 DERA ISMAIL KHAN X X 23032 MARESALE X 41640 LAHORE CITY X X X 23058 ANTIPAJUTA X 41660 QUETTA AIRPORT X 23074 DUDINKA X X 41675 MULTAN X 23205 NAR’JAN-MAR X X X 41685 BARKHAN X 23242 NOVYJ PORT X 41710 NOKKUNDI X 23256 TAZOVSKOE X 41712 DAL BANDIN X X 23274 IGARKA X 41715 JACOBABAD X X 23324 PETRUN’ X 41718 KHANPUR X 23330 SALEHARD X X X 41739 PANJGUR X 23383 AGATA X X 41744 KHUZDAR X 23405 UST'-CIL'MA X X 41749 NAWABSHAH X 23445 NADYM X 41756 JIWANI X 23463 YANOV-STAN X 41759 PASNI X 23472 TURUHANSK X X X X 41764 HYDERABAD X X 23552 TARKO-SALE X X 41768 CHHOR X 23631 BEREZOVO X X 41780 KARACHI AIRPORT X X X 23662 TOL’KA X QATAR 23678 VERHNEIMBATSK X X DOHA INT’L TROICKO- 41170 AIRPORT X X 23711 PECHERSKOE X X REPUBLIC OF KOREA 23724 NJAKSIMVOL’ X X 47090 SOKCHO X 23734 OKTJABR'SKOE X 47101 CHUNCHEON X 23804 SYKTYVKAR X 47102 BAENGNYEONGDO X 23867 LAR’YAK X 47105 GANGNEUNG X 23884 BOR X X 47108 SEOUL X 23891 BAJKIT X X 47112 INCHEON X X 23914 CHERDYN' X X 47115 ULLEUNGDO X X 23921 IVDEL’ X X X 47122 OSAN AB X 23933 HANTY-MANSIJSK X X X 47133 DAEJEON X 23955 ALEKSANDROVSKOE X X 47138 POHANG X X X 23966 VANZIL’-KYNAK X 47158 GWANGJU AB X 23986 SEVERO-ENISEJSKIJ X 47159 BUSAN X 24125 OLENEK X X X 47165 MOKPO X X 24136 SUHANA X 47168 YEOSU X 24143 DZARDZAN X X 47169 HEUKSANDO X 24266 VERHOJANSK X X X X 47184 JEJU X 24329 SELAGONCY X X 47185 GOSAN X 24343 ZHIGANSK X X X RUSSIAN FEDERATION (IN ASIA) 24382 UST’-MOMA X X POLARGMO IM.E.T. 24507 TURA X X X 20046 KRENKELJA X X 24606 KISLOKAN X 20069 OSTROV VIZE X X 24641 VILJUJSK X X OSTROV 20087 GOLOMJANNYJ X X 24661 SEGEN-KYUEL’ X GMO IM.E.K. 24671 TOMPO X X 20292 FEDOROVA X X 24688 OJMJAKON X X 20476 MYS STERLEGOVA X 24713 NAKANNO X 20667 IM. M.V. POPOVA X X 24738 SUNTAR X X 20674 OSTROV DIKSON X X X X 24790 SUSUMAN X 20744 MALYE KARMAKULY X X 24817 ERBOGACEN X X 20891 HATANGA X X X 24908 VANAVARA X X X 20982 VOLOCHANKA X X 24959 JAKUTSK X X X 21432 OSTROV KOTEL’NYJ X X 24966 UST'-MAJA X X 21802 SASKYLAH X X 24967 TEGYULTYA X 21824 TIKSI X 25062 MYS BILLINGSA X 21908 DZALINDA X 25138 OSTROVNOE X RESOLUTIONS 83
CLIMAT CLIMAT INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN 25173 MYS SHMIDTA X X 30089 DZHIKIMDA X 25206 SREDNE-KOLYMSK X 30230 KIRENSK X X X X 25248 ILIRNEJ X X 30252 MAMAKAN X 25282 MYS VANKAREM X 30309 BRATSK X X 25325 UST’-OLOJ X X 30372 CHARA X X X 25356 EN’MUVEEM X X 30385 UST’-NJUKZHA X 25378 EGVEKINOT X 30433 NIZHNEANGARSK X X 25399 MYS UELEN X X 30521 ZHIGALOVO X 25400 ZYRJANKA X X X 30554 BAGDARIN X X 25428 OMOLON X 30612 BALAGANSK X 25503 KORKODON X 30636 BARGUZIN X X 25538 VERHNE-PENZHINO X X 30650 ROMANOVKA X 25551 MARKOVO X X 30673 MOGOCHA X X 25563 ANADYR’ X X 30710 IRKUTSK X X 25594 BUHTA PROVIDENIYA X X 30758 CHITA X X X 25677 BERINGOVSKAYA X 30777 SRETENSK X 25703 SEJMCHAN X 30844 HILOK X 25705 SREDNEKAN X X 30879 NERCHINSKIJ ZAVOD X X 25744 KAMENSKOE X X 30925 KJAHTA X X 25913 MAGADAN X 30935 KRASNYJ CHIKOJ X 25927 BROHOVO X X 30949 KYRA X X 25932 TAJGONOS X 30965 BORZJA X X 25954 KORF X X 31004 ALDAN X X X 28009 KIRS X X 31088 OHOTSK X X X X 28064 LEUSI X X 31137 TOKO X 28138 BISER X X 31152 NEL’KAN X 28224 PERM’ X X 31168 AJAN X X X 28255 TURINSK X 31174 BOL’SOJ SANTAR X 28275 TOBOL’SK X X 31253 BOMNAK X X 28418 SARAPUL X X 31329 EKIMCHAN X X 28434 KRASNOUFIMSK X NIKOLAEVSK-NA- 31369 AMURE X X 28445 VERHNEE DUBROVO X 31416 IM POLINY OSIPENKO X X 28493 TARA X X 31439 BOGORODSKOE X 28552 SADRINSK X X 31478 SOFIJSKIJ PRIISK X 28573 ISHIM X 31510 BLAGOVESCENSK X 28666 MAKUSINO X EKATERINO- 28698 OMSK X X X X 31707 NIKOL’SKOE X X 28704 CHULPANOVO X 31736 HABAROVSK X 28722 UFA-DIOMA X X SOVETSKAYA 28748 TROIZK X 31770 GAVAN’ X 29111 SREDNY VASJUGAN X 31829 ZOLOTOJ X X 29231 KOLPASEVO X X X 31873 DAL'NERECHENSK X X 29263 ENISEJSK X X 31960 VLADIVOSTOK X X 29282 BOGUCANY X X 31961 TIMIRYAZEVSKIJ X VLADIVOSTOK 29313 PUDINO X 31977 (SAD GOROD) X 29328 BAKCHAR X 31989 PREOBRAZHENIE X 29379 TASEEVO X 32027 POGIBI X KRASNOJARSK ALEKSANDROVSK- 29570 OPYTNOE POLE X X 32061 SAHALINSKIJ X X X 29572 EMEL’JANOVO X 32076 POGRANICHNOE X 29594 TAJSHET X 32098 PORONAJSK X X 29612 BARABINSK X X 32099 MYS TERPENIYA X 29634 NOVOSIBIRSK X 32150 JUZHNO-SAHALINSK X X X 29645 KEMEROVO CGMS X 32165 JUZHNO-KURIL'SK X 29752 NENASTNAYA X 32213 MYS LOPATKA X 29789 VERHNJAJA GUTARA X X 32252 UST’-VOJAMPOLKA X X 29862 HAKASSKAJA X X 32287 UST’-HAJRJUZOVO X 29866 MINUSINSK X X 32389 KLJUCHI X X X 29939 BIJSK ZONAL’NAJA X X 32477 SOBOLEVO X 30054 VITIM X X 84 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
CLIMAT CLIMAT INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN 32509 SEMJACHIK X 38734 DEHAVZ X PETROPAVLOVSK- 38748 ALTYN-MAZ X 32540 KAMCHATSKIJ X X 38836 DUSHANBE X X 32618 OSTROV BERINGA X X 38847 DANGARA X 35011 SOROCHINSK X X 38851 RASHT X 35121 ORENBURG X X 38852 TAVILDARA X 36038 ZMEINOGORSK X 38869 IRKHIT X 36064 YAJLJU X 38878 MURGAB X 36096 KYZYL X 38933 KURGAN-TYUBE X X 36229 UST’-KOKSA X 38937 SHAARTUZ X 36259 KOSH-AGACH X X 38954 KHOROG X X 36307 ERZIN X THAILAND SAUDI ARABIA 48303 CHIANG RAI X X 40356 TURAIF X 48327 CHIANG MAI X X X 40357 ARAR X 48354 UDON THANI X 40360 GURIAT X 48378 PHITSANULOK X 40361 AL-JOUF X X 48400 NAKHON SAWAN X X 40362 RAFHA X 48407 UBON RATCHATHANI X 40373 AL-QAISUMAH X X NAKHON 40375 TABUK X X 48431 RATCHASIMA X 40377 HAFR AL-BATIN X 48453 BANGNA AGROMET X X X 40394 HAIL X X X BANGKOK 48455 METROPOLI X 40400 AL-WEJH X 48462 ARANYAPRATHET X X 40405 GASSIM X 48480 CHANTHABURI X 40410 KHAYBER X PRACHUAP 40416 DHAHRAN X 48500 KHIRIKHAN X X K.F.I.A. (KING FAHAD 48517 CHUMPHON X X INT. AIRPORT) 40417 DAMMAM X 48568 SONGKHLA X X X 40420 AL-AHSA X TURKMENISTAN 40430 AL-MADINAH X X X 38388 EKEZHE X 40435 AL-DAWADAMI X 38392 DASHKHOVUZ X KING KHALED INT. 38507 TURKMENBASHI X X 40437 AIRPORT X X 38511 CHAGYL X 40438 RIYADH OBS. (O.A.P.) X X 38545 DARGANATA X 40439 YENBO X 38656 ERBENT X 41006 MUWAIH X 38687 CHARDZHEV X JEDDAH (KING 38750 ESENGYLY X X ABDUL AZIZ INT. 41024 AIRPORT) X X X 38763 GYZYLARBAT X X 41030 MAKKAH X 38880 ASHGABAT KESHI X X X 41036 AL-TAIF X 38895 BAJRAMALY X X WADI AL-DAWASSER 38915 CARSANGA X X 41061 AIRPORT X 38974 SARAGT X 41084 BISHA X UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 41112 ABHA X X X SHARJAH INTER. 41114 KHAMIS MUSHAIT X 41196 AIRPORT X X 41128 NAJRAN X ABU DHABI INTER. 41217 AIRPORT X X X 41136 SHARORAH X UZBEKISTAN 41140 GIZAN X 38178 AK-BAJTAL X 41141 GIZAN X X 38262 CHIMBAJ X X SRI LANKA 38396 URGENCH X 43418 TRINCOMALEE X 38403 BUZAUBAJ X 43424 PUTTALAM X 38413 TAMDY X X 43466 COLOMBO X X 38457 TASHKENT X X X 43473 NUWARA ELIYA X X 38611 NAMANGAN X X 43497 HAMBANTOTA X X 38618 FERGANA X TAJIKISTAN 38683 BUHARA X 38599 KHUDJANT X 38696 SAMARKAND X 38609 ISFARA X 38812 KARSHI X 38715 SHAKHRISTON X 38927 TERMEZ X X 38725 MADRUSHKAT X RESOLUTIONS 85
CLIMAT CLIMAT INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN INDEX STATION NAME CLIMAT TEMP GSN GUAN VIET NAM 48887 PHAN THIET X 48806 SON LA X SONG TU TAY 48892 (SOUTH WEST CAY) X 48808 CAO BANG X 48900 TAN SON HOA X X 48820 HANOI X X 48914 CA MAU X 48826 PHU LIEN X 48920 TRUONG SA X 48830 LANG SON X YEMEN 48840 THANH HOA X 41407 MARIB X 48845 VINH X 41443 RIYAN X X 48848 DONG HOI X 41480 ADEN X X 48852 HUE X 41494 SOCOTRA X 48855 DA NANG X X X
48870 QUY NHON X 48877 NHA TRANG X
Note: An up-to-date list of Regional Basic Climatological Network stations is available at http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/ois/rbsn-rbcn/rbsn-rbcn-home.htm.
Resolution 4 (XIV-RA II)
AMENDMENTS TO THE MANUAL ON THE GLOBAL OBSERVING SYSTEM (WMO-No. 544), VOLUME II – REGIONAL ASPECTS, REGION II (ASIA)
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting:
(1) The Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544), Volume II – Regional Aspects, Region II (Asia),
(2) The report of the fifth session of the Working Group on Planning and Implementation of the WWW in Region II,
Considering that there is an urgent need to update the regional entry for the Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544), Volume II, in response to evolving requirements,
Decides that the amended text of section 2 of the Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544), Volume II – Regional Aspects, Region II (Asia), as listed in the annex to this resolution, be adopted with immediate effect;
Requests the Secretary-General:
(1) To arrange for the inclusion of the amendment in the Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544), Volume II – Regional Aspects, Region II (Asia);
(2) To bring this modification to the attention of Members of RA II.
86 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
Annex to Resolution 4 (XIV-RA II)
AMENDMENTS TO THE MANUAL ON THE GLOBAL OBSERVING SYSTEM (WMO-No. 544), VOLUME II – REGIONAL ASPECTS – REGION II (ASIA)
REPLACE the text of section 1 – Region II – Asia to read:
2.1 Regional Basic Synoptic Network of surface and upper-air observing stations
2.1.1 Composition of the Regional Basic Synoptic Network (RBSN)
2.1.1.1 The RBSN of surface and upper-air observing stations is reviewed and revised at each session of the Association. The list of stations constituting the current RBSN is given in the report of the most recent session of the Association. Changes are announced in the monthly “Operational Newsletter” issued by the Secretariat (see paragraph 2.1.5 below).
2.1.1.2 Manned surface land stations included in the RBSN shall conform to the specifications laid down for land stations in Volume I of this Manual.
2.1.2 Surface synoptic observations
All surface stations included in the RBSN should make surface observations at the four main standard times of observation, i.e., 0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 UTC, and at the four intermediate standard times of observation, i.e., 0300, 0900, 1500 and 2100 UTC. Any surface station that cannot carry out the full observational programme should give priority to carrying out the observations at the main standard times.
2.1.3 Upper-air synoptic observations
2.1.3.1 All the upper-air stations included in the RBSN should carry out radiosonde and radiowind observations at 0000 and 1200 UTC, and radiowind observations at 0600 and 1800 UTC. The radiosonde/radiowind observations carried out at 0000 and 1200 should reach the 30 hPa level for 50% of the ascents. Carrying out the radiowind observations at 0000 and 1200 UTC should receive priority over the radiowind observations at 0600 and 1800 UTC.
2.1.3.2 Radiowind stations in the areas affected by tropical cyclones should, during the cyclone season, also make radiowind observations at 0600 and 1800 UTC which should reach as far as practicable the 70 hPa level.
2.1.4 Principles to be applied when revising the RBSN
(a) As a target over land areas the RBSN should have a spatial resolution of 150 km for the surface and 250 km for upper-air stations;
(b) If an RBSN station was ‘silent’ according to monitoring results and another RBSN station located nearby (less than 100 km for surface stations) had regularly reported its observation, the ‘silent’ station should be replaced in the RBSN. If there is no alternative regularly reporting station nearby the ‘silent’ station may remain on the list if there is an intention to restore operations;
(c) In data sparse areas existing stations may be nominated for the RBSN even if there are no plans for them to carry out the full schedule of observations;
(d) The nomination by a Member of a station in the network implies a clear commitment of the Member concerned to make every effort to carry out the schedule.
RESOLUTIONS 87
2.1.5 Arrangements and procedures for updating and amending the RBSN
Certain minor changes in the RBSN of surface and upper-air synoptic stations which do not affect the data requirements of the Region as a whole are inevitable from time to time. To provide a simple and rapid means of effecting changes by the Members concerned, the following procedures shall be followed:
(a) Regional Association II authorizes the president of the Association to approve, at the request of the Member concerned, on the advice of the Rapporteur on the Regional Aspects of the GOS (or Chairperson of a Sub-Group on the GOS), and in consultation with the Secretary-General, minor changes to the RBSN without formal consultation with the Members of the Association, it being understood that any change of substance, i.e., one adversely affecting the density of the network or proposing a change in observational hours, would still require the formal agreement of Members through the adoption of a resolution by postal ballot;
(b) The Secretary-General shall notify all Members of WMO of changes agreed with the president of the Association;
(c) Each Member of the Association is encouraged to nominate a national focal point (NFP) for WMO on operational matters related to the RBSN. The nominated NFP should coordinate information with the Rapporteur(s) on Regional Aspects of the Integrated Observing System and the Secretariat with a view to timely updating information regarding the RBSN.
2.2 Regional Basic Climatological Network (RBCN) of surface and upper-air observing stations
2.2.1 Composition of the Regional Basic Climatological Network (RBCN)
2.2.1.1 The RBCN was established by the Regional Association to provide a comprehensive network of CLIMAT and CLIMAT TEMP reporting stations. It is based primarily on RBSN stations and includes all GCOS (GSN and GUAN) stations, regardless of whether these report CLIMAT or CLIMAT TEMP. RBCN also includes all other stations that report CLIMAT or CLIMAT TEMP needed for description of regional climate features. These other stations should be selected under the same criteria used for GSN and GUAN stations. Non-RBSN stations reporting CLIMAT messages should be considered, particularly those with long records, as well as any Reference Climatological Stations.
2.2.1.2 The RBCN of surface and upper-air observing stations is reviewed and revised at each session of the Association. The list of stations constituting the current RBCN is given in the report of the most recent session of the Association.
2.2.2 Arrangements and procedures for updating and amending RBCN
RA II authorizes the president of the Association to approve, at the request of the Member concerned, on the advice of the Rapporteur on the Regional Aspects of the GOS (or Chairperson of a Sub-Group on the GOS), and in consultation with the Secretary-General, minor amendments to the list of RBCN stations without formal consultation with the Members of the Association, following similar procedures to those specified for the RBSN.
2.3 Regional arrangements and procedures for observations
2.3.1 Pressure-reduction method
2.3.1.1 According to WMO Technical Regulations, Annex V, Manual on the Global Observing System, Volume I, Part III, Regulation 3.3.2.6, the atmospheric pressure at a station shall be reduced to mean sea-level, except at those stations where the Regional Association resolutions prescribe otherwise.
