June 2023 has been an extremely busy and fruitful period for the GCOS programme, starting with the presentation of a Resolution on Improving Climate Observations at WMO Congress by AOPC Chair, Professor Peter Thorne. The Congress endorsed the 2022 GCOS Implementation Plan and urged members to address the relevant actions presented in the Plan. Just a few weeks later, GCOS Director Anthony Rea, addressed the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Assembly, who confirmed IOC Members’ support to the IP, and their commitment to develop the ocean observing system as a vital component of the observing system for climate.
Finally, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) kindly hosted the third GCOS Joint Panel Meeting from 26-30 June, a remarkable week for more than 40 GCOS experts, meeting in person for the first time in many years and discussing how to move the Implementation Plan forward. The programme included the individual panel meetings (AOPC, OOPC & TOPC) but also cross-panel sessions around topics of particular interest, such as, the Earth Cycles, Climate Indicators, Climate Data Centres, ECVs Rationalization, Air-Sea Air-Land fluxes, and the ECVs and Climatic Impact Drivers. All the details can be found on the meeting website.
This is just the start of a series of activities to make sure that the recommendations presented in the GCOS Implementation Plan are turned into a reality. Implementing the actions will involve many actors including the space agencies, the meteorological and hydrological services, academia, and other partner initiatives such as the Global Ocean Observing System and the Global Terrestrial Networks.
