Download PDF-B Document - Global Environment Facility

PDF B PROPOSAL FOR FUNDING
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY
Country:
Global Programme, Initially Focusing on the Pacific and
Africa
Focal Area:
Climate Change
Operational Programme:
Enabling Activity
Project Title:
Capacity Building for Observation Systems for Climate
Change
Total Global Programme Cost:
GEF Contribution
US$ 1.5 Million
Anticipated in-kind Contribution
US$ 1.5 Million
PDF request:
$US 324,000
In-kind contribution:
$US 324,000
Requesting Agency:
UNDP
Executing Agency:
WMO/GCOS
Block:
PDF Block B
Duration:
12 months
Project Summary
In response to the Conference of the Parties, the Global Climate Observing System Secretariat will
launch a Global Programme of ten regional workshops and follow-up activities, including
development of Action Plans.
The PDF will consist of two regional workshops, one in the South Pacific and Africa. The PDF will
develop the methodology for the subsequent eight regional workshops planned in the Full Project
(2001 to 2003). These workshops will address capacity-building and reporting needs of non-Annex I
Parties for systematic observation within National Communications for the United Nations
Framework for Climate Change as appropriate. The workshops will train national experts to prepare
reports for national communications and to address regional needs in meteorological, atmospheric,
oceanographic, and terrestrial observing systems for climate. The workshops will also identify a
range of training needs for systematic observations to predict and provide ‘early’ warnings of future
climate changes, to assess both current and future climate, and to plan adaptation measures.
This proposal recognizes that the GEF mandate is focused on capacity building needs of non-Annex
Parties and not funding of hardware for observation networks, for which support from other donors
will be sought. Moreover, the proposal does not assume that the GEF will fund observing system
improvements identified in the Action Plans.
The project will build on the network of national climate change co-ordinators developed under the
GEF National Communications Support Programme.
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PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The overall aim of this project is to develop capacity in a significant number of non-Annex I Parties
to participate in systematic observation networks to meet the multiple needs of the Convention.
The specific short-term objectives are to contribute to the reporting of systematic observation and
research needs in the context of non-Annex I National Communications on a voluntary basis1 and to
identify priority capacity-building needs related to participation in systematic observation (e.g., needs
for training, equipment, communications, etc). Under this project, capacity will be built to create
action plans.
A longer term objective of the project, which will not be funded by GEF in this proposal, but which
the UNFCCC/COP has requested of the Parties and of the GCOS Secretariat, is the development of
specific proposals for improvements in climate observing networks in developing countries.
GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE
At the global scale, accurate observational data are important for a broad range of sustainable
development goals under the objective of the UNFCCC. Better knowledge of climate change will
help to develop national strategies to mitigate and adapt to its potentially harmful effects. Improved
observing systems for climate are required to enhance the ability of scientists to understand, detect,
and predict climate change. In supporting improved observing systems, the Parties to the UNFCCC
have identified the importance of accurate, long-term data for developing sound climate change
policies. Improved observations at national, regional and, global scale are required to further our
understanding of the climate system.
At the regional scale, countries need observational data to observe the current climate, to monitor sea
level rise and extreme events (such as hurricanes and drought), to predict and provide ‘early’
warnings of future climate changes, to assess both current and future climate conditions, and to plan
adaptation measures.
BACKGROUND
The UNFCCC and Systematic Observation. The potential problems associated with global
climate change are now widely recognized. The UNFCCC was negotiated in 1992 because countries
were "concerned that human activities have been substantially increasing the atmospheric
concentrations of greenhouse gases, that these increases enhance the natural greenhouse effect, and
that this will result on average in an additional warming of the Earth's surface and atmosphere and
may adversely affect natural ecosystems and humankind."2 Scientific uncertainties make exact
knowledge about the timing, magnitude, and ultimate impacts of climate change impossible, but
there is near consensus among scientists that global mean surface air temperature will likely increase
1 As envisaged by Articles 4.1 (g) (h), 5 and 12.1 (b), Decisions 2/CP.4, 14/CP.4 and 5/CP.5 of the United Nations
Framework for Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the UNFCCC Guidelines Reporting Guidelines on Global Climate
Change Observing Systems (FCCC/CP/1999/7).
2 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 1992.
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by between 1ºC and 3.5ºC and that sea level will rise by between 15 and 95 centimeters by year
2100. In addition, changes are expected in the amount, type, and timing of precipitation, in
evapotranspiration, and, perhaps, in the intensity and/or frequency of extreme events like floods,
droughts, and tropical storms.3 It is expected that developing countries will have substantial
difficulty coping with climate-change-related problems.
The Parties to the UNFCCC have recognized the importance of high quality data for climate-related
purposes and have noted that in many instances either the geographic coverage, quantity, or quality
of the data produced by current global and regional observing systems is inadequate. Most of the
problems occur in developing countries, where lack of funds for modern equipment and
infrastructure, adequate training of staff, archiving of historical data, and continuing operational
expenses are often major constraints.
In 1998, the Conference of the Parties (COP, Decision 14/CP.4) urged Parties to actively support
meteorological, atmospheric, oceanographic, and terrestrial observing systems. They also urged
Parties to support capacity building in developing countries in order to enable them to collect,
exchange, and utilize data to meet local, regional, and international needs. In 1999, this decision was
reinforced when the COP urged Parties to address deficiencies in climate observing networks and
invited them, in consultation with the GCOS Secretariat (See Annex 1), to identify the capacitybuilding needs and funding required in developing countries to enable them to collect, exchange, and
utilize data on a continuing basis in pursuance of the Convention (Decision 5/CP.5.). Specifically,
Decision 5/CP.5 of the UNFCCC:
 Recognizes the need to identify the priority capacity-building needs related to participation in
systematic observation;
 Invites the secretariat of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), in consultation with
relevant regional and international bodies, including the Global Environment Facility (GEF),
to organize Regional Workshops on this issue; and
 Urges Parties to actively support and participate in these Regional Workshops.
