1. Global Climate Observing System GCOS update for WDAC-4
Carolin Richter
Director, GCOS Secretariat
2 - 3 July 2015
ECMWF, Reading, UK

2. Scope of GCOS as a System (of Systems)
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 terrestrial observing networks, FAO co-sponsored Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS)
observational elements of research programmes (WCRP, IGBP, ...)
other systems contributing to 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

3. WCRP sponsored Expert Panels
Koni Steffen (Switzerland) Chair since 2013
Next meeting of TOPC-17: March 2015, WSL, Zürich, Switzerland
Joint activities between GCOS and GOFC-GOLD on ‘Observations for Climate Change Mitigation’ focussing on engaging REDD+ experts, the agriculture mitigation community, representatives from the climate modelling and integrated impact assessment community, etc.
Ocean Observations Panel for Climate (OOPC) - co-sponsored by GOOS
Reactivated following GOOS reorganization; support now based in GCOS Secretariat, the OOPC Technical Secretariat has moved to GCOS at WMO headquarters.
Due to a restructuring of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) that follows the Framework for Ocean Observations (FOO), GOOS has – similar to the structure of GCOS – three expert panels for ocean physical observations (OOPC), biogeochemical observations (IOCCP), and biological observations (formed in November 2013).
OOPC will expand its focus to coastal oceans/shelf areas, and the deep ocean.
2013/2014 – coordination of the Tropical Pacific Observing System (TPOS) workshop, organized by NOAA and JAMSTEC, that was held at Scribbs Institute from January 2014, and discussed the potential of existing (i.e. Argo, satellite observation) and new technologies (i.e. profiling floats, gliders) in the region.
Mark Bourassa (US) and Toshio Suga (Japan) co-Chairs since 2013
Next meeting of OOPC-18: April 2015, Sendai, Japan

4. GCOS Continuous Improvement & Assessment Cycle
The GCOS programme has started the process for:
(1) The GCOS Status Report: a 2015 report on the progress and status of climate observation, submitted to COP21/SBSTA in November
(2) A new “Implementation Plan” in 2016, which will:
reinforce Energy, Carbon and Water Cycles
discuss Essential Climate Variables to be used across UN conventions for climate change, biological diversity and to combat desertification : UNFCCC, CBD, UNCCD
address adaptation and mitigation planning
acknowledge climate services
The new Plan will be submitted to COP22 in 2016.

5. Reports available: gcos.wmo.int/publications
GCOS workshops to support GFCS
Two workshops on « Adaptation»:
Observations for Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change, February 2013, Offenbach (co-sponsored by IOC of UNESCO)
Enhancing observations to support preparedness and adaptation in a changing climate – Learning from the Fifth IPCC Assessment Report (AR5), February 2015, UNFCCC, Bonn, Germany
One workshop on «Mitigation»:
Observations for Climate Change Mitigation, May 2014, Geneva, Switzerland
Reports available: gcos.wmo.int/publications

6. Current Key activities
GCOS Panel Meetings March – April 2015
WCRP Task Force on Observations (result of JSC in April 2015)
GCOS Expert Meeting to draft the new Implementation Plan (6th July 2015)
Common Future Conference 7 – 10 July, Paris

7. Key activities
Status Report goes for Public review … July-August 2015
Organisation of the GCOS Science Conference
GCOS Steering Committee 29 Sep – 1 Oct, Cape Town, RZA

8. GCOS International Science Conference –The Road to the Future
(Shaping the next GCOS Implementation Plan)
2 – 4 March 2016
Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam,
The Netherlands
Infos: gcos.wmo.int
Mail to organising