REPORT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION Doc. 3 (See document here)

ENHANCED CAPABILITIES OF MEMBERS TO PROVIDE BETTER HYDROLOGICAL FORECASTS AND ASSESSMENT - Science and Technology Development and Implementation - Doc 4.3 (see document here)
There was significant time spent discussing the structure/restructure of the Region IV Management Group and new roles of Working Groups. Hydrology was particularly discussed including how to maintain the regions role as a leader in flash flood forecasting and hydrologic early warning systems; and the assessment of performance of flow measurement equipment. Other aspects of this discussion included the process and impact of a new structural focus on various identified programs such as Regional Radar (WIGOS), Regional Climate Centers, Hurricane committee, ICAO Aviation meteorology, and the potential for other task teams to be created in order to address specific programs.

INTEGRATION OF WMO OBSERVING SYSTEMS - Science and Technology Development and Implementation - Doc. 4.4 (see document here)
This document discusses in some depth the Integration of WMO Observing Systems and WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS)

DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW WMO INFORMATION SYSTEM (WIS) - Doc. 4.5 (see document here)
Fred Branski of USA NWS, who is now the President of CBS, made a brief statement about the WIS-GTS enhancement.

There was a discussion as to what regional issues can be identified and dealt with in order to help WIS become an operational reality? People still think and speak Global Telecommunications System (GTS). There was a difference between the WMO Secretariat and the USA on this. The USA NWS believes the complexity of WIS is not currently understood.

ENHANCED CAPABILITIES OF MEMBERS TO PROVIDE AND USE WEATHER AND CLIMATE, WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES - Doc. 4.7 (see document here)
Curt Barrett commented that floods and flash-floods are the primary drivers of the Mulit-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) definition. The core model, however, is unchanged despite the addition of other hazards to the framework.

NASA's Caribbean Flood Project was briefly mentioned. This brings appropriate satellite products into Emergency Management Offices. It was noted that WMO needs to bring the local NMHS's into this picture for a more comprehensive and integrated solution.

Related to the above, Canada mentioned the need for a targeted training workshop in the Region.

The Madrid Action Plan is to make available a course on the Societal and Economic Benefits of Meteorological Information which can be given anywhere. They clearly have a user-focused strategy and are actively engaging in several pilot projects in order to underpin and improve user relationships. They just recently completed their design of a common system for HYDROMET database management and presented this to the WMO. One goal is to create a virtual center for the Prevention of Severe Weather.

ENHANCED CAPABILITIES OF MEMBERS TO PROVIDE AND USE WEATHER AND CLIMATE, WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES - Partnership - Doc. 4.8 (see document here)
This document noted that RA-IV is where real progress and projects are seen in Hydrology. The Region is a global leader for WMO in this area.

It was stressed that available resources need to be put to their best use and that there is a necessity to work with partners such as UNESCO and World bank to maximize the effective use of all available resources.

Comment:
Canada raised Haiti as an issue. The comment was essentially that we have a country in dire need within this Region, what are we doing to help them? How can we collectively develop a more targeted plan for intervention? Canada requested a Situation Report on Haiti. A spontaneous session regarding Haiti was put on the books later that same day. Mr. Doornbos comments that unfortunately he had a previous commitment that precluded him from attending that session. However Mr Doornbos, on a personal note comments that the show of genuine concern raised by Canada was a highlight and an excellent example of what he believes WMO is about.

Project Development within the Caribbean States - (Side meeting)
Disaster Risk Reduction was one focus of this side-meeting. Disaster Risk reduction had also been the subject of a Scientific Lecturers given at this meeting.

Mention was made of Finland's desire to partner and help. Several staff members from the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) spoke about different aspects of their organization, service and outreach. The represented Countries of RA-IV had great appreciation and desire for the technology that was presented. The U.S. thanked Finland and FMI for their interest in the region and the excellent partner they have shown themselves to be. Various countries that have received SmartMet installations requested additional training, due to the advanced nature and complexity of the system. Theses countries know they can do much more with the system, but know that they require more training before being able to do so. They do not simply want to be consumers of an automated product stream. They want to participate in their own future, not just have someone configure it for them.

Several other comments went back to AeM and the need for Quality Management Systems (QMS). The British Caribbean Territories (BCT) mentioned the need for solution homogeneity in the region and their belief that a QMS may assist in this regard. At present, there is a high degree of inequality in the solutions, tools and access deployed in the area. It was urged that all countries involved in development should use the WMO as a coordinating body. In this way, when done, the resultant work would have far greater odds of long-term sustainability.

France discussed briefly their interest in an observation network for their interests - Guadalupe, Martinique and French Guyana. France would like this to be a cooperative network. At present, the final scope of the project is still undefined.

AEMet (the Spanish Met Service) and the IberoAmerican Plan (CLIBER)
There was an introduction of an IberoAmerica Project (CLIBER). The goals of the program are to strengthen met services, extend and update networks, modernize communications systems and building capacity for met services in the region. This project is discussed at some length in ENHANCED CAPABILITIES OF NMHSs IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, TO FULFIL THEIR MANDATES - Doc.4.9 (see document here).

WMO is very active  in the CLIBER project. The funds for CLIBER of $5 million per year over 3 yrs, established by Spain,  available through a WMO Trust Fund, for approved activates. Annual action plans are developed and decisions are made on a consensus basis. The current action plan seeks to enhance institutional development, build organizational capacity and provide for consolidated operational management. The core activity intended to be sponsored by this project is training for the purpose of fostering cooperation between met services and for the strengthening of met services. Equipment and infrastructure are not intended to be supported by this fund. 

EUMetCast was discussed. It was mentioned that "every Met Service" has satellite downlink system via the Trust Fund mentioned above. The question remained as to whether the communication costs are covered by EUMETSAT?

Near-term focus is to work more closely with WMO and the Met Services throughout RA-IV. The US complimented Spain for their interest and Dr. Jack Hayes invited much closer cooperation going forward. The British Caribbean Territories (BCT) supported this.

It was noted that Colombia joined CLIBER in 2009.

The next Conference of Directors of the IberoAmerican NMHSs is to be held in the Dominican Republic at the end of this year.

WISDOM
NOAA introduced results of a feasibility study, WISDOM (Weather In-Situ Deployment Optimization Method). WISDOM is a constant (horizontal) level balloon system that tracks at a constant altitude (12kft or 26kft) WISDOM has the aim of improving hurricane track forecasting by providing data that can be of immediate value to hurricane track forecasting (currently going into the MADIS data stream). Further information can be found at the website: http://wisdom.noaa.gov.
 