The GEF and Systematic Observation. In response to the guidance from the COP (Decision
2/CP.4), the GEF is already supporting capacity building for systematic observation under Expedited
Financing for (interim) Measures for Capacity Building in Priority Areas. As of August 2000, of the
46 non-Annex I Parties that have applied through UNDP for interim funding, just over half of them
have allocated a portion of their budgets to systematic observation. All countries will be able to
participate in this proposal, but greater focus will be given to those which have indicated that
systematic observation is a priority within their Phase II Enabling Activity projects.
Within the operational guidelines for enabling activities, the GEF is also encouraging the
development of a global programme for systematic observation, providing that the global activities
of such a programme are consistent with national efforts. A global/regional approach is proposed for
cost-effectiveness. This proposal for a global programme falls into this category.
3 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Second Assessment Report, 1995. Early information from the IPCC
indicates that it's Third Assessment Report, scheduled for completion in 2001, will show similar changes.
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PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This proposal is a direct response to the invitation by the COP to organize regional workshops to
improve observing systems in developing countries. GCOS workshops will be done in cooperation
with its sponsoring agencies, WMO, UNEP, IOC, and ICSU. The goal of this programme is to
launch a process that will lead to real improvements in observing systems in developing countries,
including the reporting in non-Annex I National Communications as appropriate. In the short term,
this process will involve training through regional workshops and the support of GCOS will help
countries to implement decisions made at workshops. In the longer term, this initiative will help
pave the way for the development and implementation of regional Action Plans. In this proposal, the
term ‘region’ may also refer to a ‘sub-region.’
Workshops in both the PDF and Full Project will initiate a process that will result in substantial
improvements in observing systems for climate in each region and will build on the network of
national climate change co-ordinators developed under the GEF National Communications Support
Programme. A total of 10 regional workshops will be conducted as discussed below (i.e., eight
workshops to be undertaken under the Full Project, after the two preparatory workshops conducted
under this PDF B phase).
The Global Programme
Each regional workshop, in both the Full Project and the PDF B, is designed to:
1. Provide training for the preparation of national reports on systematic observations, as well as to
identify further training needs;
2. Facilitate compilation of information on systematic observation for inclusion in national
communications consistent with UNFCCC reporting guidelines; and for development of a
regional summary report;
3. Help participants attain a better understanding of observing system deficiencies in their region,
thereby preparing them to develop an Action Plan for improvements;
4. Give workshop participants a broader understanding of opportunities for improving observing
systems by bringing together at the regional level developing country Parties and interested donor
Parties; and
5. Facilitate interaction among stakeholders by bringing together Climate Change Coordinators
with the representatives from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and
others interested in climate observations and services.
These goals would be accomplished by:
 Inviting recognized experts on regional components of observation networks to make
presentations at the workshops on the status and needs of these networks. The specific networks
addressed may vary by region, depending on their relevance within the region, but would include
at least one presentation each in meteorological, oceanographic, and terrestrial domains. Within
the meteorological domain, the GCOS Surface Network and GCOS Upper Air Network would
be assessed in all workshops. In the terrestrial domain, hydrology is almost always important,
but, depending on the region, it may also be important to address terrestrial carbon, glaciers, or
permafrost. Experts would be expected to prepare brief written summaries of the key points
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raised.
Preparation of a document diagnosing deficiencies for certain networks where such information
is available. For example, for the GSN and GUAN networks, monitoring centers produce
periodic network status reports that can be examined for relevant information for the region in
question.
Conducting a tutorial on UNFCCC guidelines for reporting on systematic observations and on
how to prepare national reports. The materials prepared for this tutorial would be generic, and
would be tested under the PDF B and then finalized for use in later workshops.
Preparation of a regional summary report on available observations consistent with UNFCCC
guidelines. (The report would be prepared after the workshop as an element of the Action Plan.)
The Approach
In order to achieve the ultimate goal of improving observing systems for climate, the Global
Programme has a four-part strategy that will be executed in each However, the GEF funds for both
the PDF B and the full project will only be used for the first three phases.
The first phase of the strategy is to acquire a basic understanding of the particular observing systems
and their needs in the region and to identify a regional partner with whom to work. As a small
secretariat, GCOS must rely on collaboration with regional organizations. Such organizations will
enable GCOS both to utilize existing regional expertise and to develop relationships with those most
capable of carrying out the priority actions identified at workshops. In partnership with UNDP, this
approach will also help to strengthen reporting in non-Annex I National Communications and
implementation of the Phase II Enabling Activities.
The second phase of the strategy is the regional workshop itself. Workshops, typically of two to
three day's duration, will serve both to build consensus on what needs to be done and to lay the
groundwork for the development of an Action Plan as the workshops are not the end goal.
Action Plans developed in the third phase will provide a detailed strategy for addressing the priority
observing system needs identified in regional workshops. The development of detailed Action Plans
will normally be undertaken by regional entities; however, GCOS must continue to play an active,
though more indirect, role in this phase. Action Plans might address needs for training, analysis,
archiving of historical data, continuing operations, infrastructure, and/or hardware procurement.
The fourth phase of the strategy, the implementation phase, is beyond the scope of this study. It
involves, first, preparing a proposal and obtaining the necessary resources and, second, using them to
make the needed improvements. GCOS recognizes that no single source of funding exists for all of
the needs countries are likely to have. Hence, it is expected that a Proposal will need to be directed
toward a consortium of funding organizations (potentially including GEF, but recognizing that the
GEF’s principal mandate relates to capacity building activities) and donor countries such that each
member of the consortium would be requested to fund that portion that best relates to its mandate or
interest.
