GCW-GSG-2 / Doc. 1.2.1, p4
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION______
GLOBAL CRYOSPHERE WATCH (GCW)
GCW Steering Group Meeting
Second Session
Copenhagen, Denmark
21-23 January 2015 / GCW-GSG-2 / Doc. 1.2.1
______
Date: 14 January 2015
AGENDA ITEM: 1.2
Original: ENGLISH
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
(Note: Sub-topics listed as bullet points are not an exhaustive list. They should be addressed during the meeting and will serve as a basis for discussions).
1. Organization of the Meeting (A. Snorrason)
The second session of the GCW Steering Group will commence promptly at 0900 on 21 January 2015 and will end on the 23 January 2015 at 1745. The Session will be held at GEUS, the National Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Øster Voldgade 10, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Documents are being made available on an ongoing basis in the link below. Local arrangements for the meeting have been distributed and are also available on the webpage. Working arrangements will be finalized at the beginning of the Session.
Please arrive between 0830 and 0845 (time to get settled) so we can be ready to start on time. There is Wi-Fi in the room. Participants will introduce themselves (name, agency or institute only).
Documents for the meeting:
http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/OSY/Meetings/GCW%20Steering%20Group/GSG2_Copenhagen/GCW-GSG-2.html
2. CRYONET
2.1 Practices to be applied for CryoNet (W. Schöner)
This session will address which standards and best practices for cryospheric measurements should be applied for CryoNet. GCW standards and best practices are currently being compiled. GCW is drawing on existing measurement methods where possible and where a scientific consensus has been or can be reached. An initial inventory of existing documents describing measurement practices is given at the GCW website (http://globalcryospherewatch.org/cryonet/methods.html).
· Define, implement common minimum observing program for all sites
· Status of manuals for WIGOS
· Need sub-groups for each cryospheric component to develop standards, guidelines, best practices for the three types of CryoNet sites; how define for the GCW network?
· CryoNet terminology on station vs. site and how to indicate this difference clear enough in related documents
· Define GCW observing network
· Data management – common GCW archive interoperable with portal including all spheres of data available for a site; quality control needed to ensure authoritative information
2.2 Approval of the list of stations of CryoNet (In-session)
This session will concern the procedure to be applied for a formal approval of stations and/or sites. This encompasses a review of what has been done previously when selecting the first 14 sites and will establish a protocol for the future selections.
· Establish procedure for reviewing questionnaire, getting PR/agency approval/support, acceptance of site.
· The first 14 were to be used to test the development of procedures, guidelines etc that would be the basis of what is expected from a site
· Accepting sites without having all protocols established and approved could undermine GCW providing authoritative information based on common guidelines, best practices, standards and limit sites being used for model and RS validation
· At what point in the process do we make proposed site information available to the public on the webpage, when they are submitted or when they’re approved?
3. GCW PORTAL AND WEBSITE
3.1 Status of the development of GCW Portal, including its function as DCPC
(Ø. Godøy)
The GCW Portal is a web interface that contains information about datasets (metadata), but not the data itself. Instead, it links to datasets that are stored at partner data centers. It is compatible with the WMO Information Service (WIS). The GCW Portal was developed by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute ("Metno"). It is in a pre-operational phase at this time*. This session will provide information on the status of the development of the Portal as well as the human and financial resource implications for MET Norway and Members contributing archives/data centers.
3.2 Status and development of the GCW website (J. Key)
The purpose of the GCW website (http://globalcryospherewatch.org) is to provide a centralized point of access for background and operational information, observational user requirements, the state of the cryosphere, news and “hot topics”, meeting information, GCW documents, outreach material, a description of the contributing observing networks and their capabilities, information on standards and best practices, and data policies. It links to the METNO data portal. This session will provide information on the status and development of the GCW website and examine the long-term human and financial support required to keep the site current and operating.