The WISDOM 2008 Test results were shared. Each sonde carries GPS tags and the current payload is 100g. The goal of its use is to help bring the fast track error down to 100nm or less. Normal balloon flight duration is 2 to 5 days, however as some flights have lasted in excess of 20 days they are engineering an onboard termination device. The balloons are FAA Part 1 exempt, but NOTAMS are filed before release. The GPS tags are the only instrumentation right now, 2009 will bring P, T and RH. Also, the algorithm provides analysis of key data void areas and proactively recommends optimal deployment locations.

WMO Strategic Planning – regional aspects - Doc. 5.2 (see document here)
Document  5.2 addressed the Regional Strategic Plan, the framework for which was to emphasize the "results chain". Global Societal Needs (GSN) drives WMO Strategic Thrusts which ties to WMO Expected Results. The GSN was and remains, improved protection of life and property, alleviation of poverty and sustainable use of resources.

The Strategic Thrusts in the next Strategic Plan include an improvement to quality and delivery of services, push forward scientific research and applications, increase capacity building, develop more partnerships and increase good governance.

There was significant time spent discussing the linkages between Regional Strategic and Operating Plans and WMO Strategic Plans. WMO Strategic Plans were described as high level statements of strategic operations. Discussions cantered around whether the overall planning process should be working from WMO downward to the regional level/stakeholders or upward from the regional level/stakeholders to WMO. WMO requested input/regional strategic plans during 2009 so that a WMO plan could be developed by end of 2009 and that the planning process could continue and documents could be issued by the next Congress in 2011.

Comments:
It was noted that the next set of Key Outcomes (KOs) need to be derived from the Technical Commissions (TCs) and the Regional Areas (RAs) in order to ensure better global coordination of future development. They will strive to have ONE PLAN, which definitely seemed to not be the case this time around. There was a commented that "we" never seem to move beyond the plan and that "we" are basically "a lot of talk".

To address that, Antigua requested that each represented Nation develop their own Strategic Plan based upon the input of their Stakeholders - forget Top-Down, go Bottom-up. There is an aspect of this that is very appealing and appropriate. The likely solution is a melding of the two approaches. Canada supported Antigua's comment. Region President said that she believed Antigua was more focused on the Operating Plan than the Strategic Plan. This exchange was an ironic illustration of why progress is so slow.

It was noted that the good progress in RA-IV's Hydro work ties to WMO Strategic Thrust 5 -Good Governance.

SCIENTIFIC LECTURES AND DISCUSSIONS - Doc.8 (see document here)

Qualifications of meteorologists working in aeronautical meteorology, by Mr Carr McLeod (president of CAeM);
Carr McLeod, President of CAeM, provided a report on the WMO's role in AeM. ICAO/Aviation meteorology was identified as an important issue, especially working toward ICAO's mandatory international certificate. The two main points of discussion were a refinement to the accepted qualifications for Aeronautical Meteorologists and the strong need for a Quality Management System (QMS) in the field. The quality management and training necessary to meet this requirement is seen as a Priority.

It was commented that Stakeholders want to interact with Meteorologists who can filter complex information and make it simple to understand. This is the challenge from WMO's perspective and the Public Weather Service's (PWS), as the (PWS) is the face of all that WMO does.

World Climate Conference–3, by Mr Hong Yan, (WMO, Deputy Secretary-General)
WMO urged the region for support to the various Climate programs- especially WCRP and the 3rd World Climate Conference (WCC-3 in Geneva 8/31-9/4/09). The WCC-3 and the importance of Climate issues were also noted in the document on BETTER CLIMATE PREDICTIONS AND ASSESSMENTS - Doc.4.2 (see document here)

Election of Office Bearers - Doc. 10
The New President of RA-IV was elected. It is Mr. Arthur Rolle from the Bahamas.

Close of the conference
The conference closed on Friday, 22 May 2009

Back to 
top of page

Report - 5th Session of the JCOMM Ship Observations Team (SOT), Geneva, Switzerland, 18-22 May 2009
This report covers various items from the meeting considered of particular interest to the HMEI Membership and is not intended to be definitive. The report lists items and document presentations in the order they were given at the meeting.

Documents considered of particular interest to HMEI Members are linked individually in this report. The revised agenda is available in Annex II of the JCOMM Draft Final Report here. The other meeting documents are available at:
http://www.jcomm.info/index.php?0ption=com_oe&task=viewEventDocs&eventID=320

Attendees
For the full attendees list please see the Participants List in Annex I of: the JCOMM Draft Final Report
HMEI was represented by:
Rémy Pepin - MODEM
Aki Lilja - Vaisala
Bruce Sumner - HMEI Executive Secretary
Christine Charstone - HMEI Administrator

I(a)  Opening at 9.00
On Behalf of the WMO Executive Secretary and the Executive Secretary of Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), Dr Wenjian Zhang (Director, Observing and Information Systems Department, WMO Secretariat) welcomed the participants to the session gave a welcome address.

Mr Graeme Ball, Chairperson of the Team gave an overview of the work of the JCOMM SOT and the achievements since the last meeting. See this report here.

II -Scientific and Technical Workshop, New Developments
The workshop consisted of seven presentations with new initiatives and/or developments in shipboard meteorological or oceanographic instrumentation, observing practices, data management procedures, quality control and ocean products. Some Members of the Team  reported on systems and related technical developments relevant to the SOT, either within their own services and operations or with which they have otherwise been directly involved.

Of particular interest for manufacturers was the presentation from the Task Team on Shipboard AWS (TT-AWS):

• E-SURMAR specifications of AWS (list of recommendations for issuing specifications) (Henry Kleta, DWD, Germany).
  The team was established in Nov 2007. The paper discusses parameters, requirements, recommendations, etc. A minimum set of parameters are identified: – pressure, air temperature, humidity. Possible additional parameters are: – wind (possibly with heading) and SST. Visual observations are considered a definite optional feature, but are not required for an autonomous solution.

Other papers in the Technical Workshop were:

• New developments and updates in VOS Electronic logbook software, including ObsJMA (Naotaka Hiraishi, JMA, Japan);

• New developments and updates in SOOP software, including new AOML visual quality control software, implementation of Iridium transmissions in SEAS XBT transects, and implementation of TSG transmission using Iridium in SEAS TSG operations (Gustavo Goni, NOAA/AOML, USA);

• VOS metadata tools including VOS Form VOSP002, VOSP002 Metadata Viewer, E-SURFMAR output format, and Pub47 XML Generator (Graeme Ball, BOM, Australia);

• Overview and demonstration of the E-SURFMAR VOS database (Pierre Blouch, Météo France, France);

• Scientific analysis of VOSClim data (updated report) (David Berry, NOC, United Kingdom);

• Overview and demonstration of the VOS Quality Control Tools at Météo France (Pierre Blouch).

The summary of these presentations is available in the document, Item II, here.

I(b) - 2 Reports from Secretariat Co-ordinators and Chairperson

Report from the Secretariat, Doc. I(b) - 2.1 see document here
Etienne Charpentier presented this document which gives a details of the work and achievements since the last JCOMM SOT meeting, as well as some future work proposals.

• It was noted that, with the new priorities and structure of WMO, one priority will be an extra emphasis on Climate data within JCOMM.

• In regard to the WMO Integrated Global Observing Systems (WIGOS), a Pilot Project for JCOMM was initiated in 2008 in close cooperation with the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) of IOC. One aim of the Pilot Project will be: " to define and agree on common standards for instruments and methods of observation as well as subsequent organization and handling of the data and information to deliver consistent and better quality data to both the broad user and modelling communities. Data records must be traceable to standards. Maintenance and calibration are critical for ensuring stability and sustainability of systems."

• The meeting was informed of the development by the JCOMM Data Management Programme Area of an “Oceanographer’s and Marine Meteorologist’s Cookbook for Submitting Data in Real Time and In Delayed Mode”. The Cookbook provides instructions for many kinds of data.

• It was noted that JCOMM-III will be held in Marrakech, Morocco, 4-11 November 2009.

• Appendix E of the document, also notes that a new JCOMM working structure has been proposed and will be discussed at JCOMM-III.

The Secretariat Report also noted, in Appendix B, eight deliverables that JCOMM is looking to achieve, including:

• Observing Programme support Centre (OPSC)
  - a JCOMM-II recommendation noted that in order to achieve a fully implemented sustained global ocean observing system, the JCOMM in situ Observing Platform Support Centre (JCOMMOPS) needed to meet the growing needs of DBCP, SOT, and AST, by becoming an expanded technical support centre. This would also meet the future international programmes which will be part of the coordinated  global ocean observing system (GOOS). Thus a review of JCOMMOPS was undertaken and a joint call was subsequently issued by WMO-IOC for the hosting of an Observing Programme Centre (OPSC) to replace JCOMMOPS.  As a result JCOMM-III will be invited to formally establish the OPSC, which will be replacing the existing JCOMMOPS.
• New wave observing technology
   - this looked at new wave measurements from moored and drifting buoys .A JCOMM Technical Workshop on Wave Measurements from Buoys was held in New York City, New York, United States of America, 2 - 3 October 2008. A key outcome of the workshop was the proposal – endorsed by the Data Buoy Cooperation Panel (DBCP) at its twenty-fourth Session, Cape Town, October 2008 - to establish a Pilot Project on Wave Measurements from Drifters (PP WMD) within the DBCP framework to look at feasibility to develop new cost-effective technology (e.g. using GPS). A twin project was also established, the JCOMM Pilot Project on Wave measurement Evaluation and Test from moored buoys (PP-WET).
• Satellite data telecommunication
  -  it was noted that there is a strong demand from the ocean data community for cost-effective, global satellite coverage, real-time high data-rate telecommunication, sufficient system capacity, and two-way telecommunication with the in situ ocean observing platforms. Iridium satellite data telecommunication systems were sited as having a good potential for the collection of meteorological /oceanographic data. The DBCP iridium Pilot Project initial target of 50 units to be deployed in the world oceans has been exceeded, and the data now distributed on GTS from CLS and Météo France. These good results will be reported at JCOMM-III. Although testing is still need to test the technology in all ocean conditions and regions and to ensure that the data can be distributed on the GTS after appropriate QC procedures are applied and encoded in standard GTS formats, it is expected that JCOMM-III will be encouraging Member States to use Iridium.

Review of Action Items from the 4th Session of SOT Doc. I(b) - 2.4
There were two items noted as outstanding from the previous SOT session that concern HMEI:

• Item 16 - HMEI to help with having SOT requirements to be considered by the manufacturing industry.
  This item is still ongoing.
  It was noted that: Any requirements received from SOT are immediately passed to all the manufacturers who are members of HMEI. Also passed on are reports of SOT and other JCOMM meeting, and reports and requests from members of SOT. For instances, Robert Luke has contacted HMEI on several occasions with requests for assistance. Also, HMEI is cooperating with the WIGOS Pilot Project for JCOMM and solutions being explored in this context.

• Item 52 - HMEI to act as a liaison with the manufacturing industry regarding the use of electronic devices meeting SOT requirements.
  This item is still ongoing.
  It was noted that: No information on electronic devices, in particular devices to replace mercury temperature measurement instruments, has been received from SOT. However when such information is received, HMEI has a very effective dissemination mechanism to ensure such information is passed to all HMEI members in a very timely manner, and that member responses are collected/collated and passed back to SOT very quickly. Also, HMEI is cooperating with the WIGOS Pilot Project for JCOMM and solutions being explored in this context.

Report by the JCOMM OPA Coordinator Doc. I(b) - 2.2
Candyce Clark, the JCOMM Observations Programme Area (OPA) Coordinator,  spoke about the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), a composite of many different ocean observing networks. Implementation of GOOS is now at 61%, with the plan to be 100% implemented by 2010.

I(b) - 3 Reports on Associated Programmes and Requirements for Ship-Based Observations

Report  of the OOPC Ocean Observations Panel for Climate Doc. I(b) - 3.1.1
Albert Fischer presented this paper. OOPC is an expert advisory group, which makes recommendations for a sustained global ocean observing system for climate. OOPC's sponsors are: the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS); the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS); and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). OOPC's recommendations include those relevant for JCOMM. SOT (and other JCOMM groups) coordinate some of the in situ networks of the global module of GOOS, as well as the ocean component of Global Climate Observing System (GCOS).

The report noted, amongst other things, that for climate purposes it is important for ship-borne sensors to have best practice regarding installation, maintenance and use of the sensors.