The GEF funds will primarily target the short term objectives of this proposal to ensure that concrete
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outputs are produced. This proposal requests partial (i.e., approximately 50 percent) support for the
regional workshops (Phases 1 and 2) and for post-workshop (Phase 3) follow-up activities. The
main follow-up activity in Phase 3 will be the preparation of regional Action Plans by the regional
partner(s) or center(s). GCOS will assist its partner(s) and the Parties in the region in preparing
plans. GCOS’s regional partners will then develop proposals and seek funding for these proposals in
Phase 4. It is anticipated that funding will be obtained from a consortium of donor Parties and
international organizations, including the Global Environment Facility, with each contributing
according to its special interests and/or mandate. Emphasis will be placed on those priorities that are
most likely to be sustainable.
Participating Regions
Ten (10) regions have been identified where improvements in observing systems are needed and
where internal resources are insufficient to implement improvements.
Six criteria can provide some assistance in helping distinguish between regions, including:
1. Known deficiencies in Systematic Observations (meteorological, oceanographic, terrestrial,
as relevant);
2. Vulnerability to potential climate impacts (e.g., sea level rise, drought, flooding);
3. Availability of a recognized regional partner/entity experienced in providing climate
services;
4. Existence of regional cooperation with respect to systematic observations and climate
services;
5. Availability of financial support from donor countries; and,
6. Opportunity for cost savings by organizing a GCOS workshop back-to-back with a related
meeting.
A quantitative ranking of relative need among the 10 regions is difficult to achieve. A limitation in
using the first criterion above to assign priority to a region is that all regions (including developed
regions) have known deficiencies in observing systems. Clearly, some regions have greater
deficiencies in some networks than others. Annex 4 of the proposal, for example, shows that certain
WMO regions have greater deficiencies in GSN and GUAN networks than others do. Since
countries that have large deficiencies in GSN and GUAN networks are also likely to have large
deficiencies in other networks, they have been used as indicators in Annex 3. All regions are also
vulnerable to impacts, although the prominent types of impacts in each region are apt to be different.
In order to develop the sequence of workshops, therefore, the last four criteria (3 through 6) have
been used to order the sequence of workshops according to known opportunities for working with
partners and securing additional resources. Based on this reasoning, it appears that opportunities for
workshops earlier in the sequence (i.e., after the South Pacific and East African workshops are
completed) include Southeast Asia (where Japan has expressed interest in providing support), West
Africa (where we would have a ready partner in ACMAD), and perhaps Central America (where
Finland and Canada have expressed some interest). While the exact sequence of the workshops is not
as important as completing the programme within the project lifetime, Annex 3 reflects the
approximate order in which the workshops are expected to be organized. Thus, a preliminary order
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would be:
1) Pacific Islands,
2) Eastern and Southern Africa,
3) Southeast Asia,
4) West Africa,
5) Central America,
6) Caribbean,
7) South America,
8) Arab States,
9) South Asia-Indian Ocean, and
10) Central and Eastern Europe.
Roles of Regional Partners
Following each workshop, regional partners would be expected to develop Action Plans for
improving observing systems. Based on these Action Plans, the regional partners will go on to
develop proposals, which can then be submitted to donor countries and relevant international
organizations for funding. Finding the right regional partner is therefore a critical part of the process.
The regional partner is expected to:
 contribute substantive knowledge and information from the region to implement the project;
 provide administrative experience for organizing the workshops;
 take the lead on follow up activities, such as development of the Action Plan, and then take
the lead in identifying and securing funding for specified priority needs.
Action Plans
Action Plans would vary from region to region, but would in each case, consist of a list of priority
projects carefully selected by countries to maximize benefits to the region as a whole. Some
elements might be entirely contained within a country (e.g., upgrading of certain GSN or GUAN
stations), while others (e.g., the possible establishment of a cooperative regional center for climate)
would have a regional focus. All would directly or indirectly benefit the region.
Some elements of the Action Plans may include:
 regional needs of systems related to climate variability, climate change, and extreme events;
 current status of regional and national networks involving GCOS stations;
 needs in observations, e.g., in GSN, GUAN, etc.;
 priorities as identified by countries; and
 a preliminary set of possible action steps.
GCOS will monitor the overall implementation of the program and will work with the regional
partners and interested donor countries to meet workshop goals and to facilitate the development of
the regional Action Plan.
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Institutional arrangements for project development and implementation
The Full Project will be executed by the GCOS Secretariat under the guidance of a Project Steering
Committee co-chaired by the UNDP/NCSP and GCOS Secretariat. The Project Steering Committee
will be composed of representatives from GCOS, the UNFCCC, the GEF Secretariat, and the UNDP,
with input from the Workshop Advisory Committee, the GCOS Science Panels, and the Regional
Steering Committees (see Figure 1 below).
Project Steering Committee
Co-chairs: UNDP/NCSP, GCOS Secretariat
Members: UNFCCC,
GEF Secretariat, UNDP
Workshop Advisory Panel
Members: donor and developing
countries, international organizations
(UNDP/NCSP, UNEP, UNFCCC)
Regional Steering Committees (10)
Members: GCOS,
partner organizations,
observing systems experts
GCOS Science Panels
Figure 1 – Relationship of Steering Committees and Panels
The Workshop Advisory Panel will provide guidance to the Project Steering Committee on how it
can design and implement workshops. This Panel will also conduct an independent review of the
results of the PDF. Candidates for the Workshop Advisory Committee are being considered from
several potential donor countries (e.g., Australia, Canada, Germany, the UK, and/or the US), several
developing countries (e.g., Botswana, South Africa), and several international organizations (UNDP,
UNEP, UNFCCC). The participation of UNDP/NCSP within the Workshop Advisory Panel will also
help to ensure complementarity of the global/regional/national studies on systematic observations
and that the outputs of this program meet the objectives of the NCSP under the UNFCCC. Those
selected to be on the Workshop Advisory Panel from developed countries would be expected to be
able to advise on potential sources of additional funding as well as have expertise in systematic
observation.