88 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
2.3.1.2 The Association has not taken any decision regarding the introduction of a uniform method of pressure reduction throughout the Region as it considers that a uniform method of pressure reduction could be used only in areas which have similar lapse rates of temperature and humidity in the lower troposphere. On this general principle, it is of the opinion that different formulae may be needed for different climatic areas. A number of selected methods of pressure reduction were consequently elaborated and were included in WMO-No. 154 (Technical Note No. 61) — Note on the Standardization of Pressure Reduction Methods in the International Network of Synoptic Stations (out of print).
2.3.2 Regional comparison of barometers
2.3.2.1 Each Member in the Region should ensure that the barometer of each synoptic station in its territory is compared with a fixed national standard barometer at least every three years.
2.3.2.2 Each national standard barometer should be compared with one of the absolute standard barometers recognized by WMO, within or outside the Region, at least every ten years.
2.3.2.3 The standard barometer in Calcutta, India, shall be recognized as the reference standard barometer for the Region.
2.3.3 Ground weather radar observations
Considering the value of ground weather radar observations for forecasting purposes and their essential role in detecting and tracking tropical cyclones, Members which have not already done so are invited to establish and maintain ground weather radar stations for synoptic and particularly tropical cyclone warning purposes. Weather radars have also demonstrated their usefulness for short-range weather forecasting in particular for the assessment of area precipitation.
2.3.4 Regional Instrument Centres (RICs)
2.3.4.1 RICs with full capability should have the following capabilities to carry out their corresponding functions:
Capabilities:
(a) A RIC must have or have access to the necessary facilities and laboratory equipment to perform the functions necessary for the calibration of meteorological and related environmental instruments; (b) A RIC must maintain a set of meteorological standard instruments and establish traceability of its own measurement standards and measuring instruments to the SI; (c) A RIC must have qualified managerial and technical staff with necessary experience in fulfilling its functions; (d) A RIC must develop its individual technical procedures for calibration of meteorological and related environmental instruments using calibration equipment employed by the RIC; (e) A RIC must develop its individual quality assurance procedures; (f) A RIC must participate in, or organize inter-laboratory comparisons of standard calibration instruments and methods; (g) A RIC must, as appropriate, utilize the resources and capabilities of the Region to the best interest of the Region; (h) A RIC must, as far as possible, apply international standards applicable for calibration laboratories, such as ISO 17025; (i) A recognized authority must assess a RIC, at least every five years, to verify its capabilities and performance; RESOLUTIONS 89
Corresponding Functions:
(j) A RIC must assist Members of the Region in calibrating their national meteorological standards and related environmental monitoring instruments;
(k) A RIC must participate in or organize WMO and/or regional instrument intercomparisons, following relevant CIMO recommendations;
(l) According to relevant recommendations on the WMO Quality Management Framework a RIC must contribute positively to Members regarding quality of measurements;
(m) A RIC must advise Members on inquiries regarding instrument performance, maintenance and the availability of relevant guidance materials;
(n) A RIC must actively participate in, or assist in the organization of regional workshops on meteorological and related environmental instruments;
(o) The RIC must cooperate with other RICs in standardization of meteorological and related environmental measurements;
(p) A RIC must regularly inform Members and report,1 on an annual basis, to the president of the Regional Association and to the WMO Secretariat on services offered to Members and activities carried out.
2.3.4.2 RICs with basic capabilities and functions should have the following capabilities to carry out their corresponding functions:
Capabilities:
(a) A RIC must have or have access to the necessary facilities and laboratory equipment to perform the functions necessary for the calibration of meteorological and related environmental instruments;
(b) A RIC must maintain a set of meteorological standard instruments and establish traceability of its own measurement standards and measuring instruments to the SI; (c) A RIC must have qualified managerial and technical staff with necessary experience in fulfilling its functions; (d) A RIC must develop its individual technical procedures for calibration of meteorological and related environmental instruments using calibration equipment employed by the RIC; (e) A RIC must develop its individual quality assurance procedures; (f) A RIC must participate in, or organize inter-laboratory comparisons of standard calibration instruments and methods; (g) A RIC must, when appropriate, utilize the resources and capabilities of the Region to the best interest of the Region; (h) A RIC must, as far as possible, apply international standards applicable for calibration laboratories, such as ISO 17025; (i) A recognized authority must assess a RIC, at least every five years, to verify their capabilities and performance;
______ Web based approach is recommended For calibrating one or more of the following variables: temperature, humidity, pressure and others specified by the Region
90 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
Corresponding functions:
(j) A RIC must assist Members of the Region in calibrating their national meteorological standards and related environmental monitoring instruments according to Capabilities (b); (k) According to relevant recommendations on WMO Quality Management Framework a RIC must contribute positively to Members regarding quality of measurements; (l) A RIC must advise Members on inquiries regarding instrument performance, maintenance and the availability of relevant guidance materials; (m) The RIC must cooperate with other RICs in standardization of meteorological and related environmental measurements; (n) A RIC must regularly inform Members and report, on an annual basis, to the president of the Regional Association and to the WMO Secretariat on services offered to Members and activities carried out.
2.3.4.3 The instruments centres in Beijing (China) and Tsukuba (Japan) are designated as Regional Instrument Centres.
2.3.5 Regional Radiation Centres (RRCs)
2.3.5.1 A RRC is a centre designated by a Regional Association to serve as a centre for intraregional comparisons of radiation instruments within the Region and to maintain the standard instruments necessary for this purpose.
2.3.5.2 A Regional Radiation Centre shall satisfy the following conditions before it is designated as such and shall continue to fulfil them after being designated: (a) It shall possess and maintain a standard group of at least three stable pyrheliometers, with a traceable 95% uncertainty of less than 1 Wm to the World Standard Group, and in stable clear sun conditions with direct irradiances above 700 Wm, 95% of any single measurements of direct solar irradiance will be expected to be within 6 Wm of the irradiance; (b) One of the radiometers shall be compared through a WMO/CIMO sanctioned comparison, or calibrated, at least once every five years against the World Standard Group; (c) The standard radiometers shall be intercompared at least once a year to check the stability of the individual instruments. If the mean ratio, based on at least 100 measurements, and having an 95% uncertainty less than 0.1%, has changed by more than 0.2% and if the erroneous instrument cannot be identified, then a recalibration at one of the World Radiation Centres must be performed prior to further use as standard; (d) It shall have, or have access to, the necessary facilities and laboratory equipment for checking and maintaining the accuracy of the auxiliary measuring equipment; (e) It shall provide the necessary outdoor facilities for simultaneous comparison of national standard radiometers from the Region; (f) The staff of the centre should provide for continuity and should include a qualified scientist with wide experience in radiation; (g) It shall be assessed by a National or International agency or CIMO experts, at least every five years to verify traceability of the direct solar radiation measurements.
2.3.5.3 The following National Radiation Centres are designated to serve as Regional Radiation Centres in RA II: Pune (India) and Tokyo (Japan).
______ Web based approach is recommended
RESOLUTIONS 91
Resolution 5 (XIV-RA II)
PILOT PROJECT TO ENHANCE THE AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL SERVICES IN SURFACE, CLIMATE AND UPPER-AIR OBSERVATIONS
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting:
(1) That a number of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), especially those of least developed countries, have yet to acquire the capability to manage the quality of observational data generated by their surface, climate and upper-air stations and thus make full use of the data,
(2) That a number of advanced centres in Regional Association II are engaged in availability assessment, quality assurance and identification of deficiencies in the observational data in the framework of various WMO programmes,
(3) The synergy and potential benefits that could arise from coordinated efforts of a consortium of NMHSs within the Region,
(4) That access to and the use of the Internet have grown significantly in the Region,
Considering:
(1) That NMHSs in general have made significant progress in their provision of services, making it all the more important to quality assure the observational data generated by weather, climate and upper-air stations,
(2) That quality-assured surface, climate and upper-air observations available at NMHSs are important to the provision of weather, climate, hydrological and water-related services, including advisories, forecasts and warnings,
(3) That NMHSs in developing countries and in least developed countries in the Region are in need of assistance in building capacity in the quality management of such observational data,
(4) The long-established tradition of partnership, mutual cooperation and sharing of weather products among the Members in the Region,
Recognizing:
(1) That the capacity to analyse and quality assure observational data from weather, climate and upper-air stations exists in Regional Association II,
(2) That the Internet offers a good opportunity to strengthen the capabilities of NMHSs by expanding information dissemination methods and connectivity at low costs,
Decides:
(1) To establish, under the auspices of WMO, a pilot project to provide technical support to NMHSs of developing countries or least developed countries to ensure that quality assured observational data from weather, climate and upper-air stations are made available for the World Weather Watch, and the WMO Integrated Global Observing System and other relevant WMO programmes, including the provision of relevant tools on a centralized Website to meet the stated purpose, and training activities; 92 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
(2) To set up a Pilot Project Coordinating Group with the following terms of reference:
(a) To identify the requirements of NMHSs of developing countries, and in particular least developed countries in the Region, regarding the implementation of weather, climate and upper-air observations, their provision and their quality management;
(b) To assess the current status of the issues indicated in (a), and to facilitate communication between advanced centres willing to develop the required support and the recipient Members, establishing a consortium if necessary;
(c) To organize assistance to recipient Members in quality assurance of observational data from weather, climate and upper-air stations, including training;
(d) To monitor the progress of the project;
(3) To appoint Japan as the coordinator of the Coordinating Group, and to serve as a liaison to the appropriate RA II working group(s);
(4) To invite Members desiring to participate in the pilot project to designate experts to serve as members of the Coordinating Group;
(5) To invite advanced centres outside the Region, as appropriate, to designate experts to participate in the Coordinating Group as observers;
(6) To request the coordinator of the Group to submit annual progress reports and a final report to the president of the Association not later than six months prior to the fifteenth session of the Association;
(7) That the Group should normally conduct its work by correspondence, including e-mail;
Requests the Secretary-General to assist Members in the implementation of this resolution.
Resolution 6 (XIV-RA II)
PILOT PROJECT TO DEVELOP SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL SERVICES IN NUMERICAL WEATHER PREDICTION
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting:
(1) That a number of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) have yet to acquire the ability to fully use numerical weather prediction (NWP) products and develop their own NWP activities appropriate to their circumstances,
(2) That a number of advanced centres in Regional Association II already provide NWP data or products and technical support to developing countries,
(3) The synergy and potential benefits that could arise from a consortium of NWP operators and product providers within the Region,
RESOLUTIONS 93
Considering:
(1) That numerical weather prediction in recent years has continued to register rapid progress, with remarkable results reported in such areas as ensemble prediction system and tropical cyclone forecasting, and with huge benefits to NMHSs in disaster risk reduction and in reduced loss of lives and property,
(2) That a number of NMHSs in developing countries are in need of assistance in building capacity in NWP activities,
(3) The long-established tradition of partnership, mutual cooperation and sharing of weather products among the Members in the Region represented by the RA II Pilot Project on the Provision of City-Specific Numerical Weather Prediction Products to Developing Countries via the Internet and the Pilot Project to Develop Support for Developing Countries in the Aeronautical Meteorology Programme,
(4) That the use of numerical weather prediction could be further promoted by facilitating the access to the NWP data and products, and the provision of expertise in the development, operation and application of numerical weather prediction,
Recognizing:
(1) That the capacity to operate NWP models and develop NWP products helpful to NMHSs exists in Regional Association II,
(2) The satisfactory implementation of the Global Data-Processing and Forecasting System, which has facilitated the maintenance and strengthening of the capabilities of the Members to benefit from numerical weather prediction through regional cooperation,
Decides:
(1) To establish, under the auspices of WMO, a pilot project to develop a consortium comprising NWP operators and product providers to support and assist NMHSs in their full use of NWP products and in the development of NWP activities suited to their circumstances, in their provision of weather services, including forecasts and warnings;
(2) To set up a Pilot Project Coordinating Group with the following terms of reference:
(a) To establish the requirements of NMHSs of developing countries regarding their NWP activities and NWP development plans;
(b) To facilitate communication between NWP operators and product providers willing to engage in the exchange of knowledge and best practices with the recipient Members, including such areas as data assimilation, modelling, post-processing and computational aspects of numerical weather prediction;
(c) To develop brief and effective action plans, taking into account the relevant existing activities, for consortium members and recipient Members;
(d) To organize assistance to recipient Members in accessing and using NWP products as a priority, and in development and operation of models and data assimilation systems, through training activities and exchange of scientific expertise;
(e) To monitor the progress of the project;
(f) To assess the effectiveness of the project;
94 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
(3) To appoint the Republic of Korea and Hong Kong, China, as the co-coordinators of the Coordinating Group, and to serve as liaisons to the appropriate RA II working group(s);
(4) To invite Members desiring to participate in the pilot project to designate experts to serve as members of the Coordinating Group;
(5) To invite advanced centres outside the Region, as appropriate, to designate experts to participate in the Coordinating Group as observers;
(6) To request the co-coordinators of the Group to submit annual progress reports and a final report to the president of the Association not later than six months prior to the fifteenth session of the Association;
(7) That the Group should normally conduct its work by correspondence, including e-mail;
Requests the Secretary-General to assist Members in the implementation of this resolution.
Resolution 7 (XIV-RA II)
PILOT PROJECT TO DEVELOP SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL SERVICES IN SATELLITE DATA, PRODUCTS AND TRAINING
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting:
(1) That a number of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), especially those of least developed countries, have yet to acquire the capability to fully use satellite data and application products in their provision of weather services and cannot afford the cost associated with the reception of satellite data and products via satellite broadcast,
(2) That a number of advanced centres in Regional Association II have provided such data and products and technical support,
(3) The synergy and potential benefits that could arise from coordinated efforts of a consortium of satellite information providers within the Region,
(4) That access to and the use of the Internet have grown significantly in the Region,
Considering:
(1) That satellite technology, including telecommunications technology, is showing rapid progress, making it desirable for the latest information on a wide variety of satellite operation as well as imageries, data and products to be provided to NMHSs to enable them to keep abreast of the latest services available,
(2) The importance of satellite information to the provision of weather services, including forecasts and warnings,
(3) That least developed countries in the Region are in need of assistance in building capacity in the provision of weather services,
RESOLUTIONS 95
(4) The long-established tradition of partnership, mutual cooperation and sharing of weather products among the Members in the Region,
Recognizing:
(1) That the capacity to disseminate satellite data and to develop satellite products, including application products helpful to NMHSs exists in Regional Association II,
(2) That the Internet offers a good opportunity to strengthen the capabilities of NMHSs by expanding information dissemination methods and connectivity at low costs,
Decides:
(1) To establish, under the auspices of WMO, a pilot project to develop a consortium comprising satellite information providers to support NMHSs in the reception and use of satellite data and products, including application products, helpful to NMHSs and suited to the circumstances of the developing countries in Region II with particular emphasis on least developed countries;
(2) To set up a Pilot Project Coordinating Group with the following terms of reference:
(a) To identify the requirements of NMHSs of developing countries, and in particular least developed countries in the Region, regarding satellite imagery, data and products in support of their weather services, including forecasts and warnings;
(b) To develop a brief and effective action plan, taking into account the relevant existing activities, for consortium members and recipient Members;
(c) To facilitate communication between centres willing to develop the required products and recipient Members;
(d) To organize assistance to recipient Members in accessing and utilizing available satellite imageries, data and products, as a first priority through training;
(e) To monitor the progress of the project;
(3) To appoint Japan and the Republic of Korea as co-coordinators of the Coordinating Group, and to serve as liaisons to the appropriate RA II working group(s);
(4) To invite Members desiring to participate in the pilot project to designate experts to serve as members of the coordinating Group;
(5) To invite advanced centres outside the Region, as appropriate, to designate experts to participate in the coordinating group as observers;
(6) To request the co-coordinators of the Group to submit annual progress reports and a final report to the president of the Association not later than six months prior to the fifteenth session of the Association;
(7) That the Group should normally conduct its work by correspondence, including e-mail;
Requests the Secretary-General to assist Members in the implementation of this resolution.