Rolling Review of Requirements (RRR) Doc I(b) - 3.1.3
The work of this Team, taking into account the updating of the JCOMM OPA Observing System Implementation Goals and the results from the WMO Rolling Review of Requirements, has resulted in the identification, not only for climate purposes but also in for Numerical Weather Prediction, marine services, and synoptic meteorology, of certain deficiencies in the requirements for critical variables. These are:

• Sea level: For ocean applications, In situ observations are used for assimilation in ocean circulation models, and for calibration / validation of the satellite altimeter and models. The sea level observing network needs enhancing so that any tide gauge makes measurements with the following minimal requirements: 1cm accuracy, 6 to 15 min high frequency data with accurate timing (1 min.). Measurements must be made relative to a fixed and permanent local tide gauge benchmark (TGBM).
• Precipitation: Precipitation should be reported in a more systematic way to meet the requirements for global and regional NWP, as well as synoptic meteorology.
• Visibility: Horizontal visibility should be reported in a more systematic way to meet the requirements for Ocean Applications (for maritime safety essentially).
• Waves: making in situ wave measurements in a more systematic way would permit to address the requirements for ocean applications (model and satellite product validation). Wave observations must be regarded as a key variable to be derived from satellite observations using polar altimeters for significant wave height, and SAR.
• Snow: Snow observations are required in support of global NWP mainly.
• Atmospheric profiles: ASAP units are required in support of global NWP and synoptic meteorology. ASAP are providing aerological profiles that complement AMDAR reports over remote ocean areas where only horizontal AMDAR reports (or no such report) are available. More information is needed in order to derive a realistic target for the programme (e.g., E-ASAP is deploying about 5000 radiosondes per year in the North Atlantic Ocean).

The meeting was invited to make recommendations in regard to these findings.

I(b) - 4 Reports and Recommendations by Task Teams
(Doc. I(b) - 4  with the appendices referred to below is available here.)
The document I(b) - 4 contains all the summarized reports of the 9 Task Teams within SOT. These Task Teams are:

• Task Team on Satellite Communication Systems
• Task Team on SOT Iridium Pilot Project
• Task Team on ASAP
• Task Team on VOS Recruitment and Programme Promotion
• Task Team on Metadata for WMO No. 4
• Task Team on Coding
• Task Team on Instruments Standards
• Task Team on Call sign masking and encoding
• Task Team on the VOS Climate Project (VOSClim)

HMEI is a member of the Task Team on Instrument Standards and the ASAP Task Team.

Task Team on Satellite Communication Systems Doc. I(b) - 4 - Appendix A
An investigation has been made by the Task Team on Satellite Communications of the different systems that could be used for AWS data communications. The three systems are Inmarsat-C, Meteosat and Iridium. ARGOS was not investigated as it is considered too expensive.

Iridium, on a cost basis, appears to be the best system. It is approx a third the cost of Meteosat and one fifth the cost of Inmarast. It is used by the shipboard AWSs: BAROS, BATOS, MetPod and Vaisala MAWS. Canada is retrofitting all VOS vessels to use Iridium, and France is also converting from Inmarsat to Iririum communications for all irs BAROS AWS equipped vessels. Drifting buoys are also being changed from ARGOS communications to Iridium communications. The results are reduced communication costs and increased timeliness of observations.

Task Team on Automated Shipboard Aerological Programme (ASAP) Doc. I(b) - 4 - Appendix D
This report is by Rudolf Krockauer, Chairperson of the ASAP Task Team. There are two main worldwide programmes of ASAP: 1) European ASAP with19 stations of which 15 are operational and 2) Japanese ASAP with 5 stations which are research vessels. Additionally there are a few others vessels in ASAP, from Norway, South Africa and USA.

Almost all vessels only operate in the north Atlantic Ocean. Total observations transmitted in 2008 were 6307 reports, with over half coming from the E-ASAP network of 15 operational vessels. E-ASAP vessels are all being converted from Inmarsat communications to email based Iridium satellite communications.

• As this programme deals extensively with shipboard radiosondes HMEI will be inviting members to nominate themselves as industry experts for this Task Team.

Task Team on Instruments Standards Doc. I(b) - 4 - Appendix G
This report is by Robert Luke, the Team's Chairperson. HMEI has been working with Mr Luke, in his capacity as Chairman of this Task Team, regarding information on various ship instrumentation issues, which the HMEI membership has helped address.

The report looks at a number of topics including Instrument Standards Guidelines; Electronic Logbook Inter-Comparison Test and Results and Task Team Proposed Changes of ISO 10596.

The proposed changes of ISO 10596 are documented in Annexes G and H of the Report in Appendix G. ISO 10596 addresses Ships and marine technology - Marine wind vane and anemometers. The aim of the proposed changes is to ensure that the ISO standard is compatible with the WMO Publication No. 8, which is the CIMO guide for instrumentation, and observations, including marine instruments.

Recommendations for the changes are:

• That the WMO Secretariat contact the ISO TC 8/SC 6 group and request the following:

- These proposed changes be reviewed by TC 8/SC 6 for possible inclusion into the ISO 10596.
- Ensure that the changes to Section 7 are incorporated into ISO 10596 or proper response provided to the WMO Secretariat and SOT as to why the variance of WMO No. 8 Requirements cannot be implemented.
- A proper revision of ISO10596 is promulgated for review and publication within normal WMO/ISO channels.
• That the SOT national focal points (FP) coordinate nationally with their ISO/TC or SC representative, to ensure FP/CIMO proposed changes are incorporated.

Task Team on VOS Clim Doc. I(b) - 4 - Appendix J
This report was by Sarah North, Chairperson of the VOSClim Task Team. The VOS Climate Project is now "mature" and so has probably reached the end of its "Project" status. However it was proposed that the benefits of the work be continued into the wider operational VOS community, applying "best practice" results of the VOC Clim to the rest of VOS, thus raising the quality of climate data available form VOS, which could then contribute to the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). .

Some issues need to be considered in expanding the VOS Clim results into the wider VOS community:

• As the project status of VOS Clim is ended, a new or revised Task Team following on the future work from the project will need to be set up, with  new Terms of Reference.
•  It is suggested that there should be an Intercomparison of Shipboard AWSs .
• The use of E-logbooks is strongly recommended for VOS use.
• The migration to BUFR needs to be addressed.
• JCOMM Publications would need to be reviewed to make sure they are up to date and comply with Quality Management terminology.
• There is a question of whether the VOS Clim data should now go into one central repository (DAC) to be used for all VOS data.

• The data from VOS Clim has not being fully exploited despite data now being available on the VOS Clim website. So the high-quality datasets need to be available and could also be updated with/integrated with operational data. 

IV - 2 Programme Implementation
There were several reports on the implementation status of SOT. One of interest for HMEI members looked at the major satellite communications system, other than Iridium, ARGOS.
Report on the Argo Project Doc. IV - 2.6 see document here
This network is fully developed and sustainable, with 3000 profilers. Communications used for most of these profilers is the ARGOS system, with only about 150 floats using Iridium satellite communications.