A Regional Steering Committee, reporting to the Project Steering Committee, will also be
established for each regional workshop in both the PDF and Full Project phases. Committees will
typically consist of GCOS staff, representatives from partner organizations, and one to three regional
observing system experts. To ensure co-ordination between the national and regional activities at the
country level, GEF national teams will be invited to nominate national focal points for GCOS
through the network established by the National Communications Support Programme. These
would usually be Directors of Meteorological Services.
The frequency of meetings would be decided during the PDF phase of the project.
Sustainability
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The regional workshops will address sustainable activities by building capacity within national teams
to identify and report on gaps and deficiencies in observing systems and to carry out further work on
the national Action Plans. Parties will also be provided with updates of deficiencies by GCOS at
least every two years. These analyses, including performance monitoring and feedback, are a key
element of the design and implementation of GCOS. The tutorial on UNFCCC guidelines will be
given at each regional workshop, and updates will be available on the GCOS web site.
Stakeholders
The principal stakeholders GCOS needs to reach in its regional workshops are the national climate
change coordinators and the national climate change teams, in coordination with directors of national
meteorological and hydrological services (NMHSs). Meteorological service directors are the
principal focal points concerned with observing system issues in their countries. National climate
change coordinators are responsible for the national reports, but many are unlikely to be trained in
meteorological services. One goal of this project is to help forge a stronger link between NMHSs and
the concerns of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. An important objective of this
approach is to bring different stakeholders dealing with the broader climate change problem together,
sometimes for the first time, to discuss their different perspectives on this issue of mutual concern.
DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PDF ACTIVITIES
The PDF project consists of two regional workshops and follow-up activities. The purpose of these
two workshops is to develop the most effective training approaches and materials that can be used in
the other 8 regions as covered under the Full Project (for a total of 10 regional workshops).
First Workshop, Pacific Islands
Pacific Island countries generally are considered among the most vulnerable to the consequences of
climate change and climate variability. Oceanic and atmospheric circulation patterns and oceanatmosphere interactions in the Pacific region are known to play important roles in determining global
patterns of climate variability and change. Preliminary analysis indicates important gaps in major
observing system networks in the Pacific region. In addition, GCOS has identified a regional partner,
the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, to work with in the region. Because the region
is well organized, it would be comparatively easy to move forward without delay to meet broadscale
observing system needs related to climate change/extreme events that would embrace the UNFCCC
needs. Several donor countries on the flanks of the region have also expressed interest in sponsoring
a workshop here.
(The Pacific Island Workshop was held just prior to submission of this PDF. Follow-up activities
are currently being planned. Significantly, participants agreed on a formal resolution that 1)
encourages the countries of the region to support their national meteorological and hydrological
services in the preparation of national reports on activities related to systematic observation, and 2)
specifies a series of steps leading to the development of a country-driven Pacific GCOS Action Plan
by June 2001 that will form the basis for the preparation of proposals for improving observing
systems for climate. See Annex 2).
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Second Workshop, Africa
The second workshop will be held in Africa. Given the many difficult and pressing problems facing
large parts of Africa, improvements in observing systems are likely to be more difficult to implement
in Africa than in the Pacific. Attention will be devoted to capacity building and to identifying needs
before assessing priorities for an Action Plan. Selection of the region for the second workshop will
be based on identification of a suitable regional partner and on opportunities to link up with
scheduled activities, such as the on-going workshops of the National Communications Support
Programme (NCSP). (The region not selected for the second workshop would likely be scheduled
for a future workshop.)
The second workshop would also provide an opportunity to develop any generic training material
required, recognizing that for each of the subsequent workshops under the Full Project, more specific
material would be developed to meet the needs and capacities of that region. Experience gained in
the Pacific will help plan for subsequent workshops.
The principal objectives of the two regional workshops are to:
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Provide training for the preparation of national reports on systematic observations; these
activities will be integrated into the Phase II Enabling Activities;
Define information requested in UNFCCC guidelines; and,
Discuss needs for specific information on stations within the GCOS Networks.
Additional objectives of these two workshops are to:
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Assist in assessing national priorities and in aggregating these priorities at the regional
level;
Involve national operational agencies (e.g., NMHSs) in national climate change planning;
Assist in the development possible action steps; and,
Initiate the preparation of Action Plans.
As part of the PDF project, the lessons learned in the first two workshops and in follow up activities
through June 2001 will be reviewed to determine what adjustments may be necessary in the approach
and to develop a Full Project proposal for the Global Programme. An outline of the Global
Programme, which involves the execution of 8 workshops, is outlined below.
During the PDF phase of the project (September 2000 – June 2001), the following activities will be
undertaken:
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Establish Regional Workshop Advisory and Steering Committees. (Activity initiated.)
Hold a regional workshop for the Pacific Islands in Apia, Samoa, August 14-15 2000. Funds
are available. (Activity completed.)
Facilitate the development of an Action Plan following the Pacific Island workshop. Funds
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are required. (Activity initiated.)
Organize a colloquium and planning meeting at the Sixth WMO Technical Conference on
Management for Development of Meteorological Services in Africa in November 2000 and
several presentations at the EUMETSAT User Forum in Africa in September 2000. Identify
issues of importance to African countries and disseminate basic information about observing
systems for climate in these countries. GCOS will obtain the necessary funds for these
activities from other sources. (Activity completed.)