4. WORK PLAN
4.1 Status of the work of GCW Teams, including Membership (W. Schöner, J. Key, K. Luojus)
Task Teams are responsible for implementing the tasks identified in this implementation plan, in workshop reports, and by sponsors, partners, the scientific community, and users of GCW products and information. Regional groups will be formed where it will foster multi-national collaboration between Members with interests in the same region, e.g., in Asia for Third Pole issues and for the pan-Arctic for high latitude northern issues. The meeting is invited to examine the status of the work of GCW Teams, including Membership.
· Team leads (preferably co-leads) need to be identified and then confirmed with PR or organization manager; members identified who will actively contribute as experts.
4.2 Work Plan of GCW Teams (A. Snorrason)
The main task of the GCW Steering Group is to provide high-level guidance on GCW development and implementation and to steer the activities of its Task Teams. During this session the meeting will define a work plan for the GCW Task Teams.
· CryoNet; SnowWatch; Metadata and terminology; product intercomparisons; Standards, guidelines (separate from CryoNet?); Portal and Website needs and plans.
4.3 Next meetings and workshops (A. Snorrason)
The meeting will establish procedures for identifying futures meetings/workshops needed to further develop GCW over the next 4 years.
5. PREPARATION FOR Cg-17 (M. Ondras, R. Le Bris)
5.1 Preparation of a Congress Side Event(s) for GCW (ad-hoc programme)
Polar and High Mountain Regions are recognized as one of the seven key priorities of WMO and the WMO Executive Council Panel of Experts on Polar Observations Research and Services (EC-PORS) provides oversight to WMO’s activities and building relationships with partners. The session will discuss the preparation of a presentation of the GCW activities as part of a Congress Side Event.
· GCW should be one presentation as part of a Polar side event as suggested by Bruce Angle; Árni Snorrason should do the presentation as chair; this strengthens WMO Polar activities and should increase Member participation
· Who else should be there?
· Charles Fierz as member of ICSU delegation for discussion of GCW?
5.2 Update of the GCW Brochures
Changes in the cryosphere can have significant impacts on water supply, transportation, infrastructure, hunting, fisheries, recreation, and ecology. A set of brochure (hand-outs) has been created to explain what the cryosphere is, explore the effects a changing cryosphere can have on these aspects of human life and provide overviews of GCW and the GCW data portal. The meeting will review the latest changes made in the brochures.
· The hand-outs were recently updated and a poster was created. Do they need to be updated again? Do we need other materials?
· Drafts should be available for GSG to review before(?) and suggest changes at the meeting – limited by space
· Will these be distributed as a package to PRs like last time, with covering letter?
· Is there need for an up-to date poster(s) for display at Congress – at least in side event?
Sessions below (from 5.3 to 5.5) will review the set of documents developed for the Seventeenth WMO Congress in May 2015 and further discussed the resources required to implement GCW in the next financial period (2016-2019).
5.3 Documents to Cg-17 on GCW
· For final review only
5.4 Draft resolution on CryoNet
· Rolled into GCW resolution
5.5 Resources for GCW Implementation in the next financial period
· Explanation of the proposed budget – Is it only operating funds? Is there a separate request for staff funding? – The request looks similar to other programs but they have PYs attached, e.g. GAW, WCRP, GCOS, all having other potential income as well as WMO – WCRP is seeking an increase from WMO
· The resolution has 600K – How will this be viewed?
· Any discussion to date with PORS chairs on this matter?
· GCW not mentioned as activities under 2016-19 period – Why?
· How secure contributions from Members for a Trust Fund?
6. ALL OTHER BUSINESS
6.1 Review of Actions from previous meeting
Actions from previous meetings related to GCW activities have been compiled into a single document. The meeting is invited to review this document and to initiate the required tasks.
6.2 GCW Focal Points
For an effective implementation of GCW, close coordination with Members and partners is imperative. In view of this, a mechanism of GCW Focal Points was proposed. Focal Points serve as the national contact(s) for, and contribute to, the development and implementation of GCW and its activities locally, nationally, regionally and globally and are formally nominated by the Permanent representatives (PRs) of Members with WMO. The meeting will review the draft letter to the Permanent representatives (PRs) of Members with WMO and develop a strategy for the WMO Secretariat to keep these focal points engaged.
· Focal points are potential candidates for committees
· How to best engage focal points?
