Distr.
GENERAL
FCCC/SBSTA/10/Add.1
4 July 1996
SUBSIDIARY BODY FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVICE
Third session
Geneva, 9-16 July 1996
Item 8 (b) of the provisional agenda
Fourth session
Geneva, 16-18 December 1996
Progress report on issues in the programme of work of the
Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological
Advice
Note by the secretariat
Addendum
RESEARCH AND SYSTEMATIC OBSERVATION
1. At its second session the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and
Technological Advice (SBSTA) took note of the information provided by
the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and a number of Parties,
relevant to the implementation of Article 5 of the Convention. It
requested the secretariat to prepare a summary report on research and
observation issues, with attention to Article 5, and particularly to
Article 5(c), of the Convention, in close collaboration with Parties
and concerned organizations, and taking into account the
recommendations of the Second Assessment Report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), for consideration
by the third session of the SBSTA and subsequently by the Conference
of the Parties (COP) (FCCC/SBSTA/1996/8, para. 32).
GE.96-
2. Article 5 of the Convention states that, "In carrying out their
commitments under Article 4, paragraph 1 (g), the Parties shall:
(a) Support and further develop, as appropriate, international and
intergovernmental programmes and networks or organizations aimed at
defining, conducting, assessing and financing research, data
collection and systematic observation, taking into account the need
to minimize duplication of effort;
(b) Support international and intergovernmental efforts to
strengthen systematic observation and national scientific and
technical research capacities and capabilities, particularly in
developing countries, and to promote access to, and the exchange of,
data and analyses thereof obtained from areas beyond national
jurisdiction; and
(c) Take into account the particular concerns and needs of
developing countries and cooperate in improving their endogenous
capacities and capabilities to participate in the efforts referred to
in subparagraphs (a) and (b) above."
3. Article 4, paragraph 1 (g) of the Convention states that
Parties shall "Promote and cooperate in scientific, technological,
technical, socio-economic and other research, systematic observation
and development of data archives related to the climate system and
intended to further the understanding and to reduce or eliminate the
remaining uncertainties regarding the causes, effects, magnitude and
timing of climate change and the economic and social consequences of
various response strategies".
4. The range of research observation and data processing areas
indicated in Article 4.1(g) is extremely broad. This note, however,
is limited in three respects. Firstly, it deals mainly with
atmospheric and oceanographic research (see paragraph 11 below).
Secondly, for these it provides only a summary overview and, lastly,
it relates only to the international level, and not to national
activities or needs.
5. Article 2 defines the Convention's ultimate objective as "... stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Such a level should be achieved within a time-frame
sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food
production is not threatened and to enable economic development to
proceed in a sustainable manner".
6. The required level of stabilization cannot be determined
without further research and systematic observation to improve
understanding of the effects of anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse
gases on the climate, and of the impacts of such effects on, for
example, ecosystems, sealevel, agricultural production and economic
development.
7. In addition, national decision-making in climate-sensitive social and economic sectors such as energy, agriculture, fisheries, construction, transportation, water resources and the
retail and leisure industries benefits directly from improved
understanding of climate and its natural variability and the
development of climate-related applications.
8. In Article 5, as well as in other Articles, the Convention
clearly recognizes the significance of research, systematic
observation and data archives and the need for international
cooperation in these issues. These activities are currently being
carried out through a number of international organizations and
programmes. Recognizing the importance of the Convention, these
organizations and programmes have expressed their interest in
supporting the activities of the Convention.
9. The issues of climate and climate change are extremely complex
and very broad in scope. Consequently, a comprehensive approach to
the programmes of research and systematic observation must be
adopted. Clearly, too, priorities must be established to ensure an
effective response to the needs of the Parties. Article 5(c)
emphasizes that activities in support of developing country
capability deserve priority consideration.
10. As indicated above, research activities cover a broad range of
fields which can conveniently be broken down into a number of
categories, appropriate to the Convention needs. Activities in some
of these categories are described below.
11. The purpose of this research is, inter alia, to
improve scientific understanding of the carbon cycle, atmospheric
chemistry and the role of greenhouse gases and aerosols in the
atmosphere warming process. It also includes research into the
effects of atmospheric warming on the climate system, sealevel rise
and the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. At present
most research in these areas is carried out in the more developed
countries either in government research establishments or at
universities and other academic research institutes. At the
international level, research is coordinated through the World
Climate Programme, in particular the World Climate Research Programme
(WCRP), the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) and
the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC). Regular
assessments of existing knowledge are carried out by the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
12. This covers a vast spectrum of activities concerning the
impacts of global warming on terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems, as
well as the socio-economic impacts of sealevel rise and changes in
the climate system, in particular severe weather events.
13. This research covers technical and policy measures to limit or
reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and barriers to such measures.
Again most research is carried out at national level by government
and academic institutions but considerable work is also being carried
out by the private sector. At the international level many
organizations are involved. IPCC regularly assesses knowledge in
these areas.
14. In its Second Assessment Report the IPCC indicated a number of
priority areas where additional research work is necessary.
15. Global systems for observation began with the WMO World
Weather Watch (WWW) in 1962. The WWW comprises a Global Observing
System (GOS), a Global Data Processing System (GDPS) and a Global
Telecommunications System (GTS). Subsequently, in 1969, WMO
established the Global Ozone Observing System (GOOS), and the
Background Air Pollution Monitoring Network (BAPMoN) which were
expanded in 1987 to the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW).