Hold a Regional Workshop in Africa in the first quarter of 2001. The African subregion will
be identified taking into account what we learn through our participation in the above two
meetings. Funds are required.
Facilitate the development of an Action Plan following the second workshop. Funds are
required.
Develop training materials and resources to be used in future workshops.
Facilitate compilation of information on systematic observation and research needs for
inclusion in national communications consistent with the UNFCCC reporting guidelines and
with the collaboration of the UNDP/NCSP. Funds are required.
Review the above activities and adjust, as necessary, the approach for Full Project. Based on
this review, prepare a report on actions accomplished and lessons learned for the COP and
for the Subsidiary Bodies for Scientific and Technological Advice and for Implementation.
Prepare regional summary reports on available observations consistent with UNFCCC
guidelines. This report is prepared as an element of the Action Plan.
Prepare the Full Project proposal to GEF, which will include an explanation of how the
Parties will be able to effectively participate in systematic observations, and a clear
description of the areas and scope that the project will cover with respect to GCOS stations.
Topics to be Addressed and Refined During PDF B Workshops
The observations of greatest interest for GCOS to address in regional workshops are those contained
in the UNFCCC Reporting Guidelines on Global Climate Observing Systems (see document
FCCC/CP/1999/L.4/Add.1). In the atmospheric domain, these include the GCOS Surface Network
(which provides monthly data on averages and extreme values for several meteorological parameters,
including temperature and precipitation), the GCOS Upper Air Network (which contributes upper air
measurements at various heights of pressure, wind velocity, temperature, and humidity), and the
Global Atmosphere Watch (which provides information on atmospheric constituents such as ozone,
carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, solar radiation, UV,
atmospheric turbidity, total aerosol load, etc.).
In the oceanographic domain, sea surface temperature, sea level, temperature and salinity profiles at
various depths, winds, waves, sea ice, and energy and carbon flux data are important. Data are
obtained from fixed and drifting buoys, satellites, and ships of opportunity. The Argo programme
that is scheduled to be deployed worldwide in the next few years is of particular importance in
ocean-dominated regions. It will provide a network of some 3000 profiling floats to collect data on
temperature and salinity at depths of up to 2000 meters in the world’s oceans.
Terrestrial observations for climate encompass measurements of the terrestrial properties and
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attributes that control the physical, biological, and chemical processes affecting climate; are affected
by climate change or climate variability; serve as indicators of climate change; or relate to impacts of
climate change. In general, terrestrial networks are not as well developed as atmospheric ones.
Depending on the region, those that are likely to be important to address include hydrology,
terrestrial carbon, permafrost, and glacier networks. Hydrology will likely be addressed in all
workshops. Important hydrological observations include surface water discharge, surface water
storage fluxes, ground water storage fluxes, precipitation, evapotranspiration, relative humidity,
transport of biogeochemical materials from land to ocean, soil moisture, snow water content, and
water use.
The above topics will be addressed during the two PDF B workshops and the training on systematic
observations and the UNFCCC Reporting Guidelines will be refined for use at the eight workshops
covered under the Full Project.
PDF OUTPUTS
The following outputs will be obtained at the completion of the PDF phase of the project (September
2000 – June 2001):
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Project Steering Committee, Workshop Advisory Panel, and Regional Steering Committees.
Identified potential training needs and required materials
Identified additional partners for future training workshops
A full report and presentation at COP-7, including:
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Description of full project
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Workplan
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Workshop reports for the Pacific and African regions and status report of the
development of Action Plans
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Example workshop training materials
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List of resources and existing materials
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Schedule of workshops
A complete full-scale GEF Project Document for the global programme.
The outputs for each of the workshops in the Full Project will be similar to those of the workshops of
the PDF phase. Outputs will be integrated with those of the Phase II Enabling Projects. All
workshop reports and publications should carry the logos of the National Communications Support
Programme and all other sponsors.
National Level Support
The following countries have endorsed and approved activities for participation in systematic
observation through UNDP: Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Egypt, Philippines, PICCAP (10 countries),
Senegal, Sudan, and Uzbekistan. Endorsement letters (17) for this group are attached.
Countries which are in the process of applying for GEF/UNDP funds for systematic observation
include: Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Iran, Lebanon, Mali, Moldova, Niger, Seychelles, Slovenia,
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Thailand, Togo, and Uganda. Included are the endorsement letters received from some of these
countries, in particular: Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, and Lebanon.
It is anticipated that other countries (not listed above) could eventually benefit from the Full Project
and additional endorsement letters to UNDP will be forthcoming.
ELIGIBILITY
Countries that have ratified the UNFCCC, as non-Annex I countries, are eligible for GEF funding
through the financial mechanism of the convention. Potentially all non-Annex I Parties may
participate in the project.
JUSTIFICATION/GLOBAL BENEFITS
This project is designed to respond to the needs of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC and
of individual developing countries to improve systematic observations in atmospheric,
oceanographic, and terrestrial domains in order to reduce: 1) uncertainties related to the climate
system, 2) adverse impacts of climate change, and 3) economic and social consequences of various
response strategies. It is intended to promote the development and strengthening of endogenous
capacities and capabilities to participate in systematic observation as called for in Article 10 of the
Kyoto Protocol and reinforced in Decision 5/CP.5. Benefits will accrue nationally and regionally as
improvements in systematic observation capabilities are needed to improve impact analyses,
seasonal-to-interannual climate predictions, and monitoring of sea level rise and of such extreme
events as hurricanes and drought. Globally, improved observing systems for climate will enhance
the ability of scientists to understand, detect, and predict climate change. Better knowledge of
climate change will in turn enable improvements in strategies to mitigate and, as necessary, adapt to
its potential harmful effects.