· Letter to PRs (after focal points contacted and updated) asking for reconfirmation of the focal point(s) or nominating new representatives
· Focal points were nominated by PR and logically the PR will ask them for an update before Congress
6.3 Regional GCW/CryoNet activities
Task Teams are responsible for implementing the tasks identified in this implementation plan, in workshop reports, and by sponsors, partners, the scientific community, and users of GCW products and information. Regional groups will be formed where it will foster multi-national collaboration between Members with interests in the same region, e.g., in Asia for Third Pole issues and for the pan-Arctic for high latitude northern issues. The meeting will reflect on how these regional groups would/should be established.
6.4 Support/contribution to Polar Regional Climate Centre
In this session the meeting will discuss how GCW could/should be engaged to the proposed Polar Regional Climate Centre meeting; who/which task team should take responsibility to develop GCW contributions and who should represent GCW.
6.5 Support/contribution to GIPPS and YOPP
The meeting is requested to define the form of support and/or contribution to be provided to GIPPS and YOPP and to identify who will lead the GCW contribution/collaboration and ensure necessary activities are initiated.
· How and who will GCW interact with WWRP PPI and WCRP PCPI; what is need from GCW?
6.6 GCW-CliC Partnership
The "Climate and Cryosphere" project (CliC) aims to improve understanding of the cryosphere and its interactions with the global climate system, and to enhance the ability to use parts of the cryosphere for detection of climate change. CliCencourages and promotes research into the cryosphere and its interactions as part of the global climate system. It seeks to focus attention on the most important issues, encourage communication between researchers with common interests in cryospheric and climate science, promote international co-operation, and highlight the importance of this field of science to policy makers, funding agencies, and the general public. Jenny Baeseman, Director of the Climate and Cryosphere Project, shared her thoughts through a document that explains several possible ways to foster the partnership between GCW and CliC. The meeting will review this document and formulate a concerted response.
6.7 SPICE beyond 2015
SPICE (Solid Precipitation Intercomparison Experiment) is a WMO/CIMO multi-sites intercomparison of instruments and systems of observation for the measurement of solid precipitation. One of the main objectives is the assessment of a wide range of instruments under various climates. For that purpose, around 20 sites worldwide are equipped and configured according to standards defined within the project, in order to allow comparison between the sites. The experiment started in October 2013 and will end after this winter season (2015). Since some sites hope to remain operating under some venue, the meeting will envisage a possibility to formally incorporate those sites into the GCW network as contributing sites or into CryoNet as core sites.
6.8 Point of contact for the GEO Cold Regions activity
The meeting is invited to examine what active should the relationship be with GEO; what form should it take and what is the role of the Secretariat.
6.9 Visibility of GCW
· Formal presence at EGU, AGU, ASSW, ArcticNet Canada, AOS ?
· Earth Observation and Cryospheric Science 2016 – ESA/CliC sponsored; was GCW approached about co-sponsorship; Can Jenny Baesmann and Mark Drinkwater serve as appropriate representatives of GCW since they actually have other interests to promote?
6.10 GCW Virtual Project Offices
A GCW Project Office is to support all GCW activities, including coordination with partners, monitoring of implementation, reporting and follow-up actions. It will provide support to national focal points and activities and will liaise with WMO and external programs and groups. The Office should co-ordinate GCW inclusion in existing observing activities at the international and national levels and align its processes with their activities and frameworks. The Office shall also pursue active linkages with WMO Programmes and with relevant international organizations. Several options were considered for coordination of GCW activities following a decision of Cg-XVI in 2011 to develop GCW. To this point, no offer has been received to host the Project Office or to support it through the seconded experts of experts working remotely. Taking into account the need to establish support for GCW as soon as possible, it is recommended that GCW activities be coordinated by a Project Officer located in the WMO Headquarters in Geneva. The meeting will also consider the interest and the feasibility to establish a GCW Virtual Project Office.
· Given the uncertainty of adequate funding for secretariat and programme support through regular WMO channels, should GCW be actively seeking support from countries to host “sub-project offices” of GCW which collectively would serve as the GCW project office, or virtual PO.