1. GCOS Welcome and Update
Global Climate Observing System
GCOS
Welcome and Update
5th CBS-LC-GCOS
&
Advisory Group on GSN and GUAN (AGG)
7-9th September 2016 BAS, Cambridge, UK
Tim Oakley, GCOS Network Manager

2. What does GCOS do?
The vision of GCOS is that all users have access to the climate observations, data records and information which they require to address pressing climate-related concerns. GCOS users include individuals, national and international organizations, institutions and agencies. The role of GCOS is to work with partners to ensure the sustained provision of reliable physical, chemical and biological observations and data records for the total climate system – across the atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial domains, including hydrological and carbon cycles and the cryosphere.

3. Driving the Global Climate Observation Agenda
Identify/Review Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) through science panels
Regular review of how these ECV are observed
Develop plans to ensure continuity and improvement of observations
GCOS follows a 3 phase approach driven by users
2015 Status Report started the 3rd assessment cycle with a new Implementation Plan due in 2016 for UNFCCC COP 22
(1st cycle: )
(2nd cycle: )
(3rd cycle: )

4. GCOS
GCW
GOS
WHOS
GAW
GTOS

6. 3 Science Panels 3 Science Panels for Atmosphere, Land and Oceans:
Capture requirements for users of climate observations.
Identify & review Essential Climate Variables (ECV) and their specification
Review adequacy of networks to measure & exchange data
Give recommendations for the new Implementation Plan
Advocating sustained networks, open data access, and future evolution
Coordinate with other observing systems

7. GSN – GUAN

8. GCOS Minimum Requirements
GSN
Monthly means of daily maximum, minimum and mean temperature
Monthly precipitation amounts
If only monthly values, number of days in calculation
Monthly CLIMAT message
GUAN
Temperature up to 30hPa
Humidity up to tropopause
Wind direction/speed to 30hPa
1 report - 25 days each month
TEMP message

9. CBS Lead centres for GCOS

10. CBS-LC-GCOS Terms of Reference
TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE CBS LEAD CENTRES FOR GCOS FOR SUBMISSION TO CBS-XIV
In support of the Global Framework for Climate Services, especially by improving quality and sustainability of climate data, the Lead Centres for GCOS will:
1. Diagnose problems in the Regional Basic Climatological Networks (RBCNs) and the Antarctic Observing Network (AntON), with the emphasis on the GSN and GUAN, by using the available monitoring reports, such as those produced by the GCOS Monitoring and Analysis CENTRES and major WMO NWP Centres;
2. Liaise with nominated National Focal Points for GCOS and related Climatological Data, and other responsible officials, to rectify identified problems so as to improve data and meta data availability and quality;
3. Coordinate activities with other GCOS CENTRES and/or other WMO CENTRES as appropriate;
4. Report to CBS and GCOS on actions taken, progress achieved, concerns and recommendations on
a yearly basis in a time frame that corresponds to planned AOPC and CBS meetings;
5. Assist AOPC in the design of GSN and GUAN and Regions in the design of RBCNs/AntON;
6. Assist the WMO Secretariat in maintaining the list of National Focal Points for GCOS and related Climatological Data.

11. Key points for this meeting

12. Review and discuss the monitoring reports since our last meeting in October 2013 (Chile)
Discuss the CBS-LC-GCOS process and the challenges, inview of making recommendations to CBS & GCOS
Engage & contribute to the ‘new’ monitoring tools and future plans, in particular to those being developed through WIGOS
Daily CLIMAT
BUFR
GCOS Implementation Plan (next slide)

13. 2016 GCOS Implementation Plan
Date
Milestone
Preparatory work in 2013 – 2015 (GCOS panel meetings and three workshops with GFCS/UNFCCC/IPCC; Publication of Status Report)
15 November 2015
Draft Table of Contents submitted to COP21
2-4 February 2016
First Writing Team meeting: Detailed outline & writing assignments
2-4 March 2016
Open GCOS Conference: collect community views
April 2016
GCOS panel meetings finalize their draft chapters
24-26 May 2016
2nd Writing Team meeting: completes draft
June 2016
Limited review (including WMO, Technical Commissions and RAs)
July 2016
Public review (6 weeks)
September 2016
Final version approved by GCOS SC-24
October 2016
Final plan submitted to COP22

14. THANKYOU

15. c/o World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) E-mail: gcosjpo@wmo.int
GCOS Secretariat
c/o World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)
7 bis, Avenue de la Paix
P.O. Box 2300
1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Reporting Relations
Impact of WG recommendations (e.g. for UNFCCC)