14
TIMETABLE AND BUDGET
PDF Project: Schedule of Activities
J
Activities 2000-2001
A
S
O
N
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
Pacific Island Workshop
Pacific Island WS Follow-Up
Meetings in Africa
Preparation of Second WS
African WS
Second Workshop Follow-Up
Review Pilot Project
Report to COP
Preparation of full Project Brief
Begin second part of Regional WS
PGM
Global Programme: Schedule of Regional Workshops (PDF B and Full Project)
2000
Pacific Islands
Eastern &
Southern
Africa
R3
R4
R5
R6
R7
R8
R9
R10
2001
2002
2003










Note: the regions will be finalized during the PDF phase of the project.
Budget
This project seeks funds for enabling activities conducted at workshops that will address capacitybuilding and reporting needs of non-Annex I Parties for systematic observation within National
15
Communications for the United Nations Framework for Climate Change as appropriate. As this
project is required for execution of these enabling activities, the full costs of the training represents
the incremental costs of the activities.
GCOS is committed to furthering the implementation of global observing systems for climate
through a regional approach. However, without funding of this proposal, the regional workshop in
Africa scheduled for the Spring of 2001 would be delayed until GCOS could raise the total funding
for the workshop and follow-up activities. The whole capacity-building Regional Workshop
Program would not be completed unless a continuing source of funding was identified.
PDF B:
12 months; budget (GEF) US $324,000
GEF full scale project:
This project would be expected to cost US $3 million, including
resources raised from other donors and in-kind country support, of
which GEF may be asked to contribute the incremental costs, in the
order of US $1.5 million.
ITEM
GEF
OTHER
TOTAL
Pacific Island Workshop (training)
Pacific Island Workshop
Follow-Up *
African Meetings
Second Workshop (training)
Second Workshop Follow-Up *
Review Pilot Project and Report to
COP
Preparation of full Project Brief
Staff Costs
WMO Admin @ 10%
Advisory Committee Meeting(s)
TOTAL
0
50
150
0
150
50
0
150
10
45
0
50
0
45
150
50
10
10
50
29
25
324
0
50
29
0
324
10
100
58
25
648
Costs in thousands of US dollars
* Development of a regional plan will apply results of training from workshop. Thus, the preparation of a regional
summary would follow up on training at workshop and would also qualify as training.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Not only will careful monitoring of the PDF activity be undertaken, but this PDF, designed to
develop a programmatic framework for the eventual participation of other regions, will establish
benchmarks for participation of other regions. This will include progress indicators that will be
linked to continuation of future activities.
16
Annex 1
The Role and Functions of GCOS
A reliable climate observing system is essential to better understand and document climate change,
evaluate its impacts, and assess mitigation and adaptation strategies. To this end, the Global Climate
Observing System (GCOS) was established in 1992 to promote improved observing systems and to
ensure that the observations and information needed to address climate-related issues are 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 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 the climate system. It
addresses the total climate system including physical, chemical, and biological properties and
atmospheric, oceanic, hydrologic, cryospheric, and terrestrial processes.
GCOS stimulates, encourages, co-ordinates, and otherwise facilitates the taking of required
observations by national or international organizations and agencies in support of their own
requirements as well as of common goals. It provides an operational framework for integrating and
enhancing, as needed, observational systems of participating countries and organizations into a
comprehensive system focussed on the requirements for climate issues. GCOS is an end-to-end
system that includes observations, quality control, archiving and access to data, and to analysis and
the provision of products.
GCOS builds upon, and works in partnership with, other existing and developing observing systems,
including the Global Atmosphere Watch, Global Ocean Observing System, Global Observing
System, and Global Terrestrial Observing System. It also draws upon proven networks established
under research programs such as the World Climate Research Programme and the International
Geosphere Biosphere Programme. GCOS is a partner in the Integrated Global Observing System
Strategy which brings together the global observing systems, the satellite and funding agencies, and
the international research programmes to address major observing system issues such as the carbon
and water cycles.
17
Annex 2
G
C
O
S
South Pacific Regional Environment
Programme (SPREP)
PO Box 240
Apia, Samoa
Tel: (685) 21929
Fax: (685) 20231
Email: [email protected]
GLOBAL
CLIMATE
OBSERVING
SYSTEM
of UNESCO WMO
UNEP
ICSU
GCOS Secretariat
C/o World Meteorological Organization
7 bis, Avenue de la Paix
PO Box No. 2300, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Tel: +41(22) 730-8275/8067
Fax: +41(22) 730-8052
Email: [email protected]
Resolution Concerning the Improvement of Global Climate Observing Systems in the
Pacific Region
The participants4 in the GCOS Pacific Island Regional Implementation Workshop on Improving Global
Climate Observing Systems,
Welcome:
The opportunity provided by the GCOS Secretariat in partnership with SPREP, and with the support of WMO,
UNEP, IOC, ICSU, to identify ways to improve observing systems for climate and in other activities related to
climate observing systems in the Pacific region
Recalling:
(1) That the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) has encouraged Parties to actively support capacity-building in developing countries to enable
them to collect, exchange, and utilize data to meet local, national, regional, and international needs (Decision
14/CP.4), and has recognized the need to identify priority capacity-building needs related to participation in
systematic observation (Decision 5/CP.5);
(2) That the COP to the UNFCCC has determined that the Global Environment Facility (GEF) should provide
4 American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati,
Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu,
USA, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Intergovernmental Oceanic
Commission (IOC) Perth Office, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Forum Secretariat (FORSEC), South
Pacific Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Global
Climate Observing System (GCOS) Secretariat, East West Center, Hawaii, National Tidal Facility (NTF), Flinders
University, Australia.