96 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
Resolution 8 (XIV-RA II)
RA II WORKING GROUP ON WMO INTEGRATED OBSERVING SYSTEM AND WMO INFORMATION SYSTEM
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting:
(1) The WMO Strategic Plan (WMO-No. 1028),
(2) Resolution 5 (Cg-XIV) – WMO Space Programme,
(3) Resolution 2 (Cg-XV) – World Weather Watch Programme for 2008–2011,
(4) Resolution 3 (Cg-XV) – Global Observing System,
(5) Resolution 5 (Cg-XV) – Instruments and Methods of Observation Programme,
(6) Resolution 7 (Cg-XV) – WMO Antarctic Activities,
(7) Resolution 14 (Cg-XV) – Atmospheric Research and Environment Programme,
(8) Resolution 15 (Cg-XV) – Stratospheric ozone observations,
(9) Resolution 19 (Cg-XV) – Marine Meteorology and Oceanography Programme,
(10) Resolution 29 (Cg-XV) – Evolution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and WMO,
(11) Resolution 30 (Cg-XV) – Towards enhanced integration between WMO observing systems,
(12) The decision by Fourteenth Congress, confirmed and further consolidated by Fifteenth Congress, for the development and implementation of the WMO Information System,
(13) Annex to Resolution 4 (EC-LX) – Volunteerism in the work of technical commissions and regional associations,
Considering:
(1) That WMO observing systems’ and co-sponsored systems’ data are of vital importance to Members of Regional Association II to meet existing and new requirements for meteorological services,
(2) That enhancing integration between WMO observing systems should encompass all present WMO observing systems, fostering more effective integration of satellite and surface-based observations,
(3) That enhancing integration between WMO observing systems should proceed in parallel to the planning and implementation of the relevant WMO Information System (WIS) components,
(4) That the establishment and maintenance of a Regional Basic Synoptic Network (RBSN) and a Regional Basic Climatological Network (RBCN) constitute one of the most important obligations of Members under Article 2 of the WMO Convention,
RESOLUTIONS 97
(5) That the WMO Information System provides for the collection and sharing of information for all WMO and related international programmes, through three fundamental types of services, (a) routine collection and dissemination service for time-critical and operation- critical data and products, (b) data discovery, access and retrieval service and (c) timely delivery service for data and products,
(6) That WIS implementation should build upon existing WMO information systems in a smooth and evolutionary process, including the continued consolidation and further improvements of the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) and giving highest priority to overcoming the persisting shortcomings in the current System,
(7) That the implementation of the World Weather Watch and other relevant WMO Programmes and co-sponsored Programmes in the Region needs to be kept under constant review,
(8) That the introduction of the new concepts and technology into the World Weather Watch will be of great benefit to all Members in the Region,
(9) The importance of information on instrument development as guidance on improving the equipment of surface-based observing stations on land and oceans,
(10) The need for updating information on the status of instrumentation used at meteorological and sea/marine stations and on maintenance and calibration of instruments,
(11) The need for coordinating education and training activities for observers, station inspectors and technicians in the field of operation, maintenance and calibration of meteorological instruments,
(12) The great potential of satellite data, products and services from the expanded space-based component of the Global Observing System (GOS) and the need to raise awareness on these capabilities and promote the use of satellite data and products throughout the Region,
Decides:
(1) To establish the Regional Association II Working Group on WMO Integrated Observing System and WMO Information System (WG on IOS and WIS) with the following terms of reference:
(a) To monitor the development and implementation of observing systems of WMO Programmes and co-sponsored Programmes and of the WMO Information System in the Region; and promote active involvement of Members of the Region in the implementation of these systems and advise on possible improvements, actions and priorities, especially for overcoming gaps and inconsistencies in the implementation of relevant programmes;
(b) To develop proposals for further development and enhancement of improved access to WMO and co-sponsored observing systems, including regional WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS) demonstration and pilot projects, coordinate respective regional activities and advise on related regional aspects;
(c) To develop proposals for the regional development and implementation of the WMO Information System, with special attention to the GTS for time-critical and operation- critical data exchange of all WMO Programmes and giving highest priority to overcoming the persisting shortcomings, including relevant components in support of WIGOS demonstration and pilot projects, coordinate respective regional activities and advise on related regional aspects;
98 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
(d) To advise the president of the Association on all matters concerning the implementation of WMO Programmes and co-sponsored Programmes relevant to WMO observing systems, co-sponsored observing systems and the WMO Information System in the Region;
(e) To provide the president of the Association with recommendations for presentation under appropriate agenda items in sessions of technical commissions, joint sessions of the presidents of technical commissions and presidents of regional associations, and the Executive Council;
(2) That the Working Group should be composed of two sub-groups:
(a) The Sub-Group on Integrated Observing System (SG-IOS) with the following terms of reference:
(i) To monitor the progress made in the implementation and operation of the Global Observing System in the Region and advise on possible improvements and priorities for appropriate actions to be carried out under the respective WMO Programmes and co-sponsored Programmes and the need for external support, where required;
(ii) To keep abreast of new developments in WMO observing systems and co- sponsored systems and to make recommendations for their implementation in the Region;
(iii) To provide guidance to Members of the Region in capacity-building on information and outreach relevant to improving WMO observing systems and WIS;
(iv) To promote active involvement of Members of the Region in regional WMO Space Programme implementation, in particular as concerns user information, access and use of satellite data and products;
(v) To advise the president of the Association and the chairperson of the Working Group on the proposed composition and changes to the RBSN and RBCN;
(vi) To act as lead for the Regional Association, working with Members, to maintain regulatory material related to observations, including the Manual on the Global Observing System (WMO-No. 544) and Weather Reporting, Volume A – Observing Stations (WMO-No. 9), related to the Region;
(vii) To coordinate relevant activities with the regional groupings involved in observations to ensure consistency of approach and integration in respect of observing networks, procedures and monitoring;
(b) The Sub-Group on WMO Information System (SG-WIS) with the following terms of reference:
(i) To monitor the progress made in the implementation and operation of WIS in the Region and advise on possible improvements and priorities for appropriate actions to be carried out under the respective WMO Programmes and co- sponsored Programmes and the need for external support, where required;
(ii) To keep abreast of new developments in WIS, promote the relevant WIS support to all WMO programmes, and make recommendations, in compliance with WMO WIS guidance and regulations, including the Manual on the Global Telecommunication System (WMO-No. 386), for WIS implementation in the Region as regards communication techniques, communication structure, data RESOLUTIONS 99
management, data and metadata representation and relevant monitoring activities; (iii) To keep under constant review the Regional Meteorological Telecommunication Network and its implementation, as the WIS component for time-critical and operation-critical exchange, identify shortcomings and recommend appropriate measures for remedial action in the Region; (iv) To provide guidance to Members of the Region in capacity-building for information and outreach relevant to improving WIS; (v) To monitor the implementation and operation of the Integrated Global Data Dissemination System (IGDDS) as a WIS component in the Region and advise on possible difficulties or opportunities for appropriate actions to be carried out in this respect;
(3) That the Working Group on IOS and WIS should be composed of the following core members: (a) The chairperson of the Working Group; (b) The coordinator of the Sub-Group on IOS (SG-IOS); (c) The coordinator of the Sub-Group on WIS (SG-WIS); (d) Four senior experts to be nominated by Members;
(4) That the Sub-Group on IOS should be composed of the following core members: (a) The coordinator of the Sub-Group on IOS; (b) Theme leader in Surface-based Subsystem of the GOS; (c) Theme leader in Marine Observations; (d) Theme leader in Aircraft Observations; (e) Theme leader in Climate Observations; (f) Theme leader in GAW Observations; (g) Theme leader in Instrument Development; (h) Theme leader in Space-based Subsystem of the GOS; (i) Theme leader in WIGOS; (j) Theme leader in GEOSS; The theme leaders should function both individually within their designated responsibilities and also as a team in order to accomplish the work of the Sub-Group with respect to the terms of reference of the Sub-Group and theme leaders indicated in Annex 1 to this resolution;
(5) That the Sub-Group on WIS should be composed of the following core members: (a) The coordinator of the Sub-Group on WIS; (b) Theme leader in Data Communication Techniques and Structure; (c) Theme leader in Data Representation and Metadata; (d) Theme leader in WIS-GTS Operations, including Early Warning; (e) Theme leader in Climate Data Management/Data Rescue; (f) Theme leader in the IGDDS; (g) Theme leader in Regional WIS requirements; The theme leaders should function both individually within their designated responsibilities and also as a team in order to accomplish the work of the Sub-Group with respect to the 100 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
terms of reference of the Sub-Group and theme leaders indicated in Annex 2 to this resolution;
(6) To designate in accordance with Regulation 32 of the WMO General Regulations A. Mahmood (Pakistan) as chairperson of the Working Group, F. Mohammadi (Islamic Republic of Iran) as coordinator of the Sub-Group on IOS and H. Ichijo (Japan) as coordinator of the Sub-Group on WIS;
(7) To invite the following experts to serve as members of the Working Group: O. Lee (Republic of Korea); A. Gavrilov (Russian Federation); Chen Yongqing (China); W.M. Ma (Hong Kong, China);
(8) To invite: (a) M.R. Ranalkar (India) to serve as theme leader in the Surface-based Subsystem of the GOS; (b) Y. Takatsuki (Japan) to serve as theme leader in Marine Observations; (c) M.K. Bhatnagar (India) to serve as theme leader in Aircraft Observations; (d) M. Rahimi (Islamic Republic of Iran) to serve as theme leader in Climate Observations; (e) S. Gromov (Russian Federation) to serve as theme leader in GAW Observations; (f) T. Kobuchi (Japan) to serve as theme leader in Instrument Development; (g) A.K. Sharma (India) to serve as theme leader in the Space-based Subsystem of the GOS; (h) E. Farman (Islamic Republic of Iran) to serve as theme leader in WIGOS; (i) D.-I. Lee (Republic of Korea) to serve as theme leader in GEOSS; (j) A.H. Khan (Pakistan) to serve as theme leader in Data Communication Techniques and Structure; (k) A. Nakamori (Japan) to serve as theme leader in Data Representation and Metadata; (l) N.K. Pangasa (India) to serve as theme leader in WIS-GTS Operations, including Early Warning; (m) V. Shaymardanov (Russian Federation) to serve as theme leader in Climate Data Management/Data Rescue; (n) Ran Maonong (China) to serve as theme leader in IGDDS; (o) Li Xiang (China) to serve as theme leader in Regional WIS requirements.
(9) To request the chairperson of the Working Group to develop a Working Group implementation plan in consultation with the president and Management Group of the Association, with reference to the key performance indicators/targets and action plans under the respective expected results of the Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Regional Association II (Asia) (2009–2011), to undertake work on the various theme areas under the charge of the Working Group; and submit to the president of the Association an annual report by 31 December every year and a final report in time for presentation to the next session of the Association, both copied to the WMO Secretariat, with inputs from the coordinators and theme leaders under the Working Group;
RESOLUTIONS 101
(10) To request the coordinator of the Sub-Group on IOS and the coordinator of the Sub-Group on WIS to submit annual reports to the chairperson of the Working Group and a final report no later than six months before the next session of the Association;
(11) To request the theme leaders to submit annual reports to the coordinators of the respective Sub-Groups;
Requests the Secretary-General to support the work of the Working Group, Sub-Groups and theme leaders.
______Note: This resolution replaces Resolutions 1 (XIII-RA II), 4 (XIII-RA II), 10 (XIII-RA II), 11 (XIII-RA II), 18 (XIII-RA II), 23 (XIII-RA II) and 24 (XIII-RA II), which are no longer in force.
Annex 1 to Resolution 8 (XIV-RA II)
TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE COORDINATOR AND THEME LEADERS OF THE SUB-GROUP ON INTEGRATED OBSERVING SYSTEM
1. Terms of reference of the coordinator of the Sub-Group on IOS:
(a) To coordinate activities of the regional theme leaders;
(b) To liaise with other appointed regional theme leaders to ensure that WMO observing systems’ and co-sponsored systems’ aspects are addressed in a coordinated way;
(c) To advise the president of the Regional Association and Members of the Region on issues related to the terms of reference of the Sub-Group on IOS, including the terms of reference of its theme leaders;
(d) To advise members of the Working Group on issues related to the terms of reference of the Sub-Group on IOS, including the terms of reference of its theme leaders;
(e) To represent the Region at relevant sessions of the Commission for Basic Systems (CBS) Open Programme Area Group on the Integrated Observing Systems.
2. Terms of reference of the theme leader in the Surface-based Subsystem of the GOS:
(a) To monitor, report and make recommendations on the capability and utilization of an integrated system of different observing networks to meet regional requirements for weather analysis, forecasts and warnings;
(b) To review and make proposals on the observational data requirements of Members of the Region in the context of the World Weather Watch Programme in the WMO Strategic Plan, particularly in relation to the full implementation of the Global Observing System (GOS) in the Region;
(c) To provide advice to RA II Members on agreed composition of the GOS and steps needed to implement surface based components of the GOS;
(d) To monitor and work with Members to improve shortfalls in the performance of Members in delivering the Regional Basic Synoptic Network (RBSN); identify gaps in the RBSN; work with Members to ensure the list of existing RBSN stations, including relevant metadata, 102 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
remains valid, advise on the RBSN design and propose revisions to the RBSN list; and identify automatic stations on land and fixed positions at sea to be included in the RBSN;
(e) To keep abreast of developments within the Region in observing systems, including automatic weather stations, wind and temperature profilers, radars, thunderstorm detection and new emerging observing techniques and advise on coordinated assessment and implementation developments within the Region;
(f) To liaise with other appointed theme leaders to ensure that global observing system aspects are addressed in a coordinated way.
3. Terms of reference of the theme leader in Marine Observations:
(a) To monitor, report and make recommendations on the capability and utilization of marine and ocean observing networks to meet regional requirements for weather analysis, forecasts and warnings (including marine forecast), and climate applications;
(b) To review and make proposals on Members’ marine observational data requirements and identified gaps to feed in the CBS Statement of Guidance for ocean applications;
(c) To keep abreast of developments within the Region in marine and other appropriate oceanographic observing systems and advise on coordinated assessment and implementation developments within the Region;
(d) To liaise with other appointed theme leaders to ensure that global ocean observing system aspects are addressed in a coordinated way;
(e) To liaise with the Observing Panels of the Joint WMO/IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (DBCP, SOT, GLOSS) and associated ocean observing programmes (Argo, IOCCP, OceanSITES) as appropriate to ensure that the Region’s requirements are being addressed and recommendations from those groups are being considered by Members.
4. Terms of reference of the theme leader in Aircraft Observations:
(a) To coordinate implementation of national and regional Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) Programmes;
(b) To ensure that RA II Members are aware of the capabilities of AMDAR and are familiar with the availability and benefits of AMDAR data;
(c) To report on training requirements for AMDAR, assist in the development of training materials, and implementation of AMDAR training and capacity-building activities in the Region.
5. Terms of reference of the theme header in Climate Observations:
(a) To conduct continuous reviews of observing systems that are being designed under the auspices of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), for example, GCOS Upper-Air Network (GUAN), GCOS Surface Network (GSN) and GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN), and that have been designated as GCOS networks, for example, the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN), the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) ozone and CO2/CH4 networks, and space-based observing systems (GOSSP and CGMS); and provide feedback to Members in maintaining the quality of the networks;
RESOLUTIONS 103
(b) To review and make proposals on the observational data requirements of Members relevant to Climate monitoring;
(c) To monitor, and work with Members to improve shortfalls in the performance of Members in delivering the Regional Basic Climatological Network (RBCN); identify gaps in the RBCN; work with Members to ensure the list of existing RBCN stations, including relevant metadata, remains valid, advise on the RBCN design and propose revisions to the RBCN list; and identify automatic stations on land and fixed positions at sea to be included in the RBCN;
(d) To cooperate with the GCOS Secretariat and the Members involved in synchronizing the GSN/GUAN stations with those of the RBCN network;
(e) To cooperate with the CBS Lead Centres for GCOS in Japan and the Islamic Republic of Iran in the improvement of GSN and GUAN;
(f) To facilitate the periodic review, update and implementation of the GCOS Regional Action Plans for (i) East and South-East Asia, (ii) South and South-west Asia and (iii) Central Asia.
6. Terms of reference of the theme leader in GAW Observations:
(a) To advise on the further development of the GAW network in the Region with special emphasis on data quality and submission;
(b) To promote calibrations and comparison of GAW related instruments and publication of such comparisons;
(c) To assist Members in the exchange of information and experience.
7. Terms of reference of the theme leader in Instrument Development:
(a) To keep abreast of and prepare up-to-date information on instrumentation operated at meteorological stations and on its maintenance and calibration;
(b) To keep abreast of all matters related to instrument development;
(c) To provide guidance to members on the best effective use of meteorological instrumentation and on the implementation of standard observing methods and procedures, including quality assurance procedures and quality monitoring;
(d) To provide guidelines for the coordination of education and training activities for instrument technicians in collaboration with the Regional Instrument Centres and the WMO Secretariat;
(e) To monitor the regular evaluation of Regional Instrument Centres and Regional Radiation Centres and advise on requirements of these Centres in the Region;
(f) To facilitate liaison between the Commission for Instruments and Methods of Observation and Regional Association II on matters pertaining to capacity-building in the field of instruments and methods of observation.
8. Terms of reference of the theme leader in Space-based subsystem of the GOS:
(a) To coordinate with the WMO Space Programme Office on regional aspects of the WMO Space Programme Implementation Plan; 104 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
(b) To evaluate the WMO Space Programme Implementation Plan and advise Members on regional activities that will contribute fully to the exploitation of satellite data, products and services;
(c) To coordinate with other Regional WMO Space Programme Rapporteurs on relevant Space Programme activities;
(d) To provide the president of the Association with appropriate information, advice and recommendations for presentation under appropriate agenda items in sessions of technical commissions, joint sessions of the presidents of technical commissions and presidents of regional associations, and the Executive Council.
9. Terms of reference of the theme leader in WIGOS:
(a) To monitor the progress in the implementation of the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS) concept in the Region and advise on possible improvements and priorities for appropriate actions to be carried out;
(b) To keep Members of the Region up to date with the practical development and implementation of WIGOS;
(c) To identify, keep under review and advise on the observational data requirements of Members of the Region;
(d) To keep abreast of and advise Members of the Region on developments in different observing systems;
(e) To advise Members of the Region how to optimize efforts towards improved access to their observing systems;
(f) To advise Members of the Region on the implementation of standard observing methods and procedures as well as quality assurance procedures assuring the quality of observational data, including quality monitoring;
(g) To carry out a review of WMO regulatory material with respect to WIGOS development;
(h) To advise the president of the Association on regional aspects of the WIGOS concept;
(i) To develop, maintain and update the Implementation Plan for Evolution of the WIGOS in the Region, taking into account developments with respect to the CBS master Implementation Plan for Evolution of the GOS; monitor progress against the Regional Plan, report on progress and/or update the Plan through the president of the Association to the president of the Commission for Basic Systems.
10. Terms of reference of the theme leader in GEOSS:
(a) To serve as a focal point within the Association for the exchange of information about the Group on Earth Observations and the workplans associated with Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), in particular those in which WMO is contributing or has a direct interest;
(b) To evaluate the GEOSS workplans in the context of the Association and to advise Members on regional activities that will contribute to the work of the Association and to the development and implementation of GEOSS, including enhanced operation of the World Weather Watch and other WMO-sponsored and jointly sponsored observing systems and components relevant to GEOSS; RESOLUTIONS 105
(c) To coordinate with other Regional GEOSS Rapporteurs;
(d) To provide the president of the Association with appropriate information, advice and recommendations for presentation under appropriate agenda items in sessions of technical commissions, joint sessions of the presidents of technical commissions and presidents of regional associations, and the Executive Council;
(e) To inform the Secretariat of relevant GEOSS activities in the Region.
Annex 2 to Resolution 8 (XIV-RA II)
TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE COORDINATOR AND THEME LEADERS OF THE SUB-GROUP ON THE WMO INFORMATION SYSTEM
1. Terms of reference of the coordinator of the Sub-Group on WIS:
(a) To coordinate activities of the regional theme leaders;
(b) To advise and report to the president of the Regional Association on issues and all matters concerning the regional aspects of the WMO Information System (WIS) implementation, operation and services, including the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) and the Integrated Global Data Dissemination System (IGDDS), and data management in the Region;
(c) To advise members of the Working Group on issues and all matters related to the regional aspects of the WIS;
(d) To promote regional contributions to implementation of the WMO Information System;
(e) To represent the Region at relevant sessions of the Commission for Basic Systems (CBS) Open Programme Area Group on Information Systems and Services.
2. Terms of reference of the theme leader in Data Communication Techniques and Structure:
(a) To keep under review the organizational and technical aspects of the WIS data communication structure, and especially of the Global Telecommunication System in the Region;
(b) To keep abreast of developments in information and telecommunication techniques, procedures and equipment, including in particular satellite-based telecommunication services, and to study their applicability, as appropriate, to the Regional Meteorological Telecommunication Network (RMTN) and WIS in the Region;
(c) To formulate recommendations for the further development and upgrading of the RMTN and of the regional data communication structure of WIS, including implementation of telecommunication facilities and techniques.
