RCC Implementation Overview

WMO has been making concerted efforts to implement Regional Climate Centres (RCCs), in close coordination with its Regional Associations, Commission for Climatology (CCl) and Commission for Basic Systems (CBS). All the six Regional Associations of WMO have strongly endorsed the concept of RCCs, and have committed to their establishment in close compliance with the applicable WMO Technical Regulations (Global Data Processing and Forecasting System, GDPFS).

Two RCCs have been officially designated by WMO in June 2009 under the current GDPFS procedures established jointly by CBS and CCl, viz., the RCC Beijing (China) and the RCC Tokyo (Japan) in RA II (Asia). Demonstration phases to work towards formal RCC designation have been underway for an RCC-Network for Europe (RA VI) and three RCCs, namely the North Eurasian Climate Centre (RA II), ACMAD and ICPAC (both RA I). Of these, the demonstration phase of RA VI RCC-Network is already completed, and the process for formal designation has been initated. More details of RCC implementation are provided in the region-wise web pages accompanying this overview. There are several additional climate centres performing at least some of the functions specified under the GDPFS provisions and hence could conceivably move towards formal designation within the expanding WMO RCC coverage, as indicated in the following map.

RCC Coverage