18
funding to developing countries to build capacity for participation in systematic observational networks to
reduce scientific uncertainties (Decision 2/CP.4);
(3) That Decision 5/CP.5 urges Parties to address deficiencies in the climate observing networks and to bring
forward specific proposals for that purpose and to identify the capacity-building needs and funding required in
developing countries to enable them to collect, exchange, and utilize data on a continuing basis in pursuance of
the UNFCCC;
(4) The role and importance of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) to facilitate systematic
observation regionally;
Recognizing:
(1) That Pacific Island Countries are considered among the most vulnerable to the consequences of humaninduced climate change, in particular, global warming and the potential threats associated with extreme
weather events and sea level rise;
(2) That improved observations of climate will enable provision of information and forecasts which will
greatly assist the governments and national communities of member countries to prepare for the season to
season and year to year variations of climate associated with El Nino and other natural phenomenon, as
well as to detect and better prepared for long term human-induced climate change
(3) That Pacific Island Countries currently face significant challenges associated with natural climate
variability, including droughts, tropical cyclones, floods, sea level variations, and changes in ocean
temperature
(4) That oceanic and atmospheric circulation patterns and ocean-atmosphere interactions in the Pacific
play dominant roles in determining global patterns of climate change and climate variability;
(5) That measurements of meteorological/atmospheric, oceanographic, and terrestrial variables in Pacific
Island settings provide essential data for detecting and attributing climate change; for monitoring,
understanding and predicting climate change and climate variability; for developing strategies to
ameliorate the potential harmful effects of climate change and climate variability; and for advancing
sustainable development globally;
(6) That the basic observation networks of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs)
provide the foundation on which the strengthening of GCOS must be built;
Encourage:
(1) The countries of the region to support their NMHSs to prepare national reports on activities related to
systematic observation, as invited by the Parties to the UNFCCC in Decision 5/CP.5;
Urge:
(1)
That a regional Action Plan be prepared to form the basis for the preparation of proposal(s) for
funding improvements in observing systems for climate and in other activities related to climate
observing systems in the Pacific region;
19
(2)
That the Action Plan be prepared in accordance with the following program:
a) Within the next 3 to 4 months, SPREP members will develop initial reports on national
requirements and priorities for improving observing systems for climate. These reports should be
developed through coordination between NMHSs and PICCAP country teams, where appropriate,
and could take advantage of the current opportunity associated with the incremental funding
recently provided by GEF to continue PICCAP programs in participating countries. All SPREP
members should strive to develop these reports in the context of national implementation
programmes pursuant to the UNFCCC guidelines and making use of the “elements” paper
prepared by the workshop, as well as guidelines contained in the FCCC/CP/1999/L4/Add.1 and
submitted them to SPREP.
b) Upon receipt of these reports, SPREP will develop a consolidated report on regional requirements
and priorities and for improving observing systems for climate. This report will be submitted to
SPREP members for approval.
c) In cooperation with the Council of Regional Organizations in the Pacific (CROP) and the cosponsors of GCOS, SPREP will facilitate the development of a Pacific GCOS Action Plan that
will incorporate the priorities raised in the country reports, such as those in the initial National
Communications, the SPREP-led Pacific Meteorological Services Needs Analysis Project
(PMSNAP), and the outcomes of the Pacific Islands Conference on Climate Change, Climate
Variability and Sea Level Rise held in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, April 3-7 2000 and the findings
of the Pacific Islands GCOS workshop held in Apia, Samoa, August 14-15, 2000. In order to take
advantage of opportunities to report to the UNFCCC, this regional Action Plan should be
completed no later than June 2001 and, if possible, presented to the Seventh Conference of the
Parties (COP7) to the UNFCCC deliberations in July 2001. To facilitate this process, the
workshop participants recommend the creation of a core drafting team comprised of 4-6 people
from SPREP members.
Requests that:
(1) SPREP and GCOS Secretariat ensure that this resolution is widely distributed within the Pacific region
and with appropriate collaborating partners;
(2) SPREP on behalf of SPREP Pacific Island Country members source PDF A and other resources to assist
with the development of the Action Plan and related GEF proposal
(3)
SPREP, representing its member countries, in consultation with other CROP organizations, use the
information developed in the Action Plan to prepare a Full Project proposal to potential donors,
including GEF, to fund improvements in observing systems for climate and in other activities related to
climate observing systems in the Pacific region; and
(4)
Development partners consider financing appropriate elements of the Action Plan
(5)
Parties to the UNFCCC in the region and the GCOS Secretariat bring this resolution to the attention of
the COP and its Subsidiary Bodies.
(6)
NMHSs become actively involved in the preparation of their National reports on activities related to
systematic observation, as invited by the parties to the UNFCCC in Decision 5/CP.5.
