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WORLD CLIMATE CONFERENCE – 3
31 August – 4 September 2009, Geneva, Switzerland
Global Framework for Climate Services
BRIEF NOTE
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The World Climate Conference – 3 proposes to create a Global
Framework for Climate Services through which the developers and
providers of climate information, predictions and services, and the
climate-sensitive sectors around the world, will work together, to help
the global community better adapt to the challenges of climate
variability and change. This BRIEF NOTE presents an overview of the
Framework, by answering a series of key questions.
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Why is a Global Framework for Climate Services Necessary?
1.
Many socio-economic sectors, including water, agriculture, fisheries, health,
forestry, transport, tourism and energy, are highly sensitive to weather and climate
extremes such as droughts, floods, cyclones and storms, heat waves or cold waves.
Decision-makers in these sectors are increasingly concerned by the adverse impacts
of climate variability and change, but are not sufficiently equipped to make effective
use of climate information to manage current and future climate risks as well as
ecosystems. Consequently, there is not only an urgent need for enhanced global
cooperation in the development of accurate and timely climate information but an
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equally urgent need for its exchange between the providers and users of climate
services, thus ensuring that relevant climate information is integrated into planning,
policy and practice at various levels.
2.
Recent advances in science and technology offer the prospect of further
improvements in quality of climate information and prediction services. Integrating
seasonal to multi-decadal predictions and long-term climate projections into decision-
making in all socio-economic sectors, through an effective two-way dialogue between
providers and users on the range, timing, quality and content of climate products and
services, will ensure that decisions relating to managing climate risks are well
informed, more effective and better targeted.
3.
In order to address the need for improved climate information and to provide
an effective interface between scientists, service providers and decision-makers, the
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and its partner organizations for the World
Climate Conference-3 propose the development of a new Global Framework for
Climate Services (also referred to as the ‘Framework’) with the goal to:
“Enable better management of the risks of climate variability and change
and adaptation to climate change at all levels, through development and
incorporation of science-based climate information and prediction into
planning, policy and practice.”
What is the Global Framework for Climate Services?
4.
The Global Framework for Climate Services is proposed as a long-term
cooperative arrangement through which the international community and relevant
stakeholders will work together to achieve its stated goal.
5.
The Framework will have four major components: Observation and Monitoring;
Research, and Modelling and Prediction; a Climate Services Information System; and
a User Interface Programme (Fig. 1). The first two components are well established
but are in need of strengthening. The latter two components together constitute a
‘World Climate Service System’.
6.
The User Interface Programme, which presents a relatively new concept, will
develop ways to bridge the gap between the climate information being developed by
climate scientists and service providers and the practical information needs of users.
Recognizing that the needs of the user communities are diverse and complex, it will
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support and foster necessary institutional partnerships, cross-disciplinary research,
Figure 1: Components of Global Framework for Climate Services
innovation, development of decision support tools and climate risk management
practices, generation and capture of knowledge, evaluation and establishment of
best practices, education, capacity building and service application for decision
making. The outcomes of the User Interface Programme will be reflected in the
operational services of the Climate Services Information System.
7.
The Climate Services Information System (CSIS) will build on established
global programmes such as the World Climate Programme and will reinforce,
strengthen and better coordinate the existing institutions, infrastructure and
mechanisms but importantly, will focus on user-driven activities and outputs, while
continuing to implement science-and technology-driven ones.
8.
The CSIS, through a network of global, regional and national institutions, will
synthesize information streaming from the Observation/Monitoring and
Research/Modelling components of the Framework, and will create information,
products, predictions and services in an operational mode at various spatial scales.