3. Terms of reference of the theme leader in Data Representation and Metadata:
(a) To keep under review inter-programmes data representation and metadata matters, including migration to Table Driven Code Forms and regional codes, and make recommendations.
106 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
4. Terms of reference of the theme leader in WIS-GTS operations, including Early Warning:
(a) To keep under review the status of implementation and operation of the Regional Meteorological Telecommunication Network, including in particular routing arrangements for the exchange of operation-critical observational data and processed information within the Region and with other Regions, with special attention to arrangements for the distribution of early warnings and related information;
(b) To keep under review the procedural aspects of the WIS data communication structure, and especially of the Global Telecommunication System in the Region;
(c) To review procedures for the reception of operation-critical data and products, especially for the World Weather Watch (WWW), in case of major outages at key facilities;
(d) To support the regional activity for the WIS Virtual Private Network Pilot Project in Regions II and V including promoting further participation of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in the Region;
(e) To keep under review data and product selection and presentation to recipients’ National Meteorological Centres;
(f) To keep under review both real-time and non-real-time WWW monitoring activities pertaining to the GTS in the Region.
5. Terms of reference of the theme leader in Climate Data Management/Data Rescue:
(a) To keep under review and report on implementing Modern Climate Data Management Systems (CDMSs) in the Region and the progress in interfacing CDMS with WIS;
(b) To keep under review and report on national, multinational and regional DAta REscue (DARE) projects in the Region, identify strengths and gaps of existing DARE activities and propose in collaboration with National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in the Region and the WMO Secretariat appropriate ways and mechanisms to accelerate rescuing old climate records in more efficient way.
6. Terms of reference of the theme leader in the Integrated Global Data Dissemination System:
(a) To keep under review the IGDDS Implementation Plan and advise Region Members on regional activities that will contribute to enhance access to satellite data, products and services;
(b) To keep abreast of the status of requirements of Members of the Region for access to satellite data, products and services;
(c) To coordinate with other Regional IGDDS Rapporteurs on relevant IGDDS activities.
7. Terms of reference of the theme leader in Regional WIS requirements:
(a) To keep under review and assist in the definition of regional requirements for data exchange, management and access of WMO programmes and other relevant international programmes, and their impact on WIS implementation, services and plans.
RESOLUTIONS 107
Resolution 9 (XIV-RA II)
RA II WORKING GROUP ON CLIMATE SERVICES, ADAPTATION AND AGROMETEOROLOGY
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting:
(1) The Report of the Meeting of the Working Group on Climate-Related Matters for Regional Association II (WMO/TD-No. 1382, WCASP-No. 73), Beijing, China, 7–8 April 2007,
(2) The Report of the Meeting of the Working Group on Climate-Related Matters for Regional Association II (WMO/TD-No. 1470, WCASP-No. 76), Tokyo, Japan, 7–8 August 2008,
(3) The report of its Working Group on Agrometeorology,
(4) The Abridged Final Report with Resolutions of the Fifteenth World Meteorological Congress (WMO-No. 1026), including its Resolution 13 (Cg-XV) – World Climate Applications and Services Programme, including the CLIPS project, and references therein,
(5) The Abridged Final Report with Resolutions of the Thirteenth Session of Regional Association II (Asia) (WMO-No. 981), including its Resolution 7 (XIII-RA II) – Working Group on Climate-Related Matters in Region II,
Considering that Regional Association II should continue to play an important and active role in the implementation of WMO regional activities in the field of climate and agrometeorological services,
Decides:
(1) To establish a Working Group on Climate Services, Adaptation and Agrometeorology (WGCAA) with the following terms of reference:
(a) To provide assistance and advice to the president of Regional Association II on all matters pertaining to the regional aspects of the relevant components of the World Climate Programme (WCP) and the Agricultural Meteorology Programme (AMP);
(b) To identify the best means of meeting the needs in the Region for information on climate and agrometeorology;
(c) To undertake activities relating to WCP and AMP as listed in items (2) and (3) below, respectively;
(d) To cooperate with the Commission for Climatology and the Commission for Agricultural Meteorology and other WMO bodies on activities related to climate services, adaptation and agrometeorology;
(e) To seek cooperation with other regional bodies and organizations on issues related to WCP and AMP;
(2) To establish two sub-groups within WGCAA, as follows:
(a) Sub-Group on Climate Applications and Services (WGCAA-CAS);
(b) Sub-Group on Agrometeorology (WGCAA-AgM);
108 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
(3) To designate, within WGCAA-CAS, the following climate experts from the Region to serve on RA II WGCAA and contribute to its work, including attendance of its meetings, and to lead the activities in their respective theme areas as follows:
(a) I.-C. Shin (Republic of Korea), in Climate Applications and User Liaison;
(b) V. Kryzhov (Russian Federation), in CLIPS including Regional Climate Centres and Regional Climate Outlook Forums;
(c) T. Spektorman (Uzbekistan), in Climate Monitoring, Climate Watch and Climate Change;
(d) M. Habibi (Islamic Republic of Iran), in Climate Research;
and to designate K. Takano (Japan) as the coordinator of WGCAA-CAS;
(4) To designate, within WGCAA-AgM, the following agrometeorological experts to serve on RA II WGCAA and contribute to its work, including attendance of its meetings, and to lead the activities in their respective theme areas as follows:
(a) N. Chattopadhyay (India), in Forecasting and Assessment of Crop and Soil Conditions;
(b) I. Gringof (Russian Federation), in Agrometeorological Information for enhancing Grassland Productivity;
(c) S. Bazgir (Islamic Republic of Iran), in Coping with Impacts of Natural Disasters on Agriculture;
(d) Mao Liuxi (China), in Use of Improved Tools for Operational Agrometeorology;
and to designate G. Rasul (Pakistan) as the coordinator of WGCAA-AgM;
(5) To designate in accordance with Regulation 32 of the WMO General Regulations Zhai Panmao (China) as chairperson of the Working Group;
Requests the chairperson of the Working Group:
(1) To develop a Working Group implementation plan in consultation with the president and Management Group of the Association, with reference to the key performance indicators/targets and action plans under the respective expected results of the Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Regional Association II (Asia) (2009–2011), to undertake work on the various theme areas under the charge of the Working Group;
(2) To participate in the relevant sessions of WMO constituent bodies and expert groups, when invited, representing the regional interests in relation to climate applications and services and on agrometeorology and to coordinate the WGCAA activities with the Commission for Climatology, the Commission for Agricultural Meteorology and other relevant regional working groups;
(3) To submit to the president of the Association an annual report by 31 December every year and a final report in time for presentation to the next session of the Association, both copied to the WMO Secretariat, with inputs from the coordinators and theme leaders under the Working Group;
RESOLUTIONS 109
Urges Members concerned to provide full support to the experts nominated in order to ensure that they are able to fulfil the tasks assigned to them.
______Note: This resolution replaces Resolutions 7 (XIII-RA II) and 15 (XIII-RA II), which are no longer in force.
Resolution 10 (XIV-RA II)
RA II WORKING GROUP ON HYDROLOGICAL FORECASTS AND ASSESSMENTS
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting:
(1) The report of its Working Group on Hydrology,
(2) Resolution 17 (Cg-XIV) – Hydrology and Water Resources Programme,
(3) Resolution 25 (Cg-XIII) – Exchange of Hydrological Data and Products,
(4) Resolution 19 (XIII-RA II) – Working Group on Hydrology,
Considering that Regional Association II should continue to play an important and active role in the implementation of WMO regional activities in the field of hydrology and water resources,
Decides:
(1) To establish the Working Group on Hydrological Forecasts and Assessments (WGH) with the following terms of reference:
(a) To provide assistance and advice to the president of the Association on all questions pertaining to the regional aspects of the Hydrology and Water Resources Programme;
(b) To identify the best means of meeting the hydrological needs in the Region;
(c) To undertake activities relating to the Hydrology and Water Resources Programme as listed in item (2) below;
(d) To cooperate with the Commission for Hydrology and other WMO bodies on projects related to hydrology and water resources;
(e) To seek cooperation with other regional bodies and organizations on issues related to the Hydrology and Water Resources Programme;
(2) To invite all Members of the Region to designate national hydrological experts to serve on the Working Group and attend its meetings. The following experts were nominated during the fourteenth session to lead the activities in the theme areas as follows:
(a) D.N. Tinh (Viet Nam), in Improving Institutional Capacity, including the implementation of the RA II Strategic Plan for NHSs and technology transfer in the context of HOMS;
110 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
(b) Zhou Li (China), in Disaster Mitigation – Implementation of the WMO Flood Forecasting Initiative, including Flash Flood Forecasting Capabilities and Mass Movements;
(c) A.K. Kadhum (Iraq), in Disaster Management – Hydrological Aspects of Drought, including Drought Monitoring, Regional Water availability analysis, assessment of water scarcity and deficits;
(d) S. Kim (Republic of Korea), in Water Resources Assessment, Availability and Use (surface water and groundwater) and Sedimentation in Rivers and Reservoirs;
(e) A. Fatahi (Islamic Republic of Iran), in Improved Accuracy of Hydrometric and Sediment Observations including Space-based Technologies in RA II;
(f) S. Myagkov (Uzbekistan), in Hydrological Responses to Climate Variability and Change and Promotion of the use of climate information by water managers;
(g) A. Homidov (Tajikistan), in Regional Exchange of Hydrological Data and Information, including WHYCOS and contributions of regional aspects of INFOHYDRO;
(3) To designate in accordance with Regulations 32 and 167 of the WMO General Regulations I. Shiklomanov (Russian Federation) as the Hydrological Advisor to the president of RA II and as chairperson of the Working Group;
(4) To designate S. Kim (Republic of Korea) as vice-chairperson of the Working Group;
Requests the chairperson of the working group:
(1) In his capacity as Advisor, to assist the president of Regional Association II in accordance with the duties stipulated in WMO General Regulation 167 (b);
(2) To develop a Working Group implementation plan in consultation with the president and Management Group of the Association, with reference to the key performance indicators/targets and action plans under the respective expected results of the Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Regional Association II (Asia) (2009–2011), to undertake work on the various theme areas under the charge of the Working Group;
(3) To participate in Executive Council sessions, when invited, representing the regional interests in relation to hydrology and water resources and to coordinate the WGH activities with the Commission for Hydrology and other regional Working Groups on Hydrology;
(4) To submit to the president of the Association an annual report by 31 December every year and a final report in time for presentation to the next session of the Association, both copied to the WMO Secretariat, with inputs from the coordinators and theme leaders under the Working Group;
Urges Members concerned to provide full support to the experts nominated in order to ensure that they are able to fulfil the tasks assigned to them.
______Note: This resolution replaces Resolution 19 (XIII-RA II), which is no longer in force.
RESOLUTIONS 111
Resolution 11 (XIV-RA II)
RA II WORKING GROUP ON DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND SERVICE DELIVERY
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting:
(1) The WMO Strategic Plan (WMO-No. 1028),
(2) Resolution 5 (EC-LX) – Executive Council Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Service Delivery,
(3) Resolution 25 (Cg-XV) – Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Programme,
(4) Resolution 16 (Cg-XV) – Public Weather Services Programme,
(5) Resolution 6 (Cg-XV) – Tropical Cyclone Programme,
(6) Resolution 18 (Cg-XV) – Aeronautical Meteorology Programme,
(7) Resolution 19 (Cg-XV) – Marine Meteorology and Oceanography Programme,
(8) Resolution 29 (Cg-XV) – Evolution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and WMO,
Noting further that weather, climate and water information and risk assessment are important factors in decision-making in many socio-economic sectors of Regional Association II,
Having considered that disaster risk reduction and service delivery are cross-cutting issues requiring the expertise of weather, climate and water professionals and also the expertise of social and economic specialists and sector-based experts,
Decides:
(1) To establish the Regional Association II Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Service Delivery (WGDRS) to coordinate with the Executive Council Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Service Delivery and WMO technical commissions in the development of capacity for RA II Members to deliver weather-, climate- and water-related services with the following terms of reference:
(a) To ensure that RA II Members address societal issues as expressed in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, including sustainable development and poverty alleviation, in their service delivery;
(b) To provide guidance to RA II Members on strengthening partnerships at the national to international levels, including between providers of weather-, climate- and water- related products and services and users (customers) in the public and private sectors; the media; academia; social and economic sciences; international and intergovernmental agencies; and non-governmental organizations;
(c) To provide guidance to RA II Members in capacity-building for information and outreach relevant to improving service delivery;
(d) To recommend strategies and priorities for research and development as well as infrastructure relevant to and enabling effective service delivery in the Region; 112 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
(e) To assess the effectiveness of programmes in improving services down to the end- user level, and advise on corrective steps where necessary;
(2) To designate in accordance with Regulation 32 of the WMO General Regulations E.S.T. Lai (Hong Kong, China) as chairperson of the Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Service Delivery;
(3) To request the chairperson of the Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Service Delivery:
(a) To develop a Working Group implementation plan in consultation with the president and Management Group of the Association, with reference to the key performance indicators/targets and action plans under the respective expected results of the Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Regional Association II (Asia) (2009–2011), to undertake work on the various theme areas under the charge of the Working Group;
(b) To participate in the relevant sessions of WMO constituent bodies and expert groups, when invited, representing the regional interests in relation to disaster risk reduction, service delivery and aeronautical meteorology, and to coordinate the WGDRS activities with the Joint WMO/IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology, the Commission for Aeronauatical Meteorology and other regional working groups;
(c) To submit to the president of the Association an annual report by 31 December every year and a final report in time for presentation to the next session of the Association, both copied to the WMO Secretariat, with inputs from the coordinators and theme leaders under the Working Group;
(4) To establish three sub-groups within WGDRS, as follows:
(a) Sub-Group on Disaster Risk Reduction (WGDRS-DRR) with the following terms of reference: (i) To consider natural disaster prevention and mitigation problems within the context of the specific characteristics and needs of the Region and then make recommendations and contribute to the preparation of appropriate and targeted regional plans of action; (ii) To identify and evaluate best practices at the regional level on policy and activities related to natural disaster prevention and mitigation; (iii) To coordinate the exchange of information on current best practices at the regional and subregional levels with the respective network of focal points in natural disasters; (iv) To propose/review regional contingency plans in case of emergencies and disasters; (v) To evaluate the necessity and priorities on capacity-building at the regional level and propose adequate actions; (vi) To develop plans for disaster risk reduction in respect of climate change, hydrology, and nowcasting and early warning; (vii) To propose mechanisms to coordinate its actions with other regional teams working in natural disaster prevention and mitigation, including tropical cyclone committees, networks of focal points, and climate applications and services; (viii) To take actions on matters related to disaster risk reduction assigned by the chairperson of WGDRS;
RESOLUTIONS 113
(b) Sub-Group on Service Delivery (WGDRS-SD) with the following terms of reference: (i) To continuously review and seek further development in the implementation of marine meteorological and oceanographic services and marine observing systems, public weather services, and numerical weather prediction in Region II; (ii) To take actions on matters related to marine meteorological and oceanographic services, public weather services, and numerical weather prediction assigned by the chairperson of WGDRS; (iii) To advise the chairperson of WGDRS on matters relating to formulation, presentation and dissemination of forecasts and warnings and establishing good relations with the media and the private sector; (iv) To keep under review, in coordination with the RA II Working Group on WMO Integrated Observing System and WMO Information System, aspects relating to exchange and coordination of hazardous weather information among neighbouring countries; (v) To establish the requirements of RA II Members regarding specific numerical weather prediction products, to encourage cooperation between centres providing products that are required to support and improve operations and the recipient Members, and to organize assistance, including training, to Members in accessing and utilizing newly emerging products, such as those from ensemble systems; (vi) To coordinate, encourage and facilitate the participation of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and academia in RA II in the Asian THORPEX (THe Observing system Research and Predictability EXperiment) Regional Committee, to keep the Association informed on THORPEX activities in the Region in accordance with the THORPEX International Science Plan and the THORPEX International Research Implementation Plan, and to advise and promote within the Region an exchange of information and publications relating to THORPEX activities; (vii) To keep under review education and training requirements related to service delivery; (viii) To liaise with the appropriate subsidiary bodies of the Joint WMO/IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology, in particular within the Capacity-building Programme Area, on specific matters concerning Regional Association II;
(c) Sub-Group on Aeronautical Meteorological Services (WGDRS-AeM) with the following terms of reference: (i) To review and advise on operational data and product requirements of countries in RA II in the context of the Aeronautical Meteorology Programme (AeMP), keeping close liaison with the relevant International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regional groups; (ii) To review the status of the development and implementation of the AeMP in the Region, including observing, nowcasting and warning systems in the terminal area, aircraft data collection, and services provided under the World Area Forecast System (WAFS), and to formulate proposals through the WMO Secretariat and the Management Group of the Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology to the appropriate ICAO bodies for its future development and implementation; (iii) To promote capacity-building activities related to the AeMP within the Region, in particular the development and implementation of AeM-related pilot projects to assist NMSs of developing countries in delivering AeM services, in particular SIGMET, TAF and flight documentation; 114 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
(iv) To liaise with the WMO AMDAR programme on the development of national and regional programmes; (v) To foster closer relationship and partnership between NMSs and aviation stakeholders within the Region with a view to study and understand the new and evolving user requirements on AeM services; (vi) To develop a regional strategy on the provision of new AeM services in support of Air Traffic Management (ATM), with particular reference to the NexGen and SESAR developments and the international trend of increasing centralization of air navigation services; (vii) To monitor progress and facilitate implementation of Quality Management Systems for provision of AeM Services and requirements specified in the Guidelines for the Education and Training of Personnel in Meteorology and Operational Hydrology (WMO No. 258), Supplement No. 1, by NMSs, and to identify training requirements to assist NMSs in their implementation; (viii) To liaise by correspondence with the Management Group of the Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology and relevant expert teams and the ICAO Planning and Implementation Regional Group through their respective secretariats on specific regional matters; (ix) To provide advice to the chairperson of WGDRS on aeronautical meteorology matters and to take actions in this regard;
(5) To designate, within WGDRS-DRR, the following experts from the Region to serve on WGDRS, to contribute to its work, and to lead the activities in their respective theme areas as follows: (a) J.-C. Nam (Republic of Korea) in Climate Disaster Risk Reduction; (b) N. Agaltseva (Uzbekistan) in Hydrology Disaster Risk Reduction; (c) H. Mir (Pakistan) in Early Warning and Nowcasting; and to designate O. Ustinova (Russian Federation) as the coordinator of WGDRS-DRR;
(6) To designate, within WGDRS-SD, the following experts from the Region to serve on WGDRS, to contribute to its work, and to lead the activities in their respective theme areas as follows: (a) Qian Chuanhai (China) in Regional Marine Meteorological and Oceanographic Services; (b) A. Liakhov (Russian Federation) in Public Weather Services; (c) Y. Honda (Japan) in Numerical Weather Prediction Systems and Products; (d) T. Nakazawa (Japan) in WWRP-THORPEX; and to designate A. Vazifeh (Islamic Republic of Iran) as the coordinator of WGDRS-SD;
(7) To designate, within WGDRS-AeM, the following experts from the Region to serve on WGDRS, to contribute to its work, and to lead the activities in their respective theme areas as follows: (a) M. Petrova (Russian Federation) in Quality Management and Training; (b) S.M.K. Song (Hong Kong, China) in Capacity-building and AeM Pilot Projects; (c) J. Ryuzaki (Japan) in MET support for ATM and New Terminal Forecast; (d) Sarfaraz (Pakistan) in Customer Relations and Partnership; and to designate S.C. Bhan (India) as the coordinator of WGDRS-AeM;
RESOLUTIONS 115
Requests the Secretary-General to support the work of the Working Group, its coordinators and theme leaders.