Annex 3
Preliminary Summary of Systematic Observation Issues by Region
and Potential Regional Partners and Donors
Region
Pacific Islands
Eastern and Southern
Africa
Southeast Asia
West Africa
Central America
Caribbean
South America
Arab States
South Asia-Indian Ocean
Potential Donor
Countries,
Organizations *
Australia, New Zealand,
US, Japan Finland,
France, Denmark, Italy
UK, US, Finland,
Belgium, World Bank,
Sweden (?), EC
Japan,Australia, US,
France (?), ADB
Potential Regional
Partners *
SPREP, SOPAC,
ACMAD, SAWB, SADC,
DMC(N), DMC(H),
ECA
ASEAN, ASMC
France, Sweden (?),
European Commission
Canada, US, Finland,
Denmark, IADB
Canada, US, France, UK,
Finland
ACMAD
US, UK (Guyana),
Canada, Spain, IAI,
IADB
Some Arab States (Saudia
Arabia), IDB, ADB, UK,
US, Canada, Italy, France
ERFEN (CPPS), IAI
Japan, UK, ADB, IDB,
US,
CRRH, IAI
CMO (CARICOM)
League of Arab States,
ACSAD, Reg.UNEP,
UNDP, ESCWA, EFAD,
FAO
TMRC, ESCAP
Central and Eastern
Germany, France, UK,
DWD
Europe
European Union
* Bold indicates where we are reasonably confident about potential donors or partners
Special Systematic
Observation Issues
Sea level rise
Fresh water sources
Tropical cyclones
Drought, Floods
Biomass burning,
Seasonal-to-Interannual
Large Deficiencies in
GSN and/or GUAN
High Vulnerability to
Climate Change








Drought, Floods
Hurricanes
Floods
Sea level rise
Hurricanes
Storm surges
Seasonal-to-Interannual
Floods, Drought
Drought
Sandstorms, Seasonal- toInterannual
Sea level rise
Drought
Cyclones, Monsoons,
Seasonal-to-Interannual
Seasonal-to-Interannual





Acronyms Used in Annex 3
ACMAD - African Centre for the Applications of Meteorology to Development
ASEAN - Association of Southeast Asian Nations
ASMC - Asian Specialized Meteorological Center
CARICOM - Caribbean Commission
CMO - Caribbean Meteorological Organization
CRRH - Comite Regional de Recursos Hidraulicos
(also concerned with meteorology)
CMO - Caribbean Meteorological Organization
CPPS - Comision Permanante del Pacifico Sur
DMC (N) - Drought Monitoring Center (Nairobi)
DMC (H) - Drought Monitoring Center (Harari)
EC - European Commission
ECA - Economic Commission for Africa
ERFEN - Regional Study on El Niño Phenomenon
ESCAP - Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
ESCWA - Economic and Social Commission for West Asia
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization
IADB - Inter American Development Bank
IAI - Inter American Institute
IDB - Islamic Development Bank
SADC - South African Development Community
SAWB - South African Weather Bureau
SPREP - South Pacific Regional Environment Programme
SOPAC - South Pacific Geoscience Forum
TMRC - Tropical Meteorological Research Center
Annex 4
RECENT MONITORING OF SOME KEY COMPONENTS OF THE GCOS
One of the major activities of GCOS is the establishment of performance standards for its
contributing networks. These enable GCOS to assess and report upon the actual effectiveness of
those networks in meeting the needs of the users. As might be expected this activity is still in its
infancy, and the performance criteria for most of the networks are still under development.
Atmospheric climate observations
The GCOS Surface and Upper Air Networks (GSN and GUAN) were established as sub-sets of the
full World Weather Watch (WWW) networks of WMO's Global Observing System. Monitoring of
the performance of the GSN and GUAN and archiving of their data1 is now fully operational, and
some recent results are presented in the table below. They show, by WMO Region and globally, the
percentage of "good" stations (i.e. those from which at least 90 per cent of required reports were
received at the relevant monitoring Centre), the percentage of "inadequate" stations (i.e. those from
which between 50 and 89 percent were received), the percentage of "unsatisfactory" stations (i.e.
those from which between 1 and 49 percent were received), and the percentage of "silent" stations
(i.e. those from which no data were received. This does not mean that all of these stations are not
operational. They may be making some daily observations, but, for different reasons, their climate
reports have not been received.).
Status of GCOS meteorological networks by WMO Region
No of
stations
Percentage
providing at
least 90% of
reports
Percentage
providing from
50-89% of
reports
Percentage
providing from
1-49% of
reports
Percentage of
silent
stations
155
262
8
37
33
26
12
2
47
35
120
33
16
8
43
157
72
9
10
9
155
35
14
8
43
120
51
9
3
37
Antarctica
20
50
20
0
30
Global
989
39
19
6
36
I - Africa
23
9
57
17
17
II - Asia
26
62
11
0
27
III - South
America
IV - North &
Central America*
V - South west
Pacific
VI - Europe
17
24
35
6
35
20
40
10
5
45
37
62
16
0
22
15
60
14
13
13
Antarctica
Global
12
150
75
47
8
22
0
6
17
25
GCOS Upper Air Network (GUAN) monitoring period: Jan-Jun 1999
GCOS Surface Network (GSN)
monitoring period: Jul-Dec 1999
WMO Region
I - Africa
II - Asia
III - South
America
IV - North & *
Central America
V - South west
Pacific
VI - Europe
* The majority of problems in RA-IV are in Central America
19
The table shows that worst situation regarding the implementation of the GSN is in Africa, South
America and the South-west Pacific where only about 50% of GSN stations have provided more that
50% of expected data. In addition about 45% of GSN stations in these regions are "silent". The
worst implementation of the GUAN is in Africa, North & Central America, and South America,
from where the relevant monitoring centres have received more than half the expected data from only
about 60% of stations and about 40% of stations in these regions are "silent".
These data, when compared with earlier monitoring results, from which the performance of the GSN
and GUAN could be indirectly inferred, very strongly suggest that the situation has deteriorated over
the last twelve months and that these networks are completely inadequate for their intended purpose.
There are several reasons for the low reception rates. Some developing countries have problems
maintaining stations because funds are inadequate for equipment, consumables, and ongoing
operations. Other problems are caused by inadequate communications systems and lack of qualified
staff. Some of these may be overcome as feedback from the monitoring centres is provided to the
stations concerned. In addition to the need to improve transmission of current climate data, much
useful historical data exist but have not yet been forwarded to the relevant archiving centres. Again,
lack of funds for retrieving these data is a concern within some countries.
GSN and GUAN monitoring and archiving is undertaken through the collaborative efforts of the Deutscher Wetterdienst,
the Japan Meteorological Agency, the UK Meteorological Office, the US National Climatic Data Center, and the
European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecast