Report by the Director of the Research Department (RES) CAS-17/INF. 2.4 Deon Terblanche

General The symbiotic relationship between the Research Department and CAS, has been a cornerstone for progress since CAS-16. Particular attention was paid to: Supporting progress on the six “Emerging Challenges and Opportunities in the Decade to Come”, as identified by CAS-16, and focusing on polar and sub-seasonal to seasonal prediction proposed by CAS-15. Promoting science and research as an essential component and the unifying force in the co-design and development of seamless services and working closely with WCRP. Ensuring a smooth post-THORPEX transition and accommodating essential working groups in the working structure of WWRP. Initiating and managing the development of implementation plans for both WWRP and GAW, with a strong focus on the “science for services” concept.

Staff Matters Dr. Liisa Jalkanen and Dr. Tetsuo Nakazawa retired as chiefs responsible for GAW and WWRP on 31 July 2014. The next day Dr. Oksana Tarasova and Dr. Paolo Ruti took on these roles, building on previous achievements but also bringing fresh energy and innovative ideas to the Research Department. We were successful to create an additional scientific officer post to support the growing number of activities of WWRP. There has also been a significant growth in the number of interns and Junior Professional Officers joining the Research Department and contributing significantly – a special thanks to Germany and the Republic of Korea.

Major Events World Weather Open Science Conference (WWOSC), held in Montreal, Canada, 16 to 21 August 2014, with excellent support from the Canadian Government and under the able leadership of Drs. Michel Béland, Alan Thorpe, Gilbert Brunet, Sarah Jones, Prof. Greg Carmichael; Drs. Brian Mills and Veronique Bouchet. The 2017 Quadrennial GAW Symposium, held in Geneva from 10 to 13 April 2017, brought 130 experts from diverse backgrounds together to debate how best to strengthen the end-to-end nature of GAW, from observations to services and policy-relevant information.

Communication, outreach and international relevance The WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin - a valuable support to climate policy. GAW also launched aerosols and reactive gases bulletins and both COP-22 and the United Nations Environmental Assembly in 2016. The close cooperation between the Secretariat and its counterparts in the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment), UN HABITAT, the World Health Organization (WHO) etc. The launch of the Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP) and its resonance internationally, including the Arctic Circle, the first White House Ministerial on the Arctic, the UN Ocean Conference, and the Arctic Council. WWRP booklet, Driving Innovation Together: The World Weather Research Programme, which focused on the achievements, aims and resource requirements of the three core projects and a number of other activities. Both WWRP and GAW continue to issue newsletters and contribute to popular articles in the WMO Bulletin.

Resource mobilization A significant portion of GAW and WWRP activities were funded from extra-budgetary resources. In WWRP, the three core projects were supported by Members through dedicated trust funds, and the three Coordination Offices in China, Germany and the Republic of Korea. GAW is developing funding proposals to the Green Climate Fund and others on the observation and analyses of atmospheric composition, through the Integrated Global Greenhouse Gas Information System (IG3IS). Measurement-model fusion for total deposition to enhance related products, was supported by Canada and the United States of America. Canada also supported the GAW Urban Research Meteorology and Environment (GURME) project and ozone activities, and Switzerland expressed interest to support the IG3IS office. The Secretariat has also managed to have some influence on the research calls by the European Commission.

Thank you Merci