1. ICG-WIGOS second session – Item 5.2 Collaboration with Partners
Global Climate Observing System
ICG-WIGOS
second session –
Item 5.2 Collaboration with Partners
18 March Carolin Richter, Director, GCOS Secretariat,

2. Design Concept: system of programmes
The fundamental design concept for the GCOS programme was to build it as a system of climate relevant components of the established observing systems.

3. Systematic Programme Mechanism
New Implementation Plan 2016
Assessment on Progress & Adequacy 2015

4. Global Climate Observing System
Scope of GCOS
GCOS encompasses the climate components of:
the WMO observing systems (WIGOS: GOS, GAW, WHYCOS, ...)
the IOC-led co-sponsored Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)
the FAO-led co-sponsored Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS)
observational elements of research programmes (WCRP, IGBP, ...)
other systems contributing climate observations, data management or products
which together form our overall global observing system for climate, and the
climate-observing component of the GEO System of Systems
Global Climate Observing System

5. framework (wrapper, architecture, methodology)
Systems, Programmes and a Framework
GEOSS
system of systems (collection of task-oriented systems, pooled to create a more complex system)
GCOS
system (collection) of programmes (dedicated task-oriented)
GOOS
GOS
GAW
GTOS
WIGOS
framework (wrapper, architecture, methodology)

6. Climate Services Information
GCOS supporting climate services
Climate Services Information
System (CSIS)
Application Adaptation Mitigation
Observations and Monitoring (O&M) GCOS
UNFCCC
IPCC
User Interface
Platform (UIP)
WCRP
Research Modelling
and Prediction (RMP)

7. Essential Climate Variables

8. GCOS supports the “Global Framework for Climate Services”
Energy
Food
Water
Application Adaptation Mitigation
Climate Services Information
System (CSIS)
UNFCCC
IPCC
User Interface
Platform (UIP)
WCRP
Research Modelling
and Prediction (RMP)
WIGOS
GOOS
GOS
GAW
GTOS
GCOS
GEOSS
GCOS comprises the climate relevant components of existiting observing systems.
GCOS ensures the sustained provision of reliable physical, chemical and biological observations and data records, across all domains, incl. hydrological and carbon cycles and the cryosphere.