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Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)
Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)
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    • About GCOS
    • GCOS History
    • Systematic Observations Under UNFCCC
    • Organization and Governance
      • Organization and Governance
      • GCOS Secretariat
    • Partners and Contributors
    • GCOS Steering Committee
    • Essential Climate Variables
    • About Essential Climate Variables
    • ECV Rationalization
    • Panels
    • Atmospheric Observation Panel for Climate (AOPC)
    • Ocean Observations Physics and Climate Panel (OOPC)
    • Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate (TOPC)
    • Networks
    • AOPC in situ
      • AOPC in situ
      • GCOS Surface Network (GSN)
      • GCOS Upper-Air Network (GUAN)
      • GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN)
      • GCOS Surface Reference Network (GSRN) Implementation
    • OOPC in situ
    • TOPC in situ
    • Satellite programs
    • GCOS Network Accreditation
    • Cooperation
    • Cooperation Mechanism
    • Regional Workshops
      • Regional Workshops
      • Regional Workshop for the Caribbean
      • Regional Workshop for the East Africa
      • Regional Workshop for the Pacific Small Island Developing States
    • GCOS on the National Level
      • GCOS on the National Level
      • National Focal Points for the GCOS Networks
      • National Climate Observing System
      • GCOS National Coordinators for Climate Observations
    • Lead Centres for GCOS
  • News
  • Publications
  • News
  • Publications
About GCOS
GCOS History
Systematic Observations Under UNFCCC
Organization and Governance
  • Organization and Governance
  • GCOS Secretariat
Partners and Contributors
GCOS Steering Committee
Essential Climate Variables
About Essential Climate Variables
ECV Rationalization
Panels
Atmospheric Observation Panel for Climate (AOPC)
Ocean Observations Physics and Climate Panel (OOPC)
Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate (TOPC)
Networks
AOPC in situ
  • AOPC in situ
  • GCOS Surface Network (GSN)
  • GCOS Upper-Air Network (GUAN)
  • GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN)
  • GCOS Surface Reference Network (GSRN) Implementation
OOPC in situ
TOPC in situ
Satellite programs
GCOS Network Accreditation
Cooperation
Cooperation Mechanism
Regional Workshops
  • Regional Workshops
  • Regional Workshop for the Caribbean
  • Regional Workshop for the East Africa
  • Regional Workshop for the Pacific Small Island Developing States
GCOS on the National Level
  • GCOS on the National Level
  • National Focal Points for the GCOS Networks
  • National Climate Observing System
  • GCOS National Coordinators for Climate Observations
Lead Centres for GCOS

Breadcrumb

  1. Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)
  2. Essential Climate Variables

Essential Climate Variables

                                      What are Essential Climate Variables (ECVs)?

Atmosphere
Surface
  • Precipitation
    Precipitation
  • Surface pressure
    Surface Pressure
  • Surface radiation budget
    Surface Radiation Budget
  • Surface temperature
    Surface Temperature
  • Surface and upper air water vapour
    Surface Water Vapour
  • Surface wind speed
    Surface Wind Speed and Direction
  • Upper air temperature
    Upper-air Temperature
Upper Atmosphere
  • Earth radiation budget
    Earth Radiation Budget
  • Lightning
    Lightning
  • Upper air water vapour
    Upper-air Water Vapour
  • Upper air windspeed
    Upper-air Wind Speed and Direction
Atmospheric Composition
  • Clouds
    Clouds
  • Aerosol
    Aerosols
  • Greenhouse gases
    Carbon Dioxide, Methane & Other Greenhouse Gases
  • Ozone
    Ozone
  • Precursors
    Precursors for Aerosols and Ozone
Land
Hydrology
  • Groundwater
    Groundwater
  • Lakes
    Lakes
  • River discharge
    River Discharge
  • ECV Terrestrial water storage
    Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS)
  • Evaporation from land
    Evaporation from Land
  • Soil moisture
    Soil Moisture
Cryosphere
  • Glaciers
    Glaciers
  • Ice sheets and ice shelves
    Ice Sheets and Ice Shelves
  • Permafrost
    Permafrost
  • Snow
    Snow
Biology
  • Above-ground biomass
    Above-ground Biomass
  • Albedo
    Albedo
  • Fire
    Fire
  • Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR)
    Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR)
  • Land cover
    Land Cover
  • Land surface temperature
    Land Surface Temperature
  • Leaf area index
    Leaf Area Index
  • Soil carbon
    Soil Carbon
Human Use of Natural Resources
  • Anthropogenic Greenhouse gas fluxes
    Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • Anthropogenic water use
    Anthropogenic Water Use
Ocean
Physical
  • Ocean surface heat flux
    Ocean Surface Heat Flux
  • Sea ice
    Sea Ice
  • Sea level
    Sea Level
  • Sea state
    Sea State
  • Sea surface currents
    Surface Currents
  • Sea surface salinity
    Sea Surface Salinity
  • Sea surface stress
    Surface Stress
  • Sea surface temperature
    Sea Surface Temperature
  • Subsurface currents
    Subsurface Currents
  • Subsurface salinity
    Subsurface Salinity
  • Subsurface temperature
    Subsurface Temperature
Biogeochemical
  • Inorganic carbon
    Inorganic Carbon
  • Nitrous oxide
    Nitrous Oxide
  • Nutrients
    Nutrients
  • Ocean colour
    Ocean Colour
  • Oxygen
    Oxygen
  • Transient tracers
    Transient Tracers
Biological/Ecosystems
  • Marine habitat
    Marine Habitats
  • Plankton
    Plankton

The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) is co-sponsored by WMO, IOC-UNESCO, UNEP, and ISC.

GCOS is supported by the European Union.

 

 

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