1. Willemstad, Curaçao, 12 to 19 April 2013
AGENDA ITEM 4.1: SERVICE DELIVERY PUBLIC WEATHER SERVICES (PWS), AGRICULTURAL METEOROLOGY (AGM), MARINE METEOROLOGY AND OCEAN AFFAIRS (MMO) AND ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH AND ENVIRONMENT (AER)
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION IV (NORTH AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN) SIXTEENTH SESSION
Willemstad, Curaçao, 12 to 19 April 2013
WMO; WDS

2. Structure of the presentation of Doc. 4.1
Public Weather Services (PWS) (Paragraphs to );
Agricultural Meteorology (AgM) (Paragraphs to );
Marine Meteorology and Ocean Affairs (MMO): and (Paragraphs to );
Atmospheric Environment Research (AER) Programmes. (Paragraphs to );

3. PWS (Paragraphs to 4.1.3)
WMO Strategy of Service Delivery and its Implementation Plan:
Cg-XVI (Geneva, Switzerland, May-June 2011) adopted “The WMO Strategy for Service Delivery”.
Goal of Strategy: To help NMHSs raise standards of service delivery in the provision of products and services to their users.
Objective of the IP: Lay out a path to guide WMO Members and constituent bodies realize the goal of the Strategy.
Implementation Plan (IP) for “The WMO Strategy for Service Delivery”: provides a methodology to evaluate the level of their current service delivery and to develop action plans for improvement of that level.
IP will be presented to EC-65 for approval
WMO

4. PWS (Paragraphs to 4.1.9)
Multi-Hazard, Multi-Scale Early Warning Systems:
PWS preparing guidance on multi-hazard impact-based information and warning services.
The PWS Component of the Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project (SWFDP):
Association urged to consider developing suitable synergies with the proposed SWFDP for Central America and the Caribbean.
Socio-Economic Benefits (SEBs) of Weather, Climate and Water Services:
WMO and World Bank developing an authoritative document on methodologies for assessment of SEB.

5. PWS (Paragraphs to )
Improving Forecast and Warning Services:
PWS Guidelines for Creating MoUs and SOPs between NMHSs and a Partner Agency (PWS-26, WMO-No. 1099) produced;
The WMO World Weather Information Services (WWIS) Website: Over 1 billion visits recorded; over 15 million page visits per month.
22 out of 26 Members of RA IV actively participating in the WWIS initiative. Members requested to enhance their participation in WWIS;
Mobile versions of the “MyWorldWeather” iPhone: and Android: Members urged to inform users to use the Apps;
The Common Alerting Protocol (CAP): Guidelines for Implementation of CAP-Enabled Emergency Alerting (PWS-27, WMO-No. 1109) published. Members urged adopt CAP all-hazard all-media alerting system.

6. PWS (Paragraphs to )
Improving Forecast and Warning Services (contd):
Register of Alerting Authorities: Members requested to nominate editors of the Register for their respective countries;
Network of PWS National Focal Points
18 of the 26 RA IV Members have nominated PWS Focal Points. Others urged to nominate editors;
Capacity Development through the PWS Programme:
Training: 7 PWS workshops including 5 RA IV workshops on hurricane forecasting (Miami, Florida, USA) organized;
Competency training requirements being developed by the PWS Programme through CBS in liaison with the EC Panel on Education and Training for approval by CBS-Ext.(14);
All PWS Publications: freely available on the Web at: (

7. Agricultural Meteorology (AgM) (Paragraphs 4.1.22 to 4.1.28);
Agrometeorological Services
Successful conclusion of the Caribbean AgroMeteorologcial Initiative (CAMI)
Disseminate CAMI Policy Brief to All Members
Regional Group on Agrometeorology
No meetings or activities
Need to reform Group or Task Team
World AgroMeteorological Information Service (WAMIS)
Support pilot projects with new technologies for the regional agromet applications.

8. WMO Metareas align with IMO Navareas
MSI: METAREAs
WMO Metareas align with IMO Navareas

9. MSI: WWMIWS World-Wide Metocean Information & Warnings Service
WMO EC 62 (June 2010), requested WMO to “establish and develop, in collaboration with the IMO, terms of reference for an IMO/WMO World‑Wide Met-ocean Information and Warning Service (WWMIWS)”
to complement the existing IMO/IHO World-Wide Navigational Warning Services (WWNWS, IMO resolution A.706(17))
METAREA Coordinator role
IMO resolution adopted at IMO Assembly in November 2011

10. MSI: Standards & QM
WMO Manual on Marine Meteorological Services (WMO-No. 558)
WMO Guide to Marine Meteorological Services (WMO-No 471)
Dynamic parts (online) to develop
QMS for Maritime Safety Services : need continuous training

