1. CCl report to ICG-WIGOS
Dr William Wright
Co-chair OPACE1 on Data Management
Commission for Climatology
This presentation will have two parts, (1) an overview of current and proposed work within the CCl relevant to implementation of WIGOS; (2) some issues and challenges for the global climate community in implementing WIGOS.

2. Main activities of relevance to WIGOS
Technical Commission guidance on WIGOS Implementation – CCl representatives
CCl technical requirements and guidance
Quality management – best-practice framework for practices and procedures
Standardisation - CDMS
Data discoverability, metadata and interoperability
Capacity development
Other developments of interest
CCl Issues
Requested actions.
This slide summarises the main areas within CCl of relevance to observational system planning.
Point 1: CCl has for some time had Task Teams etc concerned with observational standards and practices, and has participated in meetings of, e.g. ET-AWS. During this time, we have always tried to frame our observational needs from the point of view of the producers and the consumers of climate services. This focus has been sharpened with the implementation of the GFCS, which places the emphasis very firmly on meeting the needs of users, particularly in the areas of disaster management, water, health . , as well as in the ongoing need to monitor the climate and climate change.
Point 2: These emphasise that for observation data to be of any use they must be accessible and managed in secure climate databases. At the Open Science Conference in Denver in late 2011 we presented two posters on the activities of the ET-CDMS and the TT-DARE, both within my OPACE 1. I’ll briefly describe current activities in these areas.

3. CCl participation in WIGOS-related teams
CCl is active on WIGOS Task Teams and Expert Teams (refer para (2))
These provide strong links between the CCl and WIGOS
CCl looking to nominate a representative for the IPET-WIFI

4. CCl Guidance – written sources, guidance docs and technical regulations
CCl developed a Statement of Guidance for ET-EGOS (2011).
It emphasises best-practice rather than quantitative requirements
CCl regularly participates in GCOS-AOPC meetings
Various other sources of written guidance are available from CCl (refer para 5)
Guidance documents on AWS standards for climate and data quality control under preparation
CCl plans to expand its number of technical regulations

5. Advancing best-practice climate data management
Recent (Mar ) climate data management Workshop in Nanjing, China
Workshop recommended development of an HQ GDMFC
Recommended establishment of an IPET-Climate Data Management Framework, involving at least CCl, CBS and WCRP

6. Standardisation and interoperability
ET-CDMS is finalising a specifications document for CDMS to, inter alia, encourage standardisation of functionality (Mandatory, Recommended, Optional)
ET-CDMS also tasked with defining Climate Version of WMO Core Metadata Profile
WMO Core profile is adequate for DAR, but not WIGOS metadata
ET-CDMS looking at data interoperabilty through open spatial standards, and will work through IPET-MDRD (late IPET-MDI)
I don’t know whether this activity strictly fits within the ICG-WIGOS scope, but from a climate perspective the historical climate record is essential, and if you can’t have access to that, there are essentially no climate services. We consider this, and enabling access to effective climate data management, vital activities, and they are the fundamental activities within my OPACE.

8. Capacity development
Best practice guidance and training in climate data management, and CDMS implementation/Data Rescue.

9. Other developments of interest
Mechanism for recognising Centennial Climate Stations involving CCl, CIMO and other relevant Technical Commissions
Workshops linking data rescue to climate change detection indices in various Regions, most recently West Africa and RA II
TT-DARE tasked with international data rescue portal (I-DARE) to coordinate disparate activities
Redefining Climate Normals

10. Issues and challenges Distinguishing GCOS from non-GCOS
Automating observations
Continuity and sustainability
Measurement of solid precipitation (suggest cross-program)
Data from non-NMHS providers
Data exchange, esp of historical data
(Resource mobilisation)
Point 2: Increasing automation of observations. Main issues here are around the loss, or fundamental change in nature of, certain visual observations of relevance to climate (e.g., phenomena); homogeneity issues (between automated and manual, and between different sensors, algorithms, core processing systems between different automated systems).

11. Requested actions
Consider the incorporation of CCl references in its suite of WIGOS Reference material
Agree on establishment of a cross-Commission IPET-CDMF
Comment on mechanism for Centennial Climate Station designation
Towards measurement of solid precipitation – other TC involvement

12. Other points
The implementation of GFCS strengthens the need for climate systems, and observations, to meet the requirements of users (see also QMS)