Research &
Modeling
and Prediction
Health
Health
Agricultur
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Agricultur
e
Transpor
t
Transpor
t
Touris
m
Touris
m
Wate
r
Energy
Energy
Ecosystem
Ecosyste
m
Sectoral
Users
Climate Services Information
System
User
Interface
Programme
Research &
Modelling and
Prediction
Observations
and
Monitoring
Health
Agricultur
e
Transpor
t
Touris
m
Water
Energy
Ecosystem
Users
Climate Services Information System
User
Interface
Programme
Government
Private
sector
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These services will be enhanced by feedback from users and other components of
the system, and by the outputs of the User Interface Programme, thereby ensuring
the development and delivery of user-oriented climate information and prediction
services. It will focus, in addition, on standardization, exchange and quality
assurance of information and communicating the highest quality information,
products and services possible to decision-makers from global to local scales.
Through enhanced international cooperation for development and transfer of
technology related to meteorological services and mobilization of resources, this
System will also build capacity among national and regional meteorological service
providers in developing and least-developed countries, whose contributions are
essential for improved climate information products at global, regional and national
scales.
What will be achieved through Global Framework for Climate Services?
9.
The Framework, when fully implemented, will support disaster risk
management and climate risk management practices, and will contribute to achieving
the objectives of various Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) such as the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and of
internationally agreed upon goals including the Millennium Development Goals.
Effective implementation of the four components of the Framework would lead to the
following:
• Strengthened local, national, regional and global observational networks and
information management systems for climate and climate-related variables ;
• Enhanced climate modeling and prediction capabilities through strengthened
international climate research focused on seasonal to decadal timescales;
• Improved national climate service provision arrangements based on
enhanced observation networks and prediction models, and greatly
increased user interaction;
• More effective use of global, regional and national climate information and
prediction services by all stakeholders in climate-sensitive sectors in all
countries (leading to improved planning and investment in sectors vital to
national economies and livelihoods); and thereby
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• Widespread social, economic and environmental benefits through more
effective climate risk management and increased capacities for adaptation
to climate variability and change.
Who will participate in the Global Framework for Climate Services?
10.
The Framework will build on and strengthen existing local, national, regional
and global networks of climate observation, monitoring, research, modelling and
service programmes, including those of WMO. It aims to achieve its goal through the
enhanced role and involvement of national meteorological services and
regional/global centers, as well as greater participation of other stakeholders and
centers of excellence across relevant socio-economic sectors, particularly those in
developing countries, Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island
Developing States (SIDS).
11.
To meet its objectives, the Framework would require extensive collaboration
among national and local governments, agencies, non-governmental organizations,
civil society, the private sector, as well as universities and research institutions
around the world and outreach to communities in all socio-economic sectors
benefiting from the application of climate data and information in planning, policy and
practice. This outreach will be facilitated through participation of relevant
organizations and institutions in coordination with governments. Implementing and
operating the Framework will therefore require continuation and enhancement of the
broad collaboration and partnerships, centered around these entities, which underpin
and improve on its technical strengths. As such the Framework will be supported by
the entire United Nations System and other organizations.
What are the Next Steps in Developing a Global Framework for Climate
services?
12.
Taking into account the outcomes of WCC-3, the Framework will be further
developed under the guidance of an ad hoc taskforce consisting of high-level
independent advisors, with inputs from a broad-based network of experts and in
consultation with governments, partnering organizations and relevant stakeholders.
The outcomes of the fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the
UNFCCC (COP 15), as well as the special requirements and vulnerabilities of
developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island
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developing States, will also be taken into consideration in further development of the
Framework.
13.
An Action Plan with timelines for establishment and implementation of the
components of the Framework will be developed along with measurable indicators for
the progress in the implementation of the framework. It will also address aspects of
governance and resource requirements. The Action Plan would also address the
development, deployment and transfer of technology and capacity building of
meteorological services in developing and least developed countries.
How will the Global Framework for Climate Services be supported?
14. The
ad hoc taskforce to be established to further develop the Framework
following WCC-3 will examine and make proposals on resource implications related
to the implementation of the Framework and the cooperation of governments,
organizations, institutions and relevant stakeholders in the mobilization of resources.
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Background paper prepared by WMO secretariat, dated 2
nd
September, 2009