______Note: This resolution replaces Resolutions 12 (XIII-RA II), 13 (XIII-RA II), 14 (XIII-RA II), 16 (XIII-RA II), 17 (XIII-RA II), 18 (XIII-RA II), 22 (XIII-RA II) and a part of Resolution 1 (XIII-RA II), which are no longer in force.
Resolution 12 (XIV-RA II)
RA II MANAGEMENT GROUP
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting: (1) The Abridged Final Report with Resolutions of the Fifteenth World Meteorological Congress (WMO-No. 1026), (2) The Abridged Final Report with Resolutions of the Thirteenth Session of Regional Association II (Asia) (WMO-No. 981), (3) The reports of the sessions of the RA II Advisory Working Group,
Considering the proposal of the Advisory Working Group of the Association,
Recognizing the need to have a mechanism to address issues not handled by other working groups,
Decides:
(1) To establish an RA II Management Group with the following terms of reference: (a) To review matters related to the work of the Association, in particular, on matters requiring actions that cannot wait until the next regular session of the Association; (b) To plan and coordinate the work of the Association and its subsidiary bodies; (c) To review the structure and work of the subsidiary bodies of the Association, including advice on the implementation of their recommendations and taking into account financial and other resources needed in the work of these bodies; (d) To coordinate and monitor the implementation of the Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Regional Association II (Asia), and to provide the Region’s contribution to the WMO Strategic Plan; (e) To assess and evaluate the implementation of activities of Regional Association II as per the WMO Strategic Plan; (f) To review the requirements and priorities of training and other events to be organized in the Region; (g) To address ways and means of capacity-building of Members’ National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in the Region for the implementation of WMO Programmes and activities; (h) To address other issues not covered by working groups, including strengthening of strategic partnerships with regional organizations; 116 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
(2) To invite the president to act as chairperson of the Management Group, which is composed of the president, the vice-president and three Directors of NMHSs, and as appropriate, other Directors of NMHSs, chairpersons of RA II working groups to be invited by the president for each session subject to the availability of financial resources;
Requests the president to ensure that subregions are represented as appropriate on the Management Group and that the Group meets annually, or as needed, preferably in conjunction with other meetings or events;
Authorizes the president to take necessary decisions on behalf of the Association, after consultation with the Management Group, on important matters;
Requests further the president to report to the Association during the intersessional period, as necessary, and at its next regular session on the activities of the Management Group and relevant decisions taken on behalf of the Association.
______Note: This resolution replaces Resolutions 21 (XIII-RA II) and 26 (XIII-RA II), which are no longer in force.
Resolution 13 (XIV-RA II)
STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL SERVICES IN REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA) (2009–2011)
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting:
(1) The Abridged Final Report with Resolutions of the Thirteenth Session of Regional Association II (Asia) (WMO-No. 981), particularly Resolution 20 (XIII-RA II) – Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Hydrological Services in Regional Association II (Asia) and Resolution 25 (XIII-RA II) – Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological Services in Regional Association II (Asia) (2005–2008),
(2) The Abridged Final Report with Resolutions of the Fifteenth World Meteorological Congress (WMO-No. 1026), especially its discussion and its Resolution 27 (Cg-XV) – WMO Strategic Plan, as well as its Resolution 28 (Cg-XV) – Preparation of the WMO Strategic Plan 2012– 2015,
Noting with satisfaction:
(1) The usefulness of the Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological Services in Regional Association II (Asia) (2005–2008) and the Strategy for the Enhancement of National Hydrological Services in Regional Association II (Asia) (2006– 2008) as guidance for Members in formulating their own development plans to contribute to and support weather-, climate- and water-related disciplines as well as their applications,
(2) The great progress achieved in the implementation of the above regional strategic plans by Members in RA II during the period 2005–2008,
RESOLUTIONS 117
Recognizing: (1) That the WMO Strategic Plan provides a high-level statement of the future direction and priorities of WMO in terms of three top-level objectives, five strategic thrusts and eleven expected results, (2) That the above framework provides a useful guidance in establishing an overall strategic plan for the Region,
Considering the usefulness of an integrated and unified regional strategic plan that encompasses the development and/or enhancement of all weather-, climate- and water-related services,
Agrees that the Region’s priorities be expressed in terms of regional expected results associated with the eleven WMO expected results, with each regional expected result having identifiable deliverables;
Adopts the Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Regional Association II (Asia) (2009–2011);
Authorizes its president to make the necessary adjustments to the Regional Strategic Plan in consultation with the RA II Management Group and working groups in the light of the discussions of the Association at this session, and develop a related Action Plan in consultation with Members;
Urges Members to participate actively in the implementation of this Regional Strategic Plan and the related Action Plan, and take these into account in developing, carrying out and enhancing their national programmes in meteorology, hydrology and related disciplines to better respond to the demand for a widening range of services to meet the sustainable development goals of nations;
Invites the Members of Regional Association II to contribute to the trust fund established by WMO for the development and the support for the implementation of the Strategic Plan;
Requests the Secretary-General: (1) To seek partnerships with, and collaboration of, relevant institutions and programmes within the United Nations system, multilateral donors and international agencies, particularly in the provision of technical and financial support for the implementation of the Strategic Plan; (2) To accord due priority, in collaboration with the president, the Management Group and working groups of Regional Association II, to the activities proposed in the Strategic Plan; (3) To mobilize resources for technical cooperation activities in line with the Strategic Plan and to assist Members to do the same; (4) To arrange for the publication of this Plan and its dissemination to Members of the Association, the presidents of other regional associations and the presidents of technical commissions, among others; (5) To report to Regional Association II at its fifteenth session on the progress made on the implementation of the Strategic Plan;
Further requests the Secretary-General to take into account the experience gained concerning strategic planning at the regional level in the development of the succeeding WMO Strategic Plan and the associated planning process as well as in relation to the monitoring and evaluation of this Plan.
______Note: This resolution replaces Resolutions 20 (XIII-RA II) and 25 (XIII-RA II), which are no longer in force.
118 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
Resolution 14 (XIV-RA II)
REVIEW OF PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ASSOCIATION
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
Noting paragraph 3.7.1 of the general summary of the ninth session of the Executive Committee,
Considering:
(1) That a number of its resolutions adopted before its fourteenth session have been revised and incorporated in resolutions of the fourteenth session,
(2) That others of its previous resolutions have been incorporated in appropriate WMO publications or have become obsolete,
(3) That some of the previous resolutions are still to be implemented,
Decides:
(1) To keep in force Resolutions 1 (III-RA II), 9 (VII-RA II), 11 (VII-RA II), 12 (X-RA II), 14 (XII- RA II), 8 (XIII-RA II), 14 (XIII-RA II) and 17 (XIII-RA II); (2) Not to keep in force the other resolutions adopted before its fourteenth session;
(3) To publish the text of the resolutions kept in force in the annex to this resolution.
______Note: This resolution replaces Resolution 27 (XIII-RA II), which is no longer in force.
Annex to Resolution 14 (XIV-RA II)
RESOLUTIONS OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II ADOPTED PRIOR TO ITS FOURTEENTH SESSION AND MAINTAINED IN FORCE
Resolution 1 (III-RA II)
REGIONAL STANDARD BAROMETER
THE REGIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR ASIA,
NOTING: (1) That there exists in India a standard barometer at Calcutta,
(2) That comparisons with this barometer have already been carried out by a number of Members of the Association,
DECIDES to designate this Indian barometer at Calcutta as a reference standard barometer for the Region.
RESOLUTIONS 119
Resolution 9 (VII-RA II)
INCLUSION OF INFORMATION ON WAVES AND PRESSURE SYSTEMS IN WEATHER AND SEA BULLETINS
THE REGIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR ASIA,
NOTING WMO Technical Regulations (C.1)2.3.2, (C.1)2.4.1 and (C.1)2.4.2,
CONSIDERING: (1) That in response to a recent inquiry shipmasters have stated that wind data alone do not always suffice in providing the necessary information for safe navigation, (2) That a specific requirement has been expressed for information on sea conditions, particularly swell waves, and on movements of significant pressure systems,
URGES Members: (1) To follow strictly the provisions of WMO Technical Regulations Chapter C.1, in respect of the format and contents of weather and sea bulletins issued for the high seas; (2) To include in weather and sea bulletins, as appropriate, information on height and direction of waves above a particular threshold value (say two metres), along with an indication of areas where such waves occur or are expected to occur, as well as on direction and speed of movement of significant pressure systems; (3) To maintain close contact with users with a view to ensuring that the information issued keeps up with their requirements.
Resolution 11 (VII-RA II)
PROVISION OF MARINE METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR COASTAL AND OFF-SHORE ACTIVITIES
THE REGIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR ASIA,
NOTING that coastal and off-shore activities such as coastal fisheries, shore mining operations, harbour development, coastal development and engineering works have been on the increase in recent years,
CONSIDERING: (1) That the increasing coastal and off-shore activities call for corresponding expansion of marine meteorological services for the safety and economy of these activities, (2) That the services should include, where necessary, information on storm surges, in addition to gale and storm warnings and warnings on high waves, (3) That an adequate forecast service to coastal and off-shore areas would need the backing of observational data from these areas and that, in addition, these data would be helpful in building up the statistics for studies on coastal climatology, (4) That application of satellite products to coastal and off-shore services has proved highly useful,
120 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
URGES Members: (1) To provide marine meteorological services for coastal and off-shore areas, if such services do not already exist and to develop the services to meet the specific requirements of the users, taking advantage, where possible, of satellite products available; (2) To issue, where necessary, warnings on storm surges; (3) To give full consideration to increasing by all possible means the observations from coastal and off-shore areas by including in the observing programmes of coastal stations and off- shore platforms such sea parameters as waves, sea-surface temperature, sea ice, ice accretion, etc. and by establishing data buoy stations.
Resolution 12 (X-RA II)
USE OF INMARSAT FOR THE COLLECTION OF SHIPS’ METEOROLOGICAL AND OCEANOGRAPHIC REPORTS
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
NOTING: (1) Resolution 19 (Cg-XI) – The collection and dissemination of marine meteorological and oceanographic information using INMARSAT, (2) The operation of Coast Earth Stations (CES) of INMARSAT in Region II, (3) The equipping of an increased number of ships participating in the WMO Voluntary Observing Ships (VOS) scheme with Ship Earth Stations (SES) of INMARSAT, in particular with the INMARSAT-C facility,
CONSIDERING: (1) The need to increase the number of ships’ meteorological and oceanographic reports from most of the sea areas of Region II, (2) The considerable improvements to be expected in the receipt of marine meteorological and oceanographic observations from ships at sea through the enhanced use of the INMARSAT system, (3) The cost-savings which will accrue to those Members collecting such reports through INMARSAT by the increased use of the new INMARSAT-C facility for this purpose,
RECOGNIZING WITH APPRECIATION that certain Members operating INMARSAT CES have already arranged through their CES to accept ships’ meteorological and oceanographic reports that are of general value to all Members of WMO,
BEING CONCERNED, however, that these reports are at present concentrated on a limited subset of the CES already in operation, and that problems continue to be related to the timely redistribution to the countries closest to the geographical origin of reports collected through INMARSAT,
URGES: (1) Those Members in the Region operating CES to accept ships’ meteorological and oceanographic reports transmitted through their CES free of charge to ships; RESOLUTIONS 121
(2) All Members concerned to make every effort to ensure the timely redistribution of reports collected through INMARSAT to countries in the areas of the geographical origins of those reports; (3) All Members in the Region operating VOS equipped with INMARSAT-C to make every effort for these ships to be supplied with the new software package for the compilation and transmission of meteorological reports through INMARSAT-C, to ensure the maximum efficiency and cost-effectiveness of such an operation;
REQUESTS the Secretary-General to assist Members in the implementation of this resolution.
Resolution 14 (XII-RA II)
SUPPORT FOR JOINT WMO/IOC TECHNICAL COMMISSION FOR OCEANOGRAPHY AND MARINE METEOROLOGY (JCOMM)
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
NOTING: (1) Resolution 14 (Cg-XIII) – Joint WMO/IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM), (2) IOC Assembly Resolution XX-12 – The Joint WMO/IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (J-COMM),
CONSIDERING that oceanographic and marine meteorological observations not only make a significant contribution to operational meteorology and the provision of marine services, but also are essential to global climate studies generally,
RECOGNIZING: (1) That JCOMM is now the main body within WMO for the international coordination and regulation of a global operational ocean observing, data management and services system, (2) That some Members of the Association are actively involved in the deployment and maintenance of a variety of ocean observation facilities, for both operational and research purposes, (3) That Members of the Association are also increasingly being required to provide coordinated meteorological and oceanographic services for a large variety of marine user groups, (4) That the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) will continue to be essential for the operational collection and exchange of many types of ocean data;
RECOGNIZING FURTHER that a substantial increase in the amount of ocean data available operationally is needed to satisfy the requirements of operational meteorology, oceanographic services and research and global climate studies for such data,
URGES Members: (1) To continue and, where possible, expand their existing operational ocean observing system facilities and activities, as contributions to the WWW, GCOS and GOOS and with international coordination effected through JCOMM; (2) To participate actively in the planning and implementation of these systems and in the work of JCOMM; 122 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
(3) To coordinate with appropriate national oceanographic agencies and institutions to ensure the long-term operational maintenance of oceanographic observing systems; (4) To coordinate with appropriate national oceanographic agencies and institutions in developing oceanographic data management capabilities and oceanographic services; (5) To enhance two-way ship-shore telecommunication arrangements for oceanographic data and products, in particular through the greater use of satellite-based telecommunications facilities such as the INMARSAT and Argos systems;
REQUESTS the Secretary-General to take any action considered necessary, and within the available budgetary resources, to assist Members to participate in the development and maintenance of JCOMM. ______NOTE: This resolution replaces Resolution 13 (XI-RA II) which is no longer in force.
Resolution 8 (XIII-RA II)
CLIMATE INFORMATION AND PREDICTION SERVICES (CLIPS) PROJECT
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
NOTING: (1) Resolution 11 (Cg-XIV) – Services of the World Climate Programme, (2) That Members of RA II are contributing to a range of CLIPS activities, (3) The climatic anomalies, and their impacts, associated with the 1997/98 El Niño event and the subsequent La Niña event, (4) Resolution 7 (XIII-RA II) – Working Group on Climate-Related Matters in Region II,
CONSIDERING: (1) That interannual climate variability, including, but not restricted to, variability linked to the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), substantially impacts socio-economic activities in the Region, (2) That effective use of current seasonal to interannual climate prediction technology can provide substantial benefit in socio-economic planning, (3) That improved use of climate information, in addition to, or in combination with, climate predictions, can provide further socio-economic benefits, (4) That the science and technology of seasonal to interannual climate prediction are developing rapidly, (5) That effective application of climate prediction and information services requires capacity- building and development of correctly-designed projects, (6) That the implementation of CLIPS in the Region should be kept under constant review, (7) That there is a need for close coordination in the implementation of CLIPS-related activities in the Region,
DECIDES: (1) That the following terms of reference will apply for the members of the Working Group on Climate-Related Matters in Region II with respect to the implementation of the CLIPS Project in the Region: RESOLUTIONS 123
(a) To act in support of all CLIPS activities within the Region; (b) To act as coordinators of regional networks of national CLIPS Focal Points; (c) To keep abreast of research activities on Asian climate variability, including in relation to the activities and plans of WCRP/CLIVAR; (d) To keep abreast of research and development activities appertaining to the application of climate information and prediction services, including in relation to activities such as those under START/CLIMAG;
URGES: (1) All Members to appoint national Focal Points for CLIPS and to provide them with the facilities necessary to undertake their roles; (2) Members to supplement through extrabudgetary contributions the resources required for the further development and implementation of the CLIPS Project;
REQUESTS the rapporteurs to submit annual progress reports to the president of the Association, and final reports no later than six months before the fourteenth session of the Association;
REQUESTS the Secretary-General: (1) To provide the necessary support, within the resources available, to the rapporteurs on the implementation of CLIPS in the Region and to the national CLIPS Focal Points; (2) To bring this resolution to the attention of all concerned.
Resolution 14 (XIII-RA II)
PILOT PROJECT ON THE PROVISION OF CITY-SPECIFIC NUMERICAL WEATHER PREDICTION PRODUCTS TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES VIA THE INTERNET
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
NOTING that many National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) from developing countries, including least developed countries (LDCs), while making great efforts to contribute synoptic observations, are unable to benefit fully from the latest advances in numerical weather prediction (NWP) for their public weather services (PWS) owing to the substantial resources required for individual Members to operate NWP models and/or to acquire and process NWP output data into products relevant to PWS work,
CONSIDERING: (1) That NWP guidance contributes usefully to the quality of PWS, (2) That the need to demonstrate to governments that maintaining observation stations in the global and regional basic observational network would bring tangible benefits,
RECOGNIZING: (1) That NWP outputs of advanced centres give useful guidance for location-specific forecasts up to five to seven days ahead, (2) That the Internet offers an affordable means for NMHSs from developing countries, including LDCs, to access NWP products, in chart form and applicable directly to their public weather services,
124 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
DECIDES: (1) To establish under the auspices of a WMO pilot project in Region II with Members having advanced NWP capabilities to generate products such as point forecasts in the form of time series of weather parameters for selected cities up to five to seven days ahead and to set up appropriate facilities for the access of such products over the Internet by other Members in the Region; (2) To set up a Pilot Project Coordinating Group with the following terms of reference: (a) To establish the requirements of RA II Members regarding city-specific NWP products; (b) To facilitate communication between centre(s) providing the required products via Internet and the recipient Members; (c) To organize assistance, including training, to Members in accessing and utilizing the products; (d) To monitor the progress of the project; (3) To appoint the following members of the coordinating group: Mr W.M. Ma (Hong Kong, China) as coordinator of the Group; Ms Seth Vannareth (Cambodia), …. (China), Mr Masanori Obayashi (Japan), Mrs S. Phonevilay (Lao PDR), Mrs J. Oyunjargal (Mongolia) Mr San Hla Thaw (Myanmar), Mr Madan L. Shrestha (Nepal), Mr Kwan-Young Chung (Republic of Korea) and Mr Pravit Jampanya (Thailand) as Members; (4) To invite Members desiring to participate in the pilot project to designate experts to serve as members of the Coordinating Group; (5) To request the coordinator of the Group to submit an annual progress report and a final report to the president of the Association no later than six months prior to the fourteenth session of the Association; (6) That the Group should normally conduct its work by correspondence, including via the e- mail;
REQUESTS the Secretary-General to assist Members in the implementation of this resolution.