IV - 3 Monitoring and Data Management

Metadata and coding Doc. IV - 3.2 see document here
The meeting noted that all ocean data (BATHY, TESAC, TRACKOB, etc.) needs to be available in BUFR format by 2012.

IV - 4 Issues for SOOP

• It was acknowledged that Lockheed Martin-Sippican is effectively the only manufacturer of XBT probes.
• The fall rate equation issue had not been resolved. Iridium is becoming the communication system of choice, although ARGOS is still used extensively. Immarsat is considered to be too expensive and so not recommended.
• The Devil system for processing XBT data (collection, processing and transmission) is manufactured by Turo Technologies in Hobart, Australia.
• Iridium is becoming the communications system of choice, although Argos is still used extensively. Inmarsat is considered to be too expensive, and is not recommended.

The Ship of Opportunity Program - Doc. IV - 4 Appendix C see document here
Temperature and current Variability/Anomalies
There is significant variability between near simultaneous CTD and XBT drops, as was found during a series of drops in the Sea of Bengal.

XBT Biases (Doc. IV - 4 Appendix C item 5) see document here
The fall rate equation issue has not been resolved. Corrections for XBT data are needed to allow for their application in climate relevant applications. It was proposed by the meeting to conduct further trials and Intercomparisons to try to resolve this issue and support for these trails was requested. It was specifically requested that Sippican be involved in this activity. HMEI advised that it would encourage Sippican to participate with such trials.

I(c) - 5 Support Infrastructure
This section looked at four documents which dealt in more depth with Telecommunication Facilities and a Review of Satellite Data Telecommunication Systems. Also there was a presentation on   the WMO Integrated Global Observing Systems (WIGOS).

There was also a presentation on:
JCOMMOPS and the future OPSC Doc. I(c) - 5.1 see document here
JCOMMOPS has been the in situ Observing Platform Support Centre for SOT and has proved to be very effective. JCOMM has now reviewed the future of JCOMMOPS and decided there is now a need for an expanded Observing Programme Support Centre (OPSC) . This should include system performance monitoring, system design evaluation, and authority to suggest deployments to improve system and efficiency and effectiveness. Four countries, out of Belgium France, India and USA, have been short-listed to host the new Observing Programme Centre. JCOMMOPS currently operates from Toulouse, France.  An evaluation committee has chosen France as the recommended candidate; however the final decision will be made by JCOMM III in November 2009.

V - National Reports
Some points of interest here were:

• It was noted that a partnership with InterMet-South Africa is being investigated by the South Africa Weather Service for their ship fleet upper-air program.
• South Africa is also investigating the supply of plastic weather screens for installing on ships. They are considering MetSpec and Aztec screens
• Muir Matheson provides 250,000 observations from 37 offshore installations in the North Sea to the UK Met Office.
• Most national VOS networks are planning to install Vaisala PTB 330 barometers.
• UK is conducting an informal national Intercomparison of BATOS, AVOS and MAWS and MetPod for their own information.

DBCP-XXV: Twenty-fifth Session of the Data Buoy Cooperation Panel, Paris, France, 28 September - 1 October
David Meldrum, Chairman of the Data Buoy Cooperation Panel (DBCP) advised that the next DBCP meeting will be held in September 2009 in Paris. He expressed his wish that the 5 drifting buoy manufacturers should be invited to attend through HMEI.

Oceanscope Workshop, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 17-19 July 2009.
There was an announcement by the Co-Chair of SCOR/IAPSO WG 133: OceanScope, a working group of the Scientific Committee on Ocean Research (SCOR), of an open workshop for 2009 in Montreal. The workshop focus is on the water column. The organiser would like this meeting to bring together scientists and the instrument manufacturing community.

The Group Prospects states in regard to Oceanscope:
"In partnership with the merchant marine shipping industry develop an integrated approach to the observation of the global ocean on regular and sustained basis. This effort, which might be called ‘OceanScope’ - to give it a name - will equip commercial ships with instrumentation to automatically measure and report on currents and the physical, chemical and biological state of the water column throughout the water-covered planet. These data will in time become a fundamental resource for studies of the climate and health of our planet.”

The website is: http://www.scor-int.org/Working_Groups/wg133.htm. Tom Rossby (email: trossby@gmail.com) can be contacted for those interested in attending the Oceanscope Workshop.

Back to 
top of page

There was some consideration from the report of the Task Team on the GFCS, that WMO may not take as high a leading role in the new UN "Delivering as One" initiative on climate change activities as had been seen previously.

• Several WMO Members urged the WMO to continue to take a lead role on climate activities within the UN System.
• The CIMO President, Dr Nash, emphasises the important role of CIMO and instruments in climate forecasting especially in light of the work that CIMO has achieved and is achieving already in Intercomparisons of instruments of higher quality suitable for Climate forecasting.
• HMEI made a statement its support for WMO in Climate activates in that: HMEI sees liaison with WMO is the best means of communicating the user needs for climate observations to the private industry; that this dissemination of needs and the work that HMEI is involved in with WMO Intercomparisons, is the strongest way for standards for instruments for use in climate parameters measurements to be ensured.

Enhanced Capabilities for WMO Members to Provide Better Weather Forecasts & Warnings - Doc 3.1 See document here
This document discusses many operational activities with the WMO including:

• The Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project (SWFDP);
• Ensemble-based probabilistic guidance to improve tropical cyclone forecasting;
• New warning products for aviation, including the establishment of Regional Centres to coordinate the issuances of SIGMET and AIRMET.

Other points discussed from this document were:

• Enhanced support to operational marine meteorological forecasting including forecasting extreme wave events and implementation of operational specialized numerical prediction systems on ocean waves, storm surge, sea ice, and marine pollution transport.
• The need for enhanced interaction between Tropical Cyclone operational forecasters and researchers to improve improvement of forecasting tropical cyclone intensities associated heavy rainfall and storm surge, as well as seasonal frequency of tropical cyclones.
• The European Operational Programme for the Exchange of Weather Radar Data Information (OPERA) to provide a basis for international standards for the exchange of radar data and to enable their use in prediction systems.
• The Council requested the Nowcasting Working Group of the WWRP to explore possibilities of applying the OPERA technological concept in other regions. It was mentioned that for this to occur, radar networks would need to be enhanced in many countries, particularly in developing countries.

