Appendix M. Global Framework for Climate Services
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t the World Climate Conference-3 (WCC-3, Geneva, 31 August–4 September 2009), participants from a broad range of socioeconomic communities, including the energy sector, acknowledged that their activities were sensitive to climate. They recognized that decisions for planning, operations, risk management, and adaptation to climate change and variability (covering time scales from seasonal to centennial) could be improved with be er climate knowledge and access to and use of actionable information and products tailored to their needs. WCC-3 participants called for climate user interface mechanisms to link and integrate climate information, at all levels, between providers and users. They supported the establishment of a Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) for: “The development and provision of relevant science based climate information and prediction for climate risk management and adaptation to climate variability and change, throughout the world.” The needs of the user community are diverse and complex. Understanding the specific information requirements of different users in their decision-making processes requires closer interaction between climate scientists and experts from other sectors and disciplines. The GFCS aims to increase and improve interactions between climate service providers and those who make use of the services. The GFCS will support partnerships between climate scientists; sector-specific and multi-disciplinary scientists; academia; sector-focused agencies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Energy Agency (IEA), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); the IPCC; co-sponsored programs World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and Global Climate Observing System (GCOS); WMO’s Public Weather Services Program; and nongovernmental organizations (for example, IFRC). This will facilitate collation of interdisciplinary data, information, and knowledge to develop user-targeted products. GFCS will have four main functions: 1. 2. 3. 4.
User Interaction Mechanism; World Climate Services System; Climate Research; and Observation and Monitoring.
While the la er two are already well established, the first two are new efforts and are discussed further below. GFCS’s User Interaction Mechanism will facilitate dialogue across disciplines and users to understand information requirements and develop effective climate services. User interaction will be required at various levels: at a global level to address applied research requirements and feedback; at a regional level to address the specific requirements of products according to regional economic, climatic, and physical characteristics; and at a national level to address sector- and user-specific needs according to national and local conditions. Given that climate processes are global in character, the flow of information from global to local scales is essential and has to be ensured. For the effective delivery of
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