Resolution 17 (XIII-RA II)
PILOT PROJECT TO DEVELOP SUPPORT FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE AERONAUTICAL METEOROLOGY PROGRAMME
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA),
NOTING: (1) That a number of NMHSs, especially those of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), encounter practical difficulties in cost recovery for aviation weather services and cannot afford the cost associated with the reception of WAFS products via satellite broadcast, (2) That over one third of the Members in RA II, including a number of LDCs, do not have access to WAFS products, (3) That the provision of en route weather products in chart form would cease subsequent to the migration to exclusive use of BUFR and GRIB coded WAFS products within a couple of years, (4) That many of the Members in the Region have yet to acquire the capability to operationally convert GRIB and BUFR coded WAFS products,
RESOLUTIONS 125
CONSIDERING: (1) The importance of weather information for the safe operation of aviation, (2) That LDCs in the Region are in need of assistance in building-capacity in the provision of aviation weather services, (3) The long established tradition of partnership, mutual cooperation and sharing of weather products among the Members in the Region,
RECOGNIZING: (1) That the NWP capacity to develop and generate numerical weather guidance products helpful to aviation weather service exists in RA II, (2) That the Internet offers a good opportunity to enable the NMHSs of developing countries to receive these products in graphical format at low costs,
DECIDES: (1) To establish under the auspices of WMO a pilot project on the development and experimental production of numerical weather guidance products helpful to aviation weather service and suited to the circumstances of the developing countries in Region II with particular emphasis on LDCs; (2) To set up a Pilot Project Coordination Group with the following terms of reference: (a) To establish the requirements of the NMHSs of developing countries and in particular LDCs in the Region regarding numerical weather guidance products in support of aviation weather service including the preparation of TAF, SIGMET and flight documentation; (b) To facilitate communication between centre(s) willing to develop the required products and the recipient Members; (c) To organize assistance to recipient Members in accessing and utilizing WAFS products and other guidance products, including training; (d) To assess the performance of the products; (e) To monitor the progress of the project; (3) To appoint the following members of the coordinating group: Ms Jiao Meiyan (China) as coordinator of the Group; Ms Seth Vannareth (Cambodia), Mr C.M. Shun (Hong Kong, China), Ms F. Mohammadi (Islamic Republic of Iran), Mr Masanori Obayashi (Japan), Mr Sithanh Southichack (Lao PDR), Mrs Nyam-Od (Mongolia), Kyaw Lwin Oo (Myanmar), Mr Bijaya Kumar Vaidya (Nepal) and Mr A. Latif Al- Hada (Republic of Yemen) as Members; (4) To invite Members desiring to participate in the pilot project to designate experts to serve as members of the coordinating group; (5) To invite the International Civil Aviation Organization and two World Area Forecast Centres (WAFCs) to designate experts to participate in the coordinating group as observers; (6) To request the coordinator of the Group to submit annual progress reports and a final report to the president of the Association no later than six months prior to the fourteenth session of the Association; (7) That the Group should normally conduct its work by correspondence, including via the e- mail;
REQUESTS the Secretary-General to assist Members in the implementation of this resolution.
ANNEXES
ANNEX I Annex to paragraph 5.1.3.5 of the general summary
MEMBERSHIP OF SUBSIDIARY BODIES OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA)
Working Group on WMO Integrated Observing System and WMO Information System (WG-IOS/WIS)
A. Mahmood (Pakistan) Chairperson of WG-IOS/WIS O. Lee (Republic of Korea) Member of WG-IOS/WIS A. Gavrilov (Russian Federation) Member of WG-IOS/WIS Chen Yongqing (China) Member of WG-IOS/WIS W.M. Ma (Hong Kong, China) Member of WG-IOS/WIS
Sub-Group on Integrated Observing System (SG-IOS)
F. Mohammadi (Islamic Republic of Iran) Coordinator of SG-IOS M.R. Ranalkar (India) Theme Leader in the Surface-based sub- system of the GOS Y. Takatsuki (Japan) Theme Leader in Marine Observations M.K. Bhatnagar (India) Theme Leader in Aircraft Observations M. Rahimi (Islamic Republic of Iran) Theme Leader in Climate Observations S. Gromov (Russian Federation) Theme Leader in GAW Observations T. Kobuchi (Japan) Theme Leader in Instrument Development A.K. Sharma (India) Theme Leader in the Space-based sub-system of the GOS E. Farman (Islamic Republic of Iran) Theme Leader in WIGOS D.-I. Lee (Republic of Korea) Theme Leader in the GEOSS
Sub-Group on WMO Information System (SG-WIS)
H. Ichijo (Japan) Coordinator of SG-WIS A.H. Khan (Pakistan) Theme Leader in Data Communication Techniques and Structure A. Nakamori (Japan) Theme Leader in Data Representation and Metadata N.K. Pangasa (India) Theme Leader in WIS-GTS Operations, including Early Warning V. Shaymardanov (Russian Federation) Theme Leader in Climate Data Management/Data Rescue Ran Maonong (China) Theme Leader in IGDDS Li Xiang (China) Theme Leader in Regional WIS Requirements
Working Group on Climate Services, Adaptation and Agrometeorology (WGCAA)
Zhai Panmao (China) Chairperson of WGCAA
Sub-Group on Climate Applications and Services (WGCAA-CAS)
K. Takano (Japan) Coordinator I.-C. Shin (Republic of Korea) Theme Leader in Climate Applications and User Liaison V. Kryzhov (Russian Federation) Theme Leader in CLIPS including RCCs and RCOFs ANNEXES 127
T. Spektorman (Uzbekistan) Theme Leader in Climate Monitoring, Climate Watch and Climate Change M. Habibi (Islamic Republic of Iran) Theme Leader in Climate Research
Sub-Group on Agrometeorology (WGCAA-AgM)
G. Rasul (Pakistan) Coordinator N. Chattopadhyay (India) Theme Leader in Forecasting and Assessment of Crop and Soil Conditions I. Gringof (Russian Federation) Theme Leader in Agrometeorological Information for enhancing Grassland Productivity S. Bazgir (Islamic Republic of Iran) Theme Leader in Coping with Impacts of Natural Disasters on Agriculture Mao Liuxi (China) Theme Leader in Use of Improved Tools for Operational Agrometeorology
Working Group on Hydrological Forecasts and Assessments (WGH)
I. Shiklomanov (Russian Federation) Chairperson of WGH and Hydrological Advisor to the president S. Kim (Republic of Korea) Vice-Chairperson of WGH D.N. Tinh (Viet Nam) Theme Leader in Improving Institutional Capacity Zhou Li (China) Theme Leader in Disaster Mitigation – Implementation of the WMO Flood Forecasting Initiative A.K. Kadhum (Iraq) Theme Leader in Disaster Management – Hydrological Aspects of Drought S. Kim (Republic of Korea) Theme Leader in Water Resources Assessment, Availability and Use and Sedimentation in Rivers and Reservoirs A. Fatahi (Islamic Republic of Iran) Theme Leader in Improved Accuracy of Hydrometric and Sediment Observations S. Myagkov (Uzbekistan) Theme Leader in Hydrological Responses to Climate Variability and Change A. Homidov (Tajikistan) Theme Leader in Regional Exchange of Hydrological Data and Information
Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Service Delivery (WGDRS)
E.S.T. Lai (Hong Kong, China) Chairperson of WGDRS
Sub-Group on Disaster Risk Reduction (WGDRS-DRR)
O. Ustinova (Russian Federation) Coordinator of WGDRS-DRR J.-C. Nam (Republic of Korea) Theme Leader in Climate Disaster Risk Reduction N. Agaltseva (Uzbekistan) Theme Leader in Hydrology Disaster Risk Reduction H. Mir (Pakistan) Theme Leader in Early Warning and Nowcasting
Sub-Group on Service Delivery (WGDRS-SD)
A. Vazifeh (Islamic Republic of Iran) Coordinator of WGDRS-SD Qian Chuanhai (China) Theme Leader in Regional Marine Meteorological and Oceanographic Services 128 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
A. Liakhov (Russian Federation) Theme Leader in Public Weather Services Y. Honda (Japan) Theme Leader in Numerical Weather Prediction Systems and Products T. Nakazawa (Japan) Theme Leader in WWRP-THORPEX
Sub-Group on Aeronautical Meteorological Services (WGDRS-AeM)
S.C. Bhan (India) Coordinator of WGDRS-AeM M. Petrova (Russian Federation) Theme Leader in Quality Management and Training S.M.K. Song (Hong Kong, China) Theme Leader in Capacity-building and AeM Pilot Projects J. Ryuzaki (Japan) Theme Leader in MET support for ATM and New Terminal Forecast Sarfaraz (Pakistan) Theme Leader in Customer Relations and Partnership
Management Group (MG)
The president (chairperson) with vice-president and three Directors of NMHSs and, as appropriate, other Directors of NMHSs and chairpersons of RA II working groups, to be invited by the president for each session.
Experts nominated to work for subsidiary bodies of Regional Association II (Asia)
C – Chairperson of a working group L – Theme leader O – Coordinator of a sub-group S – Supporting expert M – Member of the Working Group on IOS/WIS
WMO Member WMO Member
Expert WG-IOS/WIS SG-IOS SG-WIS WGCAA WGCCA-CAS WGCAA-AgM WGH WGDRS WGDRS-DRR WGDRS-SD WGDRS-AeM Expert WG-IOS/WIS SG-IOS SG-WIS WGCAA WGCCA-CAS WGCAA-AgM WGH WGDRS WGDRS-DRR WGDRS-SD WGDRS-AeM
China Mr Edwin S.T. LAI C Mr CHEN Yongqing M Ms Sandy M.K. SONG L
Mr RAN Maonong L India Ms LI Xiang L Mr Manish RANALKAR L Dr ZHAI Panmao C Mr Manoj Kumar L Dr MAO Liuxi L BHATNAGAR Mr Ashok Kumar SHARMA L Ms ZHOU Li L Dr QIAN Chuanhai L Mr Naresh Kumar PANGASA L Dr Nabansu Dr ZHANG Zuqiang S L CHATTOPADHYAY Mr LIU Qijun S Mr Subhash Chander BHAN O Dr LIU Hongbin S Mr Kumar SURESH S Dr CHEN Zhenlin S Mr Swapan KUNDU S Ms GAO Ge S Ms Ranju MADAN S Dr ZHOU Qingliang S Mr Sourav ADHIKARY S Ms YAO Xiuping S Mr Bishwajit S Ms CHEN Jing S MUKHOPADHYAY Hong Kong, China Mr Nilkanth APTE S Mr Wai Man MA M Dr Mrutyunjay MOHAPATRA S ANNEXES 129
WMO Member WMO Member
Expert WG-IOS/WIS SG-IOS SG-WIS WGCAA WGCCA-CAS WGCAA-AgM WGH WGDRS WGDRS-DRR WGDRS-SD WGDRS-AeM Expert WG-IOS/WIS SG-IOS SG-WIS WGCAA WGCCA-CAS WGCAA-AgM WGH WGDRS WGDRS-DRR WGDRS-SD WGDRS-AeM Dr Rama Rao YERRABELLI Dr Oyunbaatar S S VENKATA DAMBARAVJAA Dr Swapan K. ROY Dr Adyabadam GELEGPIL S S BHOWMIK Pakistan Iran, Islamic Republic of Dr Arif MAHMOOD C Dr Farah MOHAMMADI O Mr Azmat Hayat KHAN L Dr Mohammad RAHIMI L Dr Ghulam RASUL O Ms Elham FARMAN L Mr Hazrat MIR L Dr Majeed HABIBI L Mr SARFARAZ L Dr Saeed BAZGIR L Mr Touseef ALAM S Dr Ali FATAHI L Mr Muhammad HANIF S Mr Ahad VAZIFEH O Mr Muhammad Ajmal SHAD S Ms Mina JABBARI S Mr Muhammad AFZAAL S Iraq Mr Dildar Hussain KAZMI S Dr Ali Karem KADHUM L Mr Asif HUSSAIN S Dr Sajedah Ali HASSAN S Republic of Korea Mr Saad Halbos FARAJ S Dr Okki LEE M Japan Mr Dong Il LEE L Mr Yasushi TAKATSUKI L Dr Im-Chul SHIN L Mr Takashi KOBUCHI L Dr Sung KIM L Mr Hiroyuki ICHIJO O Dr Jae-Cheol NAM L Mr Akira NAKAMORI L Dr Jae-Gwang WON S Dr Kiyoharu TAKANO O Dr Eun-Jeong LEE S Mr Yuki HONDA L Dr Won-Tae YUN S Dr Tetsuo NAKAZAWA L Dr Hyun-Suk KANG S Mr Jun RYUZAKI L Dr Kyu-Rang KIM S Mr Kazuto SUDA S Mr Yong-Han LIM S Mr Tomoo OHNO S Russian Federation Mr Kenji TSUNODA S Mr Alexander GAVRILOV M Mr Akihiko SHIMPO S Dr Sergey GROMOV L Mr Kazuhiko FUKAMI S Dr Vladislav L SHAYMARDANOV Mr Yoshiaki KANNO S Dr Vladimir KRYZHOV L Kuwait Prof. Iosif GRINGOF L Mr Khaled SHUAIBI S Prof. Igor SHIKLOMANOV C Kyrgyzstan Dr Olga USTINOVA O Ms Olga KALASHNIKOVA S Dr Alexey LIAKHOV L Ms Svetlana VANDASHEVA S Ms M. PETROVA L Ms Natalia OKULICH- S Ms Lyubov BAKHAREVA S KAZARINA Ms Olga BULYGINA S Ms Tatiana CHERNIKOVA S Ms Olga CHUB S Mongolia Ms Irina DUGINA S Mr Tsogt JAMBA S Dr Mikhail GEORGIEVSKY S Mr Gomboluudev S PUREVJAV Dr Anna IVANOVA S 130 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
WMO Member WMO Member
Expert WG-IOS/WIS SG-IOS SG-WIS WGCAA WGCCA-CAS WGCAA-AgM WGH WGDRS WGDRS-DRR WGDRS-SD WGDRS-AeM Expert WG-IOS/WIS SG-IOS SG-WIS WGCAA WGCCA-CAS WGCAA-AgM WGH WGDRS WGDRS-DRR WGDRS-SD WGDRS-AeM
Mr Alexander KATS S Dr Chalump OONARIYA S
Ms Rimma MELOJAN S United Arab Emirates
Ms Julia NARISHKINA S Mr Mohamed AL ABRI S
Ms Eleonora PACHOMOVA S Uzbekistan
Dr Alexey ROMANOV S Dr Tatyana SPEKTORMAN L Ms Yevgeniya S VERBITSKAYA Dr Sergey MYAGKOV L Tajikistan Ms Natalya AGALTSEVA L Mr Anvar HOMIDOV L Mr Mikhail TORSKIY S
Thailand Ms Lidia GROM S Dr Wattana KANBUA S Mr Alexandr MIRKUSHKIN S
Mr Perapol BEGKHUNTOD S S S Viet Nam
Ms Patchara PETVIROJCHAI S Dr Dang Ngoc TINH L
ANNEX II Annex to paragraph 5.1.4.2 of the general summary
VOLUNTEERISM IN THE WORK OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA)
General
It is recognized that commitment and volunteerism, with the required support from Members, plays an important role in the subsidiary bodies of the Regional Association.
Recommendations
The following is recommended as per nominations, performance monitoring and recognition in order to improve the current situation with volunteerism, especially the declining number of volunteers:
Nominations:
1. That the work of WMO be better advertised and promoted within National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and other weather, climate, water and environment communities, in order to ensure contributions from a wide spectra of expertise and appropriate geographic coverage;
2. That prospective candidate experts and their Permanent Representatives should be aware of responsibilities and commitments, especially as far as coordination and participation are concerned;
3. That in seeking nomination for membership in the subsidiary bodies of the Regional Association, especially prior to a constituent body session, for the procedure to ensure that the commitment of the Permanent Representatives and the proposed experts are confirmed, as well as the availability of the professional profile, through a brief curriculum ANNEXES 131
vitae of the latter, to help ascertain their specific expertise, and willingness to contribute; and that nomination committees are established early to allow sufficient time to examine all experts’ personal information prior to a constituent body session;
4. That working group and sub-group members and theme leaders be chosen in such a way that their volunteer work corresponds to their daily activities in their home institutions;
5. That an indication of time commitment, for example in terms of minimum percentage of overall activity or time slots, might be useful for the agreement of the Permanent Representative to secure the necessary time for WMO work;
6. That Permanent Representatives should provide complete and up-to-date expert details, especially working e-mail addresses, to facilitate establishing subsidiary bodies;
7. That candidate experts not selected by nomination committees should be informed, thanked and encouraged to apply again to some other WMO work.
Performance monitoring:
1. That the WMO Secretariat manages the organization of subsidiary body meetings as early as possible within the intersessional period, in order to finalize action plans drafted following e-mail communication or teleconferences, and that the budget is set up accordingly, in order to have work assigned appropriately;
2. That evaluation of each subsidiary body and involved experts be conducted by the chairperson of the working group according to the rules of results-based management, in particular to decide on the continuation of the membership of experts, taking into consideration the need for a balance between continuity and new activities and experts;
3. This evaluation is also important for the experts involved, especially for the recognition of their work by their Permanent Representatives;
4. That should an expert not contribute at the expected level, or in case of a totally silent expert, the president of the Association will consider his/her replacement, for example after one year of insufficient contribution;
5. That peer-reviewed reports produced should be published as soon as possible, at least on subsidiary body websites, preferably in appropriate publication series with the names of contributors, for monitoring purposes and in order to recognize the work of the authors.