11. Urbanization prospects in 2050
Percentage of urban population
Half of world’s population already lives in urban areas
Between 2011 and 2050 population to increase from 7 to over 9 billion
Urban population to increase from 3.6 to 6.2 billion, 66% of total population
Most urban population growth to occur in the less developed regions
The number of megacities (10 million) is currently 23 and is expected to reach 37 in 2025.
Source: United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects, the 2011 Revision (2012)
More than half of the 7-billion world population lives in urban areas. Cities and urban areas currently use 75% of the world’s energy and are responsible for 75% of greenhouse emissions.
Not all regions of the world have reached this level of urbanization. For example, it is expected that half of the population of Asia will live in urban areas by 2020, while Africa is likely to reach a 50 per cent urbanization rate only in 2035.
Between 2011 and 2050, the world population is expected to increase by 2.3 billion, passing from 7.0 billion to 9.3 billion.
At the same time, the population living in urban areas is projected to gain 2.6 billion, passing from 3.6 billion in 2011 to 6.2 billion 2050, thus accounting for 68% of total population. The urban areas of the world are expected to absorb all the population growth expected over the next four decades while at the same time drawing in some of the rural population.
Adapted from United Nations 2012

12. Outdoor air pollution (2008)
Source: WHO and UNEP
Poor air quality is a severe issue for all megacities, areas of highly concentrated emissions of air pollutants, greenhouse gases and waste heat, altering the local to global-scale atmospheric composition, with impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, air quality and climate.
It is estimated that more than 1 billion people are exposed to outdoor air pollution.
Urban air pollution is linked to up to 1.3 million premature deaths (2008 data) and 1 million pre-native deaths each year. Urban air pollution is estimated to cost approximately 2% of GDP in developed countries and 5% in developing countries.
For 2008, the estimated mortality attributable to outdoor air pollution in cities amounts to 1.34 million premature deaths.
The first step in dealing with air pollution is to have air quality recognized by decision makers as a significant issue.
The air quality of megacities must be monitored and the resulting data analyzed, along with data from the health sector, to enable projections of the future cost of unmitigated pollution. This should then form the basis for climate scientists to work with planning officials to develop long term strategies for minimizing pollution levels. National meteorological services, in close cooperation with public health officials, should also develop warning systems for days when risk levels are particularly high and devise strategies for helping the most vulnerable.
WHO 2009
More than 1 billion people are exposed to outdoor air pollution. Urban air pollution is linked to up to 1.3 million premature deaths and a cost of 2 to 5% of GDP.

13. Advanced models calculate both meteorology and chemistry in a coupled way, allowing for interactions between chemistry and climate.
Importance of combining different scales and the interaction between climate variability and change and air pollution.
WMO is active in the field of urban meteorology through the GURME project: Global Atmosphere Watch, Urban Research Meteorology and Environment Project
The GURME project arose about 12 years ago in response to the requests for assistance by many National Meteorological Services dealing with urban issues, and in recognition that the management of urban environments requires special attention. Several projects have been undertaken under GURME to assist and facilitate related research activities and consequently in establishing urban applications. These projects include such activities as:
Studies to understand the formation of local atmospheric pollution;
Heat island studies;
Designing, establishing and enhancing both meteorological and air pollution measurement networks;
Building air-quality modelling and forecasting systems and services;
Training and capacity-building for air-quality modelling and forecasting;
Studies on the impact the urban area has on regional air quality;
Building Web-based communication systems for informing authorities and the public on special weather conditions (such as ice, snow, smoke and haze) and on air pollution.

14. METROPOLITAN AIR QUALITY AND WEATHER FORECASTING SERVICES
SAFAR Project IITM/WMO GURME
Web Portal
Air Quality Monitoring
Weather Monitoring
Emission inventory Development
Surface topography & land use study
AIR-Now &
AIR-Tomorrow
Alerts
Weather -Now
& -Tomorrow
Health Advisories
SMS Alerts
AIR QUALITY FORECAST MODELING
WEATHER
FORECAST
Supercomputer
Translate Science to Public
Digital Display
PRODUCTS
SERVICES
City Pollution
Maps
BENEFIT TO END -USER
Protecting Human Health
Agricultural yield Benefits to Farmers
Awareness of impact of AQ & Weather
Basis for mitigation strategies
RESEARCH
Explore Chemical-Weather
Improve Weather & AQ Forecasting Skill
Development of Emission scenario
Short Term Climate Change
UV Index-
Skin Advisory
TV /Radio

15. WMO increasing focus: Megacities and large urban complexes
Need focus on large urban areas both for meteorological and air quality
research → applications → services
Activities should be aimed at:
development of strategies for megacities to deal with weather, climate and environmental problems and improvement of related services;
(ii) enhancement of environmental monitoring and modelling capabilities; and
(iii) establishment of case studies for understanding air pollution, health and climate connections in different types of megacities.
Request to support GURME and Megacity Trust Fund!

16. Thank you for your attention
Presented by Herbert Puempel