The inclusion of weather radar information into forecasting models was noted as a major scientific improvement.

The safety issues involved in forecasting, particularly aviation forecasting, improvements needed in convection turbulence forecasting and lightning forecasting, was emphasised as a vital issue to be addressed. This particularly in light of the recent Air France aircraft disappearance over the Atlantic in June 2009.

Enhanced Capabilities for WMO Members to Provide Better Hydrological Forecasts & Assessments - Doc 3.3 See document here
The Commission for Hydrology (CHY.XIII) in October 2008 adopted the following four thematic areas as a priority for its work in the next intersessional period:

• Quality Management Framework – Hydrology (QMF–Hydrology);
• Water Resources Assessment;
• Hydrological Forecasting and Prediction;
• Water, Climate and Risk Management.

Some comments from the floor of the meeting:

• There is a need for New Techniques and Instruments for prediction, both seasonally and annually, in  desert areas for both drought and soil moisture.
• It was commented that WMO needs to work more closely with UNESCO on hydrological issues.
• The South African member saw more WMO support for Flash Flood forecasting guidance as essential.

Integration of WMO Observing Systems - Doc. 3.4 See document here

Dr Weng Zhou made a presentation on the WMO Integrated Global Observation System (WIGOS)
The Background to WIGOS was presented, and how it will improve integration of observation, systems and services. Several WIGOS Pilot Projects are underway. WIGOS will strengthen standards, guidelines and practices. Improved observations and improved data utilization is the aim of WIGOS.
 
Document 3.4 fully outlines these projects as well as the areas and systems that WIGOS will bring together.

Points to note:

• A “Revised Functional Specification for AWS” was endorsed. It was also noted that CBS approved the “Basic Set of variables to be reported by a Standard AWS for Multiple Users”.
• It was reported that a Manual on Instruments and Methods of Observation will be developed to improve homogeneity and comparability of observation. This will be an Annex to the WMO Technical Regulations.
• The new "Vision for GOS (the Global Observing Systems) in 2025", which expands GOS to include more observations, for example such as those to support the production of Essential Climate Variables, adhering to the GCOS climate monitoring principles, the WMO Integrated Observing System will go beyond the World Weather Watch (WWW). (Note: the text of the "Vision for the GOS in 2025" is available in document 3.4, as linked above.)

Dr Fred Branski, CBS President, made a presentation on the WMO Integrated Global Observation System (WIGOS)
This presentation clarified that whilst WIS is concerned with dissemination of data including metadata, WIGOS is concerned with the creation of observations and the management of the quality and availability of data.

The presentation noted that WIGOS is not necessarily about new systems, often it is about better utilization of existing systems, especially through good metadata. WIGOS will affect instrumentation in that it will look for improved standards and good metadata.

Dr Branski noted that whereas WIS is well founded now, having been started some years in advance of WIGOS, he could not see WIGOS being able to achieved further progress, to match the WIS level, under the current funding.

Short address by Dr Nash President of CIMO
Dr Nash noted that the standardization of instruments did not  make all instruments the same, rather it was a method of knowing the deviation of instruments' data output and recoding this for the data users to access. Dr Nash also noted that the quality of data currently coming from instruments was often not of know quality and standards. Therefore, especially in light of climate observational requirements, there was a need to address this issue with sufficient funding to investigate and establish the quality and standards of instrumentation.

Some items from discussion by meeting:

• Although there is satellite data on the oceans, there is not enough in-situ ocean data.
• It was noted that, for developing countries, the high costs of upgrading equipment (for instance Upper-air Systems) for the WIGOS requirements, necessitated support for these countries from other WMO Members or other sources.

Development and Implementation of the new WMO Information System (WIS) Doc. 3.5 - See document here
It was recalled that WIS is a result of the WMO decision taken in 1993 to create an integrated communications management system. Some points of interest are:

• WIS provides more functionality than is possible with the current GTS.
• WIS is on brink of becoming operational.
• The Technical Conference that will precede CBS in 2010 will focus on WIS.
• Coordination with WIGOS is considered crucial to the successful implementation of WIS.

A list of potential Global Information Service Center (GISC) and Data Collection and Product Centre (DCPC) centres within the WIS concept is provided in the Progress Activity Report in document 3.5 linked above. There are 13 GISCs and 94 DCPSs nominated. A plan has been developed to review these potential centres and to finalise a final list of centres.

The WIS Project and Implementation Plan (WPIP), the WIS Functional Architecture, and the WIS Compliance Specifications for GISC, DCPC and National Centers (NC) were discussed and it was decided that they should continue to be developed further. The WIS Functional Architecture and the WIS Compliance Specifications for GISC, DCPC and NC were considered as important building blocks towards the future Manual on WIS.

Available documents are posted on the WMO Web server as follows:
Overview of WIS Project and Implementation plan (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/WIS/documents/Overview-v1.doc) (70kb doc.)
WIS Project & Implementation Plan (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/WIS/documents/WIS-ProjectPlan-v1-0.doc) (1.8kb doc.)
WIS Functional Architecture (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/WIS/documents/WIS-FuncArch-v1-0.doc) (1.1kb doc.)
WIS Compliance Specifications GISC, DCPC,NC (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/WIS/documents/TechnicalSpecification1-1.doc) (1.3kb doc.)
Designation Procedures for GISC and DCPC (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/WIS/documents/DesignationProcedures4GISCandDCPC.doc) (doc 50kb)
WIS User Requirements (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/WIS/documents/WIS-RRR-v0-4.doc) (0.4kb doc.)
Guidelines on WIS (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/TEM/ET-WISC-III/documents/ET-WISC-Doc-3-2-3-5.doc ) (520kb doc.)

New documents on WIS as they become available are available from: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/WIS/ref_docs_en.html

Dr Branski the President CBS added some further comments:

• WIS and WIGOS are important and foundational enterprises for WMO;
• The importance of fully merging WIGOS operational functionalities into the WIS single system was stressed;
• Much work needs still to be done in data retrieval.

Disaster Risk Reduction Programme Strategy and Implementation Framework

• Identification and prioritization of hazards affecting WMO Members and NMHS ability to monitor, archive and provide hazard information;
• Identification of the national policies and legislation in disaster risk management and reflection of the role of the NMHS;
• Observational network and institutional capacities for monitoring, detecting and forecasting of hazards;
• Technical capacity and needs of the NMHS in areas such as hazard analysis and early warning systems to support different components of disaster risk management;
• Extent of partnerships and concept of operations between the NMHS and their partners in disaster risk management.

