Transcript REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT of the COMMISSION FOR ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES Dr. Michel Béland CAS MG1/Doc.

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT
of the
COMMISSION FOR ATMOSPHERIC
SCIENCES
Dr. Michel Béland
CAS MG1/Doc. 2.1 (Valid September 27, 2010)
CAS XV Incheon, Republic of Korea
18-25 Nov. 2009 hosted by KMA
• Re-elected President Dr. M. Béland, Canada and elected
Dr. T. Nakazawa, Japan, Vice –President. Drs. G. Brunet
and O. Hov were reappointed Chairs of OPAG’s WWRP
and EPAC, respectively.
• Endorsed a “seamless” approach to coordination of
weather, climate, water and environmental prediction
research and strong linkages to operational observations
and predictions as well as users consistent with the EC
Research Task Team Report (item 8.2(1))
• Requested greater collaboration between CAS and
WCRP.
• Requested the President to further explore collaborations
and partnerships with other external scientific bodies such
as ICSU ( for example see item 8.2(2))
CAS MG1/Doc. 2.1 (Valid September 27, 2010)
The Commission agreed that:
• a review of the CAS mandate was needed.
• the CAS terms of reference needed to be reviewed and
updated considering the many changes in the operating
environment within WMO in the past four years. These
changes are well documented in the analysis and
recommendations of the Executive Council Research Task
Team (EC-RTT) on Research Aspects of an Enhanced
Climate, Weather, Water and Environmental Prediction
Framework (WMO/TD-No. 1496; http://www.wmo.int/res).
• The proposed new terms of reference (Resolution in this
Agenda Item) take into account the desire of Members to
better link programmatic activity to the Expected Results of
the WMO Strategic Plan. The Commission agreed with the
request of EC-LVIII (paragraph 3.3.1.2) that more
emphasis should be given to the connection to climate
research activities in CAS and made changes accordingly.
CAS MG1/Doc. 2.1 (Valid September 27, 2010)
OTHER CAS XV ADVICE (I)
• Recommendation to subsume the Atmospheric Research and
Environment Programme (AREP) into the 3 existing main
research programmes of CAS (GAW, WWRP and THORPEX) as
part of WMO programme simplification.
• The JSCs of the WWRP and the WCRP and also the THORPEX
ICSC to set up an appropriate collaborative structure to carry out
an international research initiative on sub-seasonal to seasonal
forecasting. It recommended that this is coordinated with WMO
climate service delivery and the Global Framework for Climate
Services.
• In recognition of the growing importance of rapid and potentially
catastrophic polar environmental changes, WMO needs to place
emphasis in research facilitated by CAS on, not only tropical and
mid-latitude processes, but also polar region processes. CAS XV
supported the concept of a Polar Decade as a potential legacy of
IPY 2007-2008.
CAS MG1/Doc. 2.1 (Valid September 27, 2010)
OTHER CAS XV ADVICE (II)
• WMO work towards establishing an Integrated Global
Carbon Observation Prediction and Assessment System,
acknowledging that monitoring requirements may be
forthcoming to support global emission reduction and
mitigation policy. The considerable research necessary to
support such a system would need to be compatible with
what might ultimately become operational (as part of a
GFCS)
• The Commission recommended that WMO Members,
including NMHSs and their national partners in other
agencies and the WMO Secretariat, play a leading role in
enhancing environmental observations, predictions and
service delivery (six specific actions)
CAS MG1/Doc. 2.1 (Valid September 27, 2010)
CAS XV SUGGESTED
SIX SPECIFIC GOALS FOR THE COMMISSION:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Implementation and successful completion of the Year of the
Tropical Convection project;
Extension of capacity building programmes to the developing
countries showing real evidence of progress and achievement;
Elevation of the Joint Scientific Committee (JSC) of WWRP to a
status of international respect and recognition,
Implementation of a joint strategy in hydrometeorology that cuts
across relevant programmes of this and other Commissions;
Implementation of a comprehensive initiative in air quality
involving all programme areas of the Commission including
regional aspects;
Achieve progress in strengthening the governance arrangements
of the Commission, particularly in relation to broader participation
and gender equity and the preparation of plans that include
expected results and performance indicators for consideration at
the next session.
CAS MG1/Doc. 2.1 (Valid September 27, 2010)
MOVING FORWARD ( 1)
• Goal 1: YOTC moving forward as planned.
• Goal 3: CAS President meeting with ICSU ED to discuss
CAS involvement in Earth System Visioning exercise
and Belmont project. WWRP and GAW are part of the
Belmont Panel Project report. Will be involved in 22-24
June discussions in Paris (see report last page).
• Goal 4: Participation of WWRP/THORPEX in HYMEX;
consideration of Canada/USA Great lakes earth system
and coupled modeling project with IJC as a potential
RDP in hydrological forecasting out to seasonal time
scales.
• Goal 6: Highest number ever of woman scientists
involved in CAS/ARE Management Group and scientific
steering committees.
CAS MG1/Doc. 2.1 (Valid September 27, 2010)
MOVING FORWARD ( 2)
• Joint WCRP/WWRP/THORPEX workshop in Exeter on
monthly to seasonal forecasting in December.
• Polar forecasting and prediction workshop to be
convened in Oslo in October 2010 (Also links with IPY
2012 Conference in Montreal, April 2012)).
• THORPEX Africa initiative needs to be ramped up (RA-1
meeting in November 2010 in Marrakesh?). Needs to be
discussed at this meeting (see also Action 3.1.47 from
EC LXII.)
• Need to finalize WWRP/ICSU-IRDR formal collaboration
MOU.
• Staffing of D-AREP and CAS VP: input needed.
• CBS/CCI linkages: are we happy...
CAS MG1/Doc. 2.1 (Valid September 27, 2010)
ICSU Visioning Exercise
• I attended the meeting in Paris June 22-23 2010 with Len Barrie.
• Many interesting discussions on the goals pursued both by ICSU
and the Belmont projects (i.e., National Funding Agencies such as
NSF and NERC), and on what the meaning of an international
strategy on global sustainability research.
• Managed, with the help of others (L. Barrie, A. Simmons,…) to get
the following inserted in the final report on the meeting recently
released:
Furthermore, several participants argued that any new initiatives
should as much as is feasible: 1) be targeted towards the
development of operational, integrated, and end to end
environmental services delivery systems, and 2) be managed in
partnerships with those institutions, such as WMO (and a number of
others), that ensure the appropriate operational international
coordination between these service providers, and linkages with the
stakeholders and less developed countries.
CAS MG1/Doc. 2.1 (Valid September 27, 2010)