16. At the time of the United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment in 1972, plans were laid in the scientific and
international communities for a more comprehensive Global
Environmental Monitoring System (GEMS). This became one of the
responsibilities assigned to UNEP in its catalytic and coordinating
role in the United Nations system.
17. With the rapid evolution of technologies for observation and
the political acceptance of the importance of global environmental
problems, particularly global warming and climate change, initiatives
have been taken within the last decade to plan and launch a set of
global observing systems.
18. One specific programme has been established specifically to meet the need for systematic observation of the climate. The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), an initiative of WMO, UNEP, IOC, and the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU),
addresses the comprehensive observational requirements for climate
monitoring, climate change detection and climate forecasting,
responses to and impacts of climate change as well as data for
national economic decision-making.
19. The GCOS programme is being developed in concert with the GOOS
and, for the land surface, the Global Terrestrial Observing System
(GTOS). With regard to climate observations, the GCOS will develop
capabilities for observations and information management in concert
with these systems and those noted in paragraphs 15 and 16.
20. While it is difficult at this stage to identify specific
observational requirements, the GCOS, in concert with WWW, GAW, GEMS,
GOOS, and GTOS has identified the essential variables needed to
monitor climate, quantify climate change, and provide input for
climate predication. Variables needed to assess impacts, particularly
on critically affected sectors of society, have not been adequately
identified to date.
21. For the purposes of the Convention, priority attention should
be given to the systematic observation of atmospheric and
oceanographic variables which will assist in the detection of climate
change, the initialization and validation of climate models and the
assessment of impacts. In this regard, the compilation and synthesis
of data, particularly satellite data, that may be used by all
Parties, for example, in preparing national communications, would be
useful.
22. The global observing systems at present being launched are not
completely parallel to each other. Some global systems for the
atmosphere (WWW and later GAW) have existed since the early 1960s,
while global systems for the oceans (GOOS) and the land (GTOS), which
cover the other major environmental sectors of the biosphere, are
only now being developed. The World Hydrological Cycle Observing
System (WHYCOS) is presently being developed in a few regions. The
global system for climate (GCOS), the plan for which is ready and
approved by the organizations concerned, is an issue-oriented system
that draws from all the basic systems for atmosphere, ocean and
land.
23. Although in the original planning of the systems it seems to have been taken for granted that separate data management systems should be developed for each one, it has become more and more obvious with the development of modern telecommunications that a common data management system or at least a common strategy would be important for them in their operational stage. It seems to be too early to propose how such a common system should be designed, although there are broader ongoing efforts to streamline data and meta-data reporting among the major institutions involved (Department of Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, World Bank, UNEP, UNDP, WRI, etc.). Already both the GCOS and GTOS plans provide clear pictures of the needs for data management of those two systems.
24. For regional activities within a data management system, such
as harmonization of data, it would be preferable to use centres which
have been established for other similar purposes and therefore are
already furnished with modern telecommunications and computer
equipment. There are a number of such systems, for instance Global
Resource Database (GRID) within UNEP, International Oceanographic
Data Exchange (IODE) in IOC, and WWW in WMO. Further investigations
need to undertaken to find out to what extent existing systems can be
used for common data management.
25. Over the past two decades, climate issues have become
increasingly important on the international agenda, with regard to
both natural climate variability and the potential effects of human
activities on future climate.
26. Governments have commitments to ensure the successful implementation of international agreements on climate-related issues. These commitments were triggered,
inter alia, by concerns about human-induced climate change, its potential adverse impacts and its relationship to the goal of sustainable development.
27. A wide variety of intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations, including the World Meteorological Organization (WMO),
the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
and its Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), the World
Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) and the
International Social Science Council (ISSC), are involved in
climate-related research and systematic observation. The WMO/UNEP
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) complements this
research role with timely assessments of the state of knowledge on
many aspects of climate change and identification of priority needs
for further activities on scientific, technical and cross-cutting
issues.
28. WMO and relevant collaborating agencies provide an appropriate
framework for addressing the wide range of research issues associated
with the oceans and the atmosphere. The World Climate Research
Programme, for example, engages scientists and their organizations
worldwide on five main research programmes which serve to illustrate
the scope of the WCRP interests and its relevance to the Convention.
These are the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX), the
World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE), Climate Variability and
Predictability (CLIVAR), Stratospheric Processes and their Role in
Climate (SPARC) and the Arctic Climate System Study (ACSYS).
29. WMO, together with its GCOS and GOOS partners, is particularly
well placed to take responsibility for coordinating and
specification, implementation and operation of systematic, long-term
climate monitoring systems and data collection. Under the auspices of
the WWW and the network of national weather services of member
countries, together with the IOC IGOSS (Integrated Global Ocean
Services System), the basis for an integrated global observing system
already exists, and the GCOS concept is being developed to build on
these existing systems.
30. Recognizing that the implementation of international
agreements places increased demands on international climate-related
programmes, Governments at the Intergovernmental Meeting on the World
Climate Programme (IGM-WCP), convened by WMO on behalf of
participating organizations(1) and
held in Geneva in April 1993, reviewed the ability of these
programmes to respond to these challenges. The IGM-WCP called for the
preparation of a document which would address worldwide
climate-related issues and provide a framework within which
Governments, international organizations and non-governmental
organizations could plan their own contributions to national and
international climate-related programmes, allocate financial and
human resources appropriately and benefit from the complementary and
coordinated activities being undertaken in other countries. This
document, now called "The Climate Agenda - a proposal for an
integrating framework for international climate-related programmes",
has been drawn up by those international organizations*
involved in climate-