Recognition:
That Permanent Representatives should give recognition to their staff of work conducted for WMO activities. As in most National Meteorological and Hydrological Services an individual evaluation procedure is in place for rating staff members, the contribution to WMO work should be included in the list of criteria used.
132 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
ANNEX III Annex to paragraph 5.2.2.11 of the general summary
STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL SERVICES IN REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II (ASIA) (2009–2011)
This document contains the core of the RA II Strategic Plan. It takes into account the framework of the WMO Strategic Plan (i.e., eleven Expected Results grouped within five Strategic Thrusts under three Top-level Objectives). The regional consideration for each of the five WMO Strategic Thrusts is presented. Thereafter, under the relevant WMO Strategic Plan Expected Results, Regional Expected Results are identified which will serve as the common regional basis for action. Listed under each of the Regional Expected Results are the areas where deliverables are expected, through cooperation among Members, especially their NMHSs, for enhanced provision, access, operation or capability. Associated key targets, baselines and performance indicators, as well as identified relevant activities will be presented in the Action Plan. It will be desirable to identify a few priorities among those listed under each Regional Expected Result; this will serve as guidance to Members.
Strategic Plan for the Enhancement of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Regional Association II (Asia) (2009–2011)
WMO Top-level Objective 1 To produce more accurate, timely and reliable forecasts and warnings of weather, climate, water and related environmental elements WMO Strategic Thrust 1 Science and Technology Development and Implementation
There is increasing demand to provide more weather-, climate- and water-related comprehensive services to satisfy the increasing multi-faceted requirements of end-users; and so provide benefits to the safety and well- being of people, sustainable development and environmental protection. To respond to this, there is a need to further ensure that the relevant scientific and technological infrastructures in the Region are in place for the appropriate science and technology development and implementation to take place. The Region has some advanced scientific and technological expertise within world-class institutions, such as in some Members’ NMHSs, academia and in industry. Improved cooperation among Members can help develop the scientific knowledge and technical infrastructure to meet the requirements for more comprehensive services. Such areas include improved quality, range, use and timeliness of the basic data necessary for the production of weather forecasts, climate predictions and hydrological assessments, through ground-based or satellite observing systems; utilizing new technologies to improve the timeliness of the exchange of data and products; and improved modelling to forecast a greater range of natural hazards at longer lead times.
In this connection, RA II will work towards: (i) Improving the knowledge of meteorological and hydrological processes and understanding of the requirements of the user community regarding the accuracy and usefulness of the analysis, forecasts, warnings and risk assessments of meteorological, hydrological and related hazards and impacts of environmental changes; (ii) Further developing and capitalizing on existing infrastructures, mechanisms and organizations in order to better respond to increased users’ requirements, especially through the involvement of all stakeholders; (iii) Modernizing the RA II meteorological, hydrological and related infrastructure, including by associating the capabilities of NMHSs, regional and subregional organizations with those of possible partners, where appropriate; (iv) Preserving and further developing the hydrological infrastructure for monitoring and forecasting the quantity and quality of both surface water and groundwater; (v) Ensuring that the Region develops an improved efficient and effective infrastructure to significantly contribute to, and more fully benefit from, the global WMO systems; and (vi) Ensuring that the Region plays its part in, and benefit from, the effective operation and delivery of a global multi-hazard early warning system, including on disaster preparedness and climate change. ANNEXES 133
In light of the above, RA II will try to achieve Regional Expected Results, in the context of the Expected Results identified in the WMO Strategic Plan approved by Fifteenth Congress in 2007.
1. WMO Expected Result 1 Enhanced capabilities of Members to produce better weather forecasts and warnings
Regional ER1(a): Upgrade in Members’ capability and infrastructure in respect of NWP activities including high-speed computers, use of EPS (Ensemble Prediction System) products and nowcasting of high-impact weather Deliverable: (Listed under this heading are the areas where deliverables are expected, through cooperation among Members, especially their NMHSs, for enhanced provision, access, operation or capability. Key targets, baselines and performance indicators, as well as identified relevant activities are presented in the Action Plan.) 1.1 Migration from lower-speed Category I (below 100 GFLOPs) computer systems to higher-speed Category II (100 to 1000 GFLOPs) and III (over 1000 GLOPs) systems 1.2 Automatic data reception, decoding and archival; automatic data visualization; and automatic data processing 1.3 Assimilation of remote-sensing and other asynoptic data in NWP (e.g., using variational analysis) 1.4 Operational NWP model(s) runs 1.5 Operational access to NWP products from major centres 1.6 Effective use and interpretation of all NWP products in forecasting operations 1.7 Systematic comparison of the skills of various models in predicting weather parameters in subregions 1.8 Operational nowcasting system for high-impact weather warning 1.9 Operational use and interpretation of EPS (Ensemble Prediction System) products and probability forecasts 1.10 Development and production of weather indices for the public, e.g., ultraviolet radiation index, heat/cold stress index 1.11 Development and implementation of UVI (ultraviolet index) forecast 1.12 NWP forecasts and warnings on sand/dust storms Regional ER1(b): Enhancement in Members’ capabilities in producing specialized aeronautical, marine and tropical cyclone forecasts and warnings Deliverable: 1.13 Operational reception of OPMET data 1.14 Operation of WAFS satellite receiving equipment 1.15 Reception of WAFS products operationally through other channels 1.16 Producing marine forecasts/warnings for coastal waters including sea state and wave/swell 1.17 Producing marine forecasts/warnings for high seas 1.18 Increased accuracy, timeliness and usefulness of tropical cyclone forecasts and warnings 1.19 Extended use of Ensemble Prediction System (EPS) and consensus technique for tropical cyclone forecasting 1.20 Implementation of probabilistic forecast of tropical cyclones Regional ER1(c): Encouraging Members’ observation of the principle of free and unrestricted international exchange of relevant data and products among Members Deliverable: 1.21 Promotion and strengthening of the principle of free and unrestricted international exchange of data and products among Members, particularly their NMHSs
2. WMO Expected Result 2 Enhanced capabilities of Members to produce better climate predictions and assessments
Regional ER2(a): Upgrade in Members’ capability in observation and in development of climate services and prediction to meet users’ diverse requirements in respect of sustainable development Deliverable:
2.1 Climatological stations operated/supervised by Members 2.2 Climate variables measured and processed 2.3 Issuance of climatological statistics and indices and make them easily available and delivered to users 2.4 Climate-related bulletins/publications issued 2.5 Number of users receiving climatological products periodically 2.6 Provision of monthly/seasonal climate prediction 2.7 Monitoring climate change and climate variability 2.8 Provision of meteorological and climatological information for the sustainable use and conservation of natural resources 2.9 Marine observations and providing data to support global and regional climate studies, including participation in GLOSS (Global Sea Level Observing System) to monitor long-term sea-level changes associated with global warming 2.10 Meeting the needs for climate information of user sectors such as health, tourism, energy and building, as well as the public 134 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
Regional ER2(b): Enhanced capability in the provision of products, services as well as policy-relevant assessments and advice in support of adaptation strategies and mitigation measures to alleviate the impacts of climate change Deliverable:
2.11 Maintenance of metadata records for their observation stations 2.12 Maintenance of records of proxy data related to climate change (tree rings, vegetation extent, etc.) 2.13 Adoption of innovative agrometeorological adaptation strategies in face of climate variability and climate change 2.14 Sector-specific periodic publications (e.g., health, tourism, energy and building) Regional ER2(c): Enhanced cooperation in climate research and services provision through the establishment of Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) and possibly subregional centres in RA II; Deliverable:
2.15 Establishment of the Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) 2.16 Establishment of specialized subregional Centres where Members identify a need 2.17 Provision and wide use of products and services issued by RCCs 2.18 Specific RCCs products addressing subregional requirements 2.19 Participation in regional or subregional climate research
3. WMO Expected Result 3 Enhanced capabilities of Members to provide better hydrological forecasts and assessments
Regional ER3(a): Improvement in Members’ capability in observation and development of products and services for the user community, including flood/flash flood and landslide/debris flow warnings Deliverable:
3.1 Growth in spatial and temporal coverage of hydrological observation networks 3.2 Growth in number and frequency of hydrology-related publications issued by NMHSs 3.3 Reliability of maintenance procedures for measurement and equipment (including gauges) in hydrological stations 3.4 Reliability of quality control procedures applied on data collected from hydrological stations 3.5 Real-time reporting of hydrological data from networks including from remote stations 3.6 Hydrometric measurements with quality and accuracy 3.7 Calculation of runoff with quality and accuracy 3.8 Estimation of sedimentation rates and sediment budgets with accuracy 3.9 Measurement of changes in river flow in snow/glacier-fed rivers (to assess effect of climate change and climate variability) 3.10 Issuance of flood warnings and constantly improving upon them 3.11 Issuance of flash flood warnings and constantly improving upon them 3.12 Issuance of landslide/debris flow warnings and constantly improving upon them 3.13 Improvement in warnings capability through enhanced and effective cooperation with other NMHSs 3.14 Contribution towards Integrated Flood Management (IFM) Regional ER3(b): Upgrade in Members’ capability in monitoring changes in hydrological parameters and in assessing water availability especially in light of climate change Deliverable: 3.15 Assessment of basin-wide water resources availability, including use of climate predictions 3.16 Measurement and estimation of other forecasting and assessment relevant hydrological variables 3.17 Implementation of Water Resources Assessment (WRA) 3.18 Improved contributions to Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) 3.19 Improved management of lakes and reservoirs 3.20 Improved knowledge for catchment management 3.21 Contribution to adaptation relating to changes in water resources availability (including trends and outlook) 3.22 Enhanced preparedness to predict and manage hydrological droughts 3.23 Improvement in building knowledge and assessments for decision-making at national and regional levels 3.24 Improvement in adaptation capacity of water resources systems in a changing climate 3.25 Improvement in capacity for water-related disaster management (Hydrological extremes) Regional ER3(c): Encouragement of Members to contribute to, and benefit from, appropriate databases, resources and expertise Deliverable:
3.26 Participation in the Hydrological Information Referral Service (INFOHYDRO) 3.27 Participation in national/regional joint activities/programmes involving hydrologists, meteorologists and the climate communities 3.28 Access to, and appropriate use of, relevant new technologies through improved exchange mechanisms in the context of HOMS ANNEXES 135
3.29 Improved development, adaptation and use of hydrological models for forecasting and assessments 3.30 Participation in the planning and implementation of the World Hydrological Cycle Observing System (WHYCOS) 3.31 Improved access and use of national, regional and global hydrological data and information for water-related projects and scientific programmes within and beyond the Region 3.32 Improvement in strategic planning capability 3.33 Improvement in institutional management capability 3.34 Development of national and regional capacity-building programmes and related training activities
4. WMO Expected Result 4 Integration of WMO observing systems
Regional ER4(a): Upgrade in Members’ capability in maintaining and developing their meteorological observation networks and in implementation of additional equipment/systems to meet users’ needs Deliverable:
4.1 New synoptic stations in the national observation network 4.2 New upper-air stations in the national observation network 4.3 Regular maintenance and calibration of observation instruments 4.4 Reliability of quality management routines and procedures of weather observations 4.5 Real-time delivery of measured observations at remote stations 4.6 Enhanced temporal and spatial coverage of weather measurements 4.7 Availability of qualified maintenance technicians in NMHSs 4.8 Availability of calibration instruments in NMHSs 4.9 Maintenance/enhancement of operational Regional Basic Synoptic Network (RBSN) surface stations in the Region 4.10 Maintenance/enhancement of automatic weather stations (AWSs) in the Region 4.11 Maintenance/enhancement of rainfall stations in the Region 4.12 Maintenance/enhancement of operational RBSN upper-air stations in the Region 4.13 Maintenance/enhancement of operational Regional Basic Climatological Network (RBCN) stations in the Region 4.14 Maintenance/enhancement of operational GCOS surface stations in the Region 4.15 Maintenance/enhancement of operational GCOS upper-air stations in the Region 4.16 Maintenance/enhancement of operational weather radar stations in the Region 4.17 Maintenance/enhancement of ground station(s) in the Region to receive high-resolution images from geostationary meteorological satellites 4.18 Maintenance/enhancement of operational wind profiler stations in the Region 4.19 Maintenance/enhancement of lightning location networks in the Region 4.20 Maintenance/enhancement of Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) stations in the Region Regional ER4(b): Upgrade in Members’ capability in maintaining and developing their marine and aviation observations and in implementation of additional equipment/systems to meet users’ needs Deliverable:
4.21 Maintenance/enhancement of operational tide gauges in the Region 4.22 Maintenance/enhancement of operational drifting and moored buoys 4.23 Maintaining/recruiting more voluntary observing ships (VOS) for meteorological, oceanographic and/or upper-air observations Regional ER4(c): Encouragement of Members in collecting and exchanging non-conventional meteorological data for weather applications and disaster mitigation Deliverable: 4.24 Collection/exchange of non-conventional meteorological data (such as precipitable water vapour derived from GPS, and observations related to renewable energy resources) for weather applications such as forecasting and modelling 4.25 Involvement in the planning and implementation of the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS) Regional ER4(d): More cost-effective operation and better supply of good quality data and products Deliverable: 4.26 Monitoring and auditing routines and procedures to optimize use of resources in a cost-effective way in the administrative and technical operations of NMHSs 4.27 Ensuring the accuracy of the instruments they use 4.28 Routines and procedures to review the format, content and methods of delivery of hydrometeorological data and products to assure quality and maintain cost effectiveness 4.29 Periodic surveys targeting various users to monitor, and meet, their changing needs and requirements for data and products 4.30 Operation of AWSs on green technology (including use of renewable energy such as solar and wind power), for sustainable development 136 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
5. WMO Expected Result 5 Development and implementation of the new WMO Information System
Regional ER5(a): Upgrade in Members’ telecommunications capability including circuits and connection to broadband Internet Deliverable:
5.1 Migration from low-speed Category I (below 9.6 kbps) to higher-speed Category II (9.6 to 64 kbps) and III (over 64 kbps) GTS connections to the Regional Telecommunication Hubs (RTHs) 5.2 Connection to the Internet by broadband 5.3 Connection to the Internet by telephone dial-up 5.4 Shift from the costly radiofacsimile broadcast of meteorological and oceanographic information in chart form to more economical modern communication means Regional ER5(b): Improved data and products exchange for RA II Members under WIS implementation Deliverable: 5.5 Implementation of the WMO Information System (WIS) Regional ER 5(c): Assistance and advice to Members on their migration plan to an extended use of Table Driven Code Forms (TDCFs) Deliverable:
5.6 Migration to WMO Table Driven Code Forms (TDCFs)
WMO Top-level Objective 2 To improve the delivery of weather, climate, water and related environmental information and services to the public, governments and other users WMO Strategic Thrust 2 Service Delivery
Service Delivery in the areas of weather, climate and water significantly contributes to the safety and well- being of people and their livelihood; the security and productivity of socio-economic sectors such as agriculture, transport and energy thereby contributing to sustainable development; safeguarding the environment; as well as in contributing to policy-making in such issues as climate change, natural disasters and water resources.
The Region needs to respond to national, regional and global changes with their associated challenges and opportunities. These influence the range, scope and character of users’ requirements for services and the circumstances in which service providers operate. For example, the expectation that climate change will affect the intensity and/or frequency of weather- and water-related hazards in the Region may require improved or different early warning services in many Members, as well as new or more comprehensive services related to environmental protection (e.g., air quality, water quality). Also, governments and economic sectors will require guidance to respond to climate change, particularly in relation to adaptation strategies to consider. Thus, the increased demand for more improved and varied services provides opportunities for the NMHSs to demonstrate their relevance and capability as well as to increase their visibility. In turn, the recognition of the socio-economic benefits of the services that NMHSs can provide, could very well lead to strengthened support for them.
In this connection, RA II will work towards:
(i) Better understanding the relevant requirements of governmental bodies, economic sectors, media and general public to enable the provision of appropriate responses;
(ii) Better use of capabilities in the Region, including the quality and completeness of meteorological and hydrological records for application in development planning, disaster preparedness, climate change responses and related issues;
(iii) Working together to provide a broader range of subregional and regional services;
(iv) Working together to share and implement best practices and optimize the use of available capabilities and resources to improve service production and delivery within the Region;
(v) Creating and monitoring important mechanisms that contribute to sustainable development;
ANNEXES 137
(vi) Closely following up and documenting the pertinent evolving needs, trends and developments with a view to identifying challenges to address and opportunities to avail; and (vii) Assessing and documenting the socio-economic benefits of weather-, climate- and water-related services and other relevant activities in the Region, which can serve as foundation for resource mobilization strategy and activities.
