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UNEP Questionnaire for
Earthwatch Partners |
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PROGRAMME
NAME |
Global Climate
Observing System (GCOS)
GCOS - a Programme co-sponsored
by WMO, UNESCO/IOC, UNEP and ICSU
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URL/
Website |
http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/gcos/gcoshome.html |
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Description |
The
Global Climate Observing System was established in 1992 to ensure that the
observations necessary to address climate-related issues are defined,
obtained and made available to all potential users. GCOS is co-sponsored
by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Intergovernmental
Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) and the International Council for Science (ICSU). It is
intended to be a long-term, user-driven, integrated operational system
capable of providing the comprehensive observations required for
monitoring the climate system, for detecting and attributing climate
change, for assessing the impacts of climate variability and change, and
for supporting research toward improved understanding, modeling and
prediction of climate. It addresses the total climate system including
physical, chemical and biological properties and atmospheric, oceanic,
hydrologic, cryospheric and terrestrial processes.
A
number of networks have been formally designated as part of GCOS. These
are operated by members WMO and IOC and relevant agencies and include the
GSN, GUAN, GAW, Ocean Buoys Programme, VOS, and ARGO, which are described
elsewhere in the WMO input to this overview.
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Agenda
21 - Areas of particular focus or interest |
Atmosphere -
Climate Change - Desertification - Forests - Oceans - Sustainable
Development
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Regions |
Worldwide |
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Data
collection, Observation, Monitoring
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Climatological observations of parameters of
the atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial domains,
such as air temperature, precipitation, radiation budget, atmospheric
trace gases, sea-surface temperature, sea-level, ocean colour, river
discharge, ground water, lake levels, land cover, etc, etc.
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URL/
Data collection., Observ., Monitor. |
http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/gcos/networks.htm |
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URL/Assessment and Analysis |
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URL/Indicators |
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URL/Modelling |
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URL/Early warning mechanisms |
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URL/
Reports, Information dissemination |
http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/gcos/publications.htm
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Major
Assessment Reports |
Second Report on the
Adequacy of the Global Observing Systems for Climate in Support of the
UNFCC, GCOS-82
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URL/
Network dev. and support |
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Networks
managed by Agency/Prog. |
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URL/
Capacity building |
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Responsible
Office/Person
(for inquiries or follow-up) |
Dr Alexander Karpov
Director, GCOS Secretariat
WMO
7 bis, Avenue de la Paix
CP 2300
CH-1211 Geneva 2
Switzerland
Tel.: +(41 22) 730 8275
Fax: +(41 22) 730 8181
AKarpov@wmo.int |
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