The EC re-affirmed that sea level observations are critical for enhancing storm surge forecasting. The EC therefore requested that efforts be made, by all concerned, to ensure that in situ and remote sensed sea level observations are routinely collected and disseminated via the GTS. It requested JCOMM to continue supporting activities for extending the network of sea level measuring gauges, as well as increasing the umber of those reporting in real-time, and other sea level observing techniques. It was noted that proper warnings of sea level rise, storm surges and extreme wave events require adequate observations, and that in many parts of the world such observations are not available and that increasing the number of installed instruments would help reduce the risks from these types of events.

John Nash commented that improving instrument quality is an obvious prerequisite to making improvements to the disaster risk reduction programme.

ENHANCED CAPABILITIES OF MEMBERS TO PROVIDE & USE WEATHER, CLIMATE, WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS & SERVICES
- Doc.4.2 See document here

Strategic Thrust: Service Delivery
WMO is enhancing the means for service delivery from all components of WMO, especially disaster risk reduction capabilities. A new service delivery framework is being developed to ensure this outcome.

WMO wishes to arrange cooperation between itself and the commercial service providers and commercial information dissemination providers. It was noted that contact with this part of the private sector is often nationally based, and that it will be quite difficult to develop detailed guidelines on how cooperation could be developed. Assistance will be needed from the WMO Secretariat to develop these mechanisms.

Points of note from the document:

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
Dr Hayes the EC Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Service Delivery Chairman,  presented this part of the document looking at the way to increase service delivery specifically for DRR, how to best enable MNHs to this end, in cooperation with countries' Disaster Management programs, and ways to cooperate with the WMO Water ,Weather and Climate areas.

Cooperation with the Private Sector - Doc. 4.2 Add 1 See document here
The HMEI Executive Secretary made a statement to the EC meeting regarding HMEI continued cooperation with WMO and offering HMEI cooperation similarly to the individual NMHs. See HMEI statement here.

ENHANCED CAPABILITIES OF NMHSs IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY LDC, TO FULFIL THEIR MANDATES - Doc. 6.1 See document here
The document looks at the capacity building initiatives that WMO is involved with particularly for LDCs and the support for such measures.

It was noted that the GUAN upper air stations are considered to be needed for “better public good”, and that they should be funded as much as possible with help from VCP and from other Members. The funding would be for stations upgrades and for continuing provision of consumables.

It was mentioned that quality should not be overlooked when purchases of equipment are made from the VCP and other Trust Funds, as cheaper equipment could often fail just when the data is really needed. It was also noted that maintenance should not be overlooked when providing equipment from the VCP Trust Fund.

An intervention by Dr Nash from CIMO emphasised again the need to not cut cost of instrumentation when it compromised the value and reliability of the resulting data. The meeting noted and accepted this comment as a very important that NMHSs should recognise.

Strategic partnerships and major development projects
Those underway are outlined in the Progress/Activity Report of document 6.1, some summarized examples are:

• The 1st Phase of the joint initiative with the World Bank/UNISDR/WMO (with the support of Finland) for South Eastern Europe has led to assessments which have resulted in WB loans for investment in Hydro-Meteorology for Albania, Croatia, Montenegro, Moldova, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
• Similarly Phase 1 Assessment has begun for Central Asia and Caucuses Region funded by the WB GFDRR and others.
• Development activity is under discussion for South East Asia and Pacific Region.
• Capacity development and operational activities have been the focus of the Programme of Cooperation for the Ibero-American countries;
• A Spanish Programme of Cooperation with West African countries has started;
• Spain is supporting SDS and GAW projects in Northern Africa.

The Appendix also details developments and partnership "in the pipeline", to summarize:

• Development projects for the NMHSs of Panama, Costa Rica and El Salvador, prepared during 2008 under the Programme of Cooperation for Ibero-American NMHSs;
• Development projects for the NMHSs of Honduras, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay;
• Capacity building support to NMHSs of the Great Caribbean in partnership with the Association of Caribbean States;
• Discussions with Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for development of a cooperation programme with concrete activities in support to common
  Members in the Americas region in the areas of climate change and natural disasters, and climate and water.

VCP Equipment and Services Programme (VCP(ES))
In 2008, four donor Members and four private companies offered equipment and or expert services within the framework of the (VCP(ES)):

• Observation equipment to Uzbekistan (Wind Vane/Anemometer ) by Koshin Denki Kogyo of Japan (cir 2007);
• BRON Ltd., SGI, Slovenia support to the Centre for Monitoring and Prognostication of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Georgia through provision of an 8 or 16-bit processor SGI computer to support the Numerical Weather Predictions (NWP) operations (cir 2007);
• Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI) support to Cyprus for provision and installation of CLIDATA Database System and associated training (cir 2007);
• GPS upper-air observing system to Dept. of Meteorology, Sri Lanka including installation of the system and on-site training (cir 2007);
• Myanmar Automatic Weather Station (Meisei Electric Co. Ltd) (cir 2007);
• Balloons (TOTEX), Sri Lanka, Maldives, Armenia (cir 2007);
• Mauritius – Provision of 400 radiosondes by KNMI (cir 2007);
• Belarus – Provision of workstation by Russian Federation.

Strategic partnerships and major development projects - Private Sector
Item 5.2 of the Progress/Activity Report of document 6.1 noted The Global Humanitarian Fund Project for Africa initiative. HMEI has been involved with this project since the inception of the buying of instrumentation stage. As HMEI members are aware the contract to produce the pilot AWSs was won by HMEI member manufacture Fairmont Weather Systems.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL STATEMENT ON ROLE AND OPERATION OF NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL SERVICES Doc. 6.2
This document was deemed not sufficiently developed, in its current form, for the purposes intended and will go back to the EC working group who created it for redrafting and presentation again at the next Executive Council meeting.

Partnerships and cooperation - Item 32
This item of document 6.2 indicated the benefits NMHSs can gain from closer cooperation with outside organizations and groups. However the private sector manufacturers were not mentioned here. HMEI commented its wish to have cooperation with the private sector manufactures addressed in that item and specifically HMEI to be noted as willing to facilitate such cooperation as appropriate.

Future Structure of WMO - Doc 8.3
The initial document 8.3 (see document here) gives the background to the reasons for the proposed changes.

It was proposed that all eight technical commissions meet together every two years with two days of their meeting being conducted in the usual intergovernmental fashion, with additionally a further six days as a technical conference. It was also proposed that all the technical commissions review their terms of reference to bring them into alignment with the WMO Strategic Plan.