6. WMO Expected Result 6 Enhanced capabilities of Members in multi-hazard early warning and disaster prevention and preparedness
Regional ER 6(a): Upgrade in Members’ capability in providing short-range forecast/warning, in disaster risk assessment and in contributing to disaster mitigation and sustainable development Deliverable: 6.1 Focus efforts through the establishment/implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction Units in NMHSs 6.2 Involvement of NMHSs in publishing national disaster risk assessments 6.3 Nowcasting (0-6 hours ahead) service on high-impact weather 6.4 Dedicated units for forecasting high-impact weather conditions 6.5 Issuance of short-range forecasts/warnings (6–24 hours ahead) 6.6 Issuance of storm surge warnings 6.7 Operational storm surge model(s) runs 6.8 Provision of support for combating marine pollution 6.9 Provision of support for search and rescue operations 6.10 Involvement in national risk reduction planning and disaster management processes and activities 6.11 Implementation of instrumentation (e.g., DART) for real-time monitoring of storm surge or tsunami 6.12 Availability of an emergency (fully robust) delivery system of meteorological products for early warnings and for post disaster search and rescue operation 6.13 24/7 (24 hours, 7 days) production and dissemination of met-ocean numerical products 6.14 24/7 production and dissemination of basic and specialized NWP products under emergency situations Regional ER6(b): Improved efforts of Members in outreach activities to users through public education and liaison with stakeholders Deliverable: 6.15 Establish/strengthen links with national disaster managers 6.16 Develop/implement a public education programme 6.17 Involvement of NMHSs in introducing meteorology in school curriculum 6.18 Engagement of NMHSs in joint activities with national stakeholders Regional ER6(c): Establishment of a region-wide multi-hazard early warning system, covering in particular hazards coming from the ocean as well as various airborne hazards Deliverable:
6.19 Use of GIS platform to facilitate early warning, disaster prevention and preparedness 6.20 Participation in a region-wide multi-hazard early warning system 6.21 Providing early warning support for airborne hazards, in particular smoke from wildfires, volcanic emissions, chemical or biological spills, and nuclear accidents
7. Expected Result 7 Enhanced capabilities of Members to provide and use weather, climate, water and environmental applications and services
Regional ER7(a): Upgrade in Members’ service delivery capability through enhanced legal basis, including cost recovery and by maintaining close liaison with academia, the media and private sector Deliverable: 7.1 Establish/review legal basis for provision of services, including charging for services, as appropriate 7.2 Implementation/enhancement of cost recovery of services 7.3 Enhanced close cooperation with academia 7.4 Enhanced close cooperation with the media 7.5 Enhanced close cooperation with the private sector Regional ER7(b): Sharing of experience on service delivery techniques among public weather, aviation, agriculture, river navigation and marine sectors Deliverable: 7.6 Issuance of medium-range forecasts/warnings (1 day – 2 weeks ahead) 7.7 Operation of a website for real-time weather information, forecasts and warnings 138 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
Regional ER7(c): Enhancement in Members’ aeronautical meteorological services including observations, information exchange and quality management Deliverable:
7.8 Provision of improved aeronautical meteorological services 7.9 NMSs designation as Meteorological Authority 7.10 Full capability to make and transmit aerodrome meteorological observations 7.11 Issuance of TAF operationally 7.12 Issuance of SIGMET operationally 7.13 Provision of flight documentation to airlines 7.14 Implementation of cost recovery of aeronautical meteorological services 7.15 Implementation of a quality management system for the provision of aeronautical meteorological services meeting WMO Technical Regulations (Chapter C.3.1)/ICAO Annex 3 requirements 7.16 Implementation of WMO-No. 258 requirements for aeronautical meteorological personnel Regional ER7(d): Improvement in Members’ capability in marine meteorological services including forecasts and warnings Deliverable:
7.17 Issuance of marine forecasts/warnings for coastal waters including sea state and wave/swell 7.18 Issuance of marine forecasts/warnings for high seas Regional ER7(e): Improvement in Members’ capability in agrometeorological services including information, forecasts and drought monitoring Deliverable: 7.19 Provision of agrometeorological information and forecasts to users 7.20 Provision of agrometeorological services to the user community by promoting practical applications of technological advances in the agrometeorology domain 7.21 Regular publication of agrometeorological statistics and parameters for various users 7.22 Publication of meteorological products designed for livestock, fisheries and wild life 7.23 Monitoring and warning systems for drought 7.24 Early warning system for frost formation and heat waves Regional ER7(f): Encouragement of Members to engage in socio-economic studies of the benefits of weather-, climate- and water- related services Deliverable: 7.25 Cooperative efforts involving various stakeholders in undertaking and documenting socio-economic studies demonstrating the benefits of meteorological, climatological and hydrological infrastructure, information, products and services.
WMO Top-level Objective 3 To provide scientific and technical expertise and advice in support of policy and decision-making and implementation of the agreed international development goals and multilateral agreements WMO Strategic Thrust 3 Partnership
The Region has already extensive experience in partnership. The weather, climate and water communities already have to work together to exchange needed data and products to enable the production and dissemination of needed forecasts and other services. Nonetheless, in view of the recognized need to appropriately respond to an ever-expanding set of user requirements, working together both within the Region and with other bodies outside the Region is a key strategic thrust for the Region. This is particularly underscored by the fact that the primary areas of concern to be addressed transcend boundaries – geographical, institutional and disciplinary. Partnership provides a good opportunity to optimize resources and capability in a synergistic manner. Within the Region, it would be desirable to strengthen partnership through region-wide organizations or subregional groupings overseeing the enhanced networking of meteorological observations, meteorological/environmental satellites, cooperation in NWP activities as well as in areas of research and applications. Inter-regional partnerships can be developed to also take advantage of experiences, expertise, infrastructure and other resources that can be shared. It is therefore important to take into account partnership in future initiatives or development projects.
In this connection, RA II will work towards:
(i) Identifying strategic opportunities for regional and subregional cooperation and promoting potential bodies or other mechanisms for new partnerships; ANNEXES 139
(ii) Developing innovative approaches and collaboration with new potential partners;
(iii) Developing subregional framework to meet regional or subregional requirements with a view to optimizing development effort and resources;
(iv) Promoting close cooperation among meteorological, hydrological and oceanographic services/institutions, where they are separated at the national level;
(v) Promoting cooperation with other national stakeholders such as in other government institutions, economic sectors, academia and the media;
(vi) Promoting enhanced regional cooperation involving international river basins;
(vii) Improving the interaction with other sectors and disciplines including those in the social sciences, health authorities, development planning and disaster preparedness communities;
(viii) Ensuring a fruitful dialogue with other WMO Regional Associations and with WMO Technical Commissions; and
(ix) Securing the relevant participation of NMHSs in the operational implementation of research-funded projects.
8. WMO Expected Result 8 Broader use of weather, climate and water outputs for decision-making and implementation by Members and partner organizations
Regional ER8(a): Enhanced capability to develop proposals for subregional joint projects, including resource mobilization plan, in the areas of meteorological research, observations, satellites and NWP Deliverable: 8.1 Enhanced services through improvement in the area of meteorological and hydrological research and/or observations for the Region (or subregion) 8.2 Enhanced services through improvement in the area of satellite development/operation for the Region (or subregion) 8.3 Numerical weather prediction (NWP) operational capability for the Region (or subregion) 8.4 Exchange of weather radar images operationally over GTS/WIS, Internet or other means, with a view to producing a composite radar picture for the Region (or subregion), to enhance public, aviation and marine safety Regional ER8(b): Enhanced cooperation with other service providers in the provision of specific weather services or advice Deliverable:
8.5 Collection and distribution of automated meteorological observations from aircraft, e.g., AMDAR and ADS data 8.6 Provision of location-specific weather services, e.g., alert of lightning or heavy rain (based on radar reflectivity) within a specified radius from the location, in association with information service providers to support decision-making by the public, people ‘on the move’ and weather-sensitive operations 8.7 Implementation of GIS platform combining meteorological and non-meteorological information (e.g., road/traffic conditions) to assist users Regional ER8(c): Enhanced cooperation with other sectors (such as social sciences, health, planning and disaster preparedness) in the provision of specific weather services or advice Deliverable:
8.8 Regional exchange of information on research related to interaction between weather/climate and health 8.9 Health-related studies in association with partner organizations (in areas such as urban micro-climate studies in respect of respiratory diseases, and bio-climate studies in respect of diseases such as Dengue Fever and avian flu) 8.10 Development of resource mobilization plan to access funding by NMHSs from development partners or from stakeholders for the provision of specific services 8.11 Interdisciplinary partnership for undertaking socio-economic benefits studies as foundation for resource mobilization efforts 8.12 Members’ capability in facilitating the use of agrometeorological information for enhancing animal health and reducing animal exposure to diseases
140 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
WMO Top-level Objective 3 To provide scientific and technical expertise and advice in support of policy and decision-making and implementation of the agreed international development goals and multilateral agreements Strategic Thrust 4 Capacity-building
Capacity-building is an important area to focus on as many developing countries and least developed countries in the Region face significant challenges in providing even basic weather-, climate- and water- related services. The capability within the Region is not homogeneous and not all Members can contribute as effectively as they would like to the safety and well-being of people, sustainable development and environmental protection; nor are they also able to more fully benefit from pertinent services that may be available elsewhere. This situation is exacerbated by the increasing demand for more comprehensive services across the Region. There is a need to build capacity so that the whole Region can effectively utilize the expertise and resources available as equitably as possible. This can be done, among others, by capitalizing on the training provided by WMO and Members’ training centres, RSMCs and programmes carried out by consortia. This can help to address the technological gaps that exist. Technology transfer can be facilitated through the subregional networks, and other multilateral collaborations including the sharing of best practices. And these capacity-building efforts could involve partners across geographical, institutional or disciplinary frontiers. It is important to view capacity-building as a strategic imperative and part of an overall strategic development plan at the regional, subregional and national levels. Hence, capacity-building is not to be limited to scientific and technological concerns, but also strategic, developmental and management consideration including human resources development, resource mobilization and communications plans.
In this connection, RA II will work towards:
(i) Assessing and addressing the gaps in knowledge and capabilities to ensure an appropriate level of services, especially in observation infrastructure design, operation and sustainability;
(ii) Evolving an appropriate strategic approach to enable the best use of the Region’s existing capabilities and to develop new ones where appropriate to achieve RA II objectives;
(iii) Setting up the appropriate collective actions/projects to meet identified needs;
(iv) Ensuring that the Region and its NMHSs have the right people with the right skills to achieve their objectives; and
(v) Sharing experience and best practices from and with other WMO constituent bodies.
9. WMO Expected Result 9 Enhanced capabilities of NMHSs in developing countries, particularly least developed countries, to fulfill their mandates
Regional ER9(a): Development of a strategic approach to capacity-building for use at national level but with a regional perspective Deliverable: 9.1 Outline (or template) to enable the formulation of capacity assessment and development plan as part of a national (overall) strategic plan for the enhanced provision of weather, climate and water services Regional ER9(a): Maintaining a structured training programme for professional, technical and supporting staff and in assisting its staff in acquiring the necessary qualification to improve services Deliverable: 9.2 Maintenance of highly-qualified staff with specialized training in NMHSs 9.3 Maintenance/implementation of a structured training plan for professional, technical and supporting staff 9.4 Access and use of e-learning materials 9.5 Professional certification of staff in respect of WMO’s latest personnel classification scheme 9.6 Continuous education programmes and refresher courses for staff 9.7 Management training (including strategic planning) for mid- and high-level personnel 9.8 Migration from Category I (below 3 days) to Category II (3-6 days) and Category III (over 6 days) range of public weather forecasts 9.9 Operation of an automatic telephone answering system for weather information, forecasts and warnings 9.10 Operation of a television weather programme 9.11 Nowcasting and very short-range forecasting for aerodromes ANNEXES 141
9.12 Operation and update of a Website for the delivery and display of their services and products 9.13 Rescue and digitizing climate records Regional ER9(b): Enhancement in Members’ capability in self-monitoring through user feedback, public surveys and verification of their own products Deliverable: 9.14 Verification of the accuracy of public forecasts 9.15 Feedback from the public through opinion surveys, user groups, etc. 9.16 Verification of aviation forecasts (including TAF) and warnings using a WMO-approved set of methods 9.17 Feedback from aviation users through opinion surveys, user groups, etc. 9.18 Feedback from marine users through opinion surveys, user groups, etc. Regional ER9(c): Members to conduct public education programmes to outreach to the public and user community Deliverable: 9.19 Public education programme for users on the availability and use of marine meteorological and oceanographic information, forecasts and warnings 9.20 Public education programme regarding water-related information, including hazards, hydrological forecasts and warnings 9.21 Public education programme regarding climate-related information, including climate change and variability, and associated adaptation and mitigation issues Regional ER9(d): Members to take part in WMO’s global weather information services as well as pilot projects in RA II Deliverable:
9.22 Contributing operational weather information to WMO’s on-line World Weather Information Service (WWIS) 9.23 Support to exchange of official warnings of severe weather by contributing to WMO’s on-line Severe Weather Information Centre (SWIC) 9.24 (RA II Pilot Project) Enhanced use of and participation in city-specific NWP products provided to developing countries via Internet 9.25 (RA II Pilot Project) Enhanced use of and participation in the support provided to developing countries in Aeronautical Meteorology Programme
WMO Top-level Objective 3 To provide scientific and technical expertise and advice in support of policy and decision-making and implementation of the agreed international development goals and multilateral agreements WMO Strategic Thrust 5 Efficient Management and Good Governance
Appropriate management and governance are essential in ensuring the realization of an entity’s vision, goals and objectives with the full interactive and iterative participation of the concerned stakeholders as well as in making the most cost-effective use of the available resources. A strategic approach to the needed development in the Region will be desirable to define a clear direction. These considerations are important for the Region to meet the priorities as articulated by Members and to effectively manage resources available to it including those provided out of good will such as contribution of volunteers from its Members to conduct many of its activities.
In this connection, RA II will work towards:
(i) Further development of its Strategic Plan, assessment of its implementation including reviewing subsidiary bodies of RA II and their role in delivering the Strategic Plan’s objectives;
(ii) Ensuring continuing interaction within RA II to ascertain evolving needs, trends and developments with a view to promoting common approaches to address identified priority areas of concern;
(iii) Liaising with WMO Secretariat to assist in the further development of RA II’s expertise and capabilities as well as in promoting the use of such by other entities in the Region and elsewhere;
(iv) Collaborating, sharing experience, knowledge and capabilities with other Regions to help deliver the WMO Strategic Plan objectives; and
(v) Enhanced networking with Members, relevant institutions and bodies with a view to pooling the Region’s expertise and capabilities to better meet users’ requirements.
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10. WMO Expected Result 10 Effective and efficient functioning of constituent bodies
Regional ER10(a): Improved RA II decision making and coordination Deliverable: 10.1 Authority to the president of RA II to make decisions on behalf of RA II, in consultation with Management Group so as to have more dynamic response and decision-making not limited to time of sessions Regional ER10(b): Effective monitoring of the RA II Action Plan Deliverable: 10.2 Effectiveness in RA II’s monitoring of the Action Plan Regional ER10(c): Review of the subsidiary working groups of RA II Deliverable: 10.3 Effective re-organization of RA II subsidiary working groups Regional ER10(d): Gauging Members’ level of satisfaction with RA II work through the yearly survey Deliverable:
10.4 Effectiveness in the service and support provided to Members in light of the RA II’s alignment with WMO’s result-based management approach
11. WMO Expected Result 11 Effective and efficient management performance and oversight of the Organization
Regional ER11(a): Improved strategic planning process as well as monitoring and evaluation Deliverable: 11.1 Documented regional strategic planning process with its linkage to the WMO process and the national processes, taking into account also the needed monitoring and evaluation of the WMO, regional and national plans Regional ER11(b): Increased influence of RA II constituent bodies in regional related matters Deliverable: 11.2 Increased influence of RA II constituent bodies in substantive issues of pertinent importance to the region within the framework of regional priorities and concerns Regional ER11(c): Intensified and easier access to common resources via electronic means Deliverable: 11.3 Improvement of electronic and related infrastructure for enhancing efficient and effective access to WMO common resources 11.4 Development of a database for effective management of appropriate resources Regional ER11(d): Enhanced RA II hydrological activities; networking of Members for contribution to regional initiatives related to water Deliverable: 11.5 Improved coordination among Members on hydrological and related activities
APPENDIX
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
1. Officers of the session
President A. Majeed H. Isa
2. Representatives of WMO Members within Region II
Afghanistan Abdul Q. Qadir Principal Delegate
Bahrain Abdul-Majeed Husain Isa Principal Delegate Adel Tarrar Daham Alternate Khalid Hussain Yaseen Delegate Nader Ahmed Abdulla Delegate
Bhutan Tashi Samdup Principal Delegate
China Shen Xiaonong Principal Delegate Yu Jixin Alternate Chen Zhenlin Delegate Zhang Yuetang Delegate Zhou Yong Delegate
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Kim Yong Ho Delegate Won Kyon Sop Delegate
Hong Kong, China B.Y. Lee Principal Delegate C.M. Shun Alternate
India Ajit Tyagi Principal Delegate
Iran, Islamic Republic of A.M. Noorian Principal Delegate Mohammad Rahimi Delegate Ahad Vazifeh Delegate
Iraq Ali K. Kadhum Principal Delegate
Japan Kunio Sakurai Principal Delegate Naoyuki Hasegawa Delegate Tatsuya Kimura Delegate
Kazakhstan Talgat Zeinullin Principal Delegate Mahanbet Zazihbaev Delegate Margulan Karibekov Delegate Djagpar Bahralinov Delegate
144 ABRIDGED FINAL REPORT OF THE FOURTEENTH SESSION OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATION II
Kyrgyzstan Muratbek Bakanov Principal Delegate
Macao, China António Viseu Principal Delegate Tong Tin Ngai Delegate
Mongolia Erdenebat Eldev-Ochir Principal Delegate
Nepal Keshav Sharma Principal Delegate
Oman Abdul Rahim Salim Ali Al-Harmi Principal Delegate Khalid Khamis Saif Al-Jahwari Delegate
Pakistan Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry Principal Delegate
Qatar Ahmad Abdulla Mohammed Principal Delegate Abdulla Mohamed Al-Mannai Delegate Khalid Mohamed Al-Madfaa Delegate
Republic of Korea Joo-Young Cho Principal Delegate Jae-Cheol Nam Delegate Se-Won Kim Delegate Kum-Lan Kim Delegate
Russian Federation A.I. Bedritsky Principal Delegate V.M. Trukhin Delegate A.A. Nurullaev Delegate R.M. Vilfand Delegate I.A. Shiklomanov Delegate M.V. Petrova (Mrs) Delegate J. Balonishnikoa (Mrs) Delegate A. Podvyaznikova Delegate
Saudi Arabia Sameer Abdullelah Bukhari Principal Delegate Jamal bin Azdi Bantan Delegate
Sri Lanka G.H.P. Dharmaratna Principal Delegate
Tajikistan Anvar Homidov Principal Delegate
Thailand Somsri Huntrakul Principal Delegate
United Arab Emirates Mohamed Abdulla Al Abri Principal Delegate Faisal Hamad Salman Al Muhairi Delegate Saeed Abad Saleh Al Durra Delegate Sabed Rashed Masoud Al Ghafri Delegate
APPENDIX 145
Uzbekistan Victor Chub Principal Delegate Bakhtiyor Kadyrov Delegate Gayrat Umarov Delegate Zokhidjon Nazirov Delegate Sergey Myagkov Delegate Malika Nazarova (Mrs) Delegate Mikhail Torskiy Delegate Abduaziz Abdukarimov Delegate Khasan Imamdjanov Delegate Irina Zaytseva Delegate
Viet Nam Tran Van Sap Principal Delegate Nguyen Thuy Hang (Mrs) Delegate
3. Representatives of WMO Members outside Region II
Finland Petteri Taalas Observer Harri Pietarila Observer Ljubov Nevvonen (Ms) Observer
France Patrick Bénichou Observer
Ukraine Valeriy Gazenko Observer
United States of America William C. Bolhofer Observer Fredrick R. Branski Observer
4. Representatives of international organizations
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) Mandira S. Shrestha
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Abdu-Kadir Ergashev
Tashkent 5–11 December Regional Association II (Asia) 2008 Fourteenth session Geneva, 5–11 December 2008 XIV-RA II XIV-RA WMO-No. 1037 www.wmo.int WMO-No. 1037