There was considerable discussion on the proposed changes. The final decisions on changes can be seen in the Draft Working Paper of 8.3 available here.

Scientific Lectures - Doc. 10
Climate Change the Scientific and Geopolitical Challenge of the 21st Century - Speaker Dr Zillman - See presentation here
This was a frank talk on the challenges and adaptive imperative of Climate Change; and addressing the lead role that NMHSs must play for society in this urgent issue.
Dr Zillman stated the need in the near future for NMHSs to become Environmental Services, delivering seamless service provision at the national level of meteorological, climatological and hydrological information.

The presentation took note that many NMHSs were, and had for many years, concerned themselves to the best of their resources available with climate information and research and often had important information in climate records. However there was a need for resources to be properly dedicated, now, to the NMHSs for their climate work and services. Dr Zillman noted that the necessary infrastructure and support for climate services, by all governments, in a coordinated way, was long overdue and critically needed.

CLOSE OF MEETING
The WMO EC-LXI closed Friday, 12 June 12 2009.

There will be an exhibition with the event. Manufacturers and distributors of meteorological equipment, the publishers of books, journals and software, other societies and institutions and consulting companies are invited to set up booths to promote their products and services during the conference. Interested companies and other institutions are kindly asked to contact the Secretariat of ICUC-7 at: icuc7secretariat.mk@ide.titech.ac.jp

More information is available at: http://www.ide.titech.ac.jp/~icuc7/

ITU Symposium "ICTs and Climate Change" in Quito, Ecuador on 8-10 July 2009
As part of a major initiative on ICTs and climate change, ITU is organizing the Third Symposium on ICTs and Climate Change in Quito, July 2009, hosted by Centro Internacional de Investigación Científica en Telecomunicaciones, Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones (CITIC) Ecuador (information available at: http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/worksem/climatechange/200907/index.html). The first Symposium was held in Kyoto, Japan in April 2008, hosted by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) Japan, the second in London, UK, in June, hosted by BT.

The sessions included in the programme the following:
Session 1: ICT Policy Framework
Session 2: Mitigation 1a: Reducing the Carbon Footprint of the ICT Sector.
Session 3: Climate Monitoring
Session 4: Mitigation 2: Using ICTs to reduce emissions in other Sectors
Session 5: Adaptation to Climate Change
Session 6: ICTs and Emergencies
Session 7: Adaptation: Deforestation
Session 8: Cost - Effective New Technologies and Climate Change
Session 9: Mitigation 1b: Green Technologies to Reduce Carbon Footprint
Session 10: Financing Solutions to Climate Change

A participation of experts from the Earth observation and meteorological sector is seen as very desirable.

Back to 
top of page

Oceanscope Workshop, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 17-19 July 2009.
There was an announcement by the Co-Chair of SCOR/IAPSO WG 133: OceanScope, a working group of the Scientific Committee on Ocean Research (SCOR), of an open workshop for 2009 in Montreal. The workshop focus is on the water column. The organiser would like this meeting to bring together scientists and the instrument manufacturing community.

The Group Prospects states in regard to Oceanscope:
"In partnership with the merchant marine shipping industry develop an integrated approach to the observation of the global ocean on regular and sustained basis. This effort, which might be called ‘OceanScope’ - to give it a name - will equip commercial ships with instrumentation to automatically measure and report on currents and the physical, chemical and biological state of the water column throughout the water-covered planet. These data will in time become a fundamental resource for studies of the climate and health of our planet.”

The website is: http://www.scor-int.org/Working_Groups/wg133.htm. Tom Rossby (email: trossby@gmail.com) can be contacted for those interested in attending the Oceanscope Workshop.

IAMAS/IAPSO/IACS 2009 Joint Assembly, Montréal, Canada, 19-29 July 2009
The international atmospheric, oceanographic and cryospheric research community will hold MOCA-09, their Joint Assembly, in July 2009 in Montréal, Québec, Canada. More information can be seen at: http://www.moca-09.org/e/99-impdates_e.shtml

There will be an exhibition held with the meeting. Michèle Bourgeois-Doyle  is the contact person for the exhibition, email: montreal2009@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.

2009 World Water Week, Stockholm, Sweden, 16-22 August 2009
The First Announcement (available here) for the 2009 World Water Week in Stockholm, August 16-22, provides  information on the theme, structure, and special focus of the 2009 Week. It also provides guidelines for convening a seminar or side event or submitting an abstract for presentation during the workshops. of which there are eight. The theme for 2009 is Water - Responding to Global Change: Accessing Water for the Common Good  with Special Focus on Transboundary Waters. Learn more about the 2009 World Water Week at: www.worldwaterweek.org.

SPIE Remote Sensing and Security & Defence Conference and Exhibition, Berlin, Germany, 31 August - 3 September 2009
To be held in the Berliner Congress Centre, with a European focus, this event attracts more than 400 attendees in the security and defence sector.
Areas include:

Information is available at: http://spie.org/x6201.xml

Back to 
top of page

World Climate Conference-3 “Climate prediction for decision-making" Geneva, Switzerland, 31 August - 4 September 2009
This important climate conference will have a major exhibition, of similar magnitude to that held with the WMO Congresses. Exhibition dates are:
Setup: August 28, 29 & 30
Conference/Exhibition: August 31- September 04
Dismantling: September 05 & 06

The exhibition and conference will be held at the CICG (Centre International de Conferences Genève). The exhibition will be held on the ground floor only, in the large entrance area of the conference center.

Basic exhibition space (of which there are 67 modules) is available at 5,000CHF per module of 6 sq. meters; see the exhibition prospectus, available here for more details on what this includes (including the costs, an exhibition plan and application form for exhibitors). This prospectus includes information on Sponsorship opportunities in addition to the basic exhibiting information and also a Preliminary Programme Overview.

The organisers state:
"Commerce and industry will have an especially important role in demonstrating existing and emerging technologies and services in the area of climate change to a wide audience of decision makers and opinion leaders".

The Conference is expected to attract around 1500 attendees, in particular:
• Heads of States and Governments;
• Ministers and key government decision-makers;
• CEOs of international and multinational corporations;
• Heads of major economic groupings;
• Eminent scientists;
• Heads of United Nations Agencies and other intergovernmental organizations;
• Heads of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs);
• Heads of scientific and research institutions.

The theme of WCC-3 will be “Climate prediction for decision-making”, focusing on the application of climate information and predictions to societal problems related to agriculture, water, health and sustainable development.

Please see the brochure for this conference here. Information on the conference is also available at http://www.wmo.ch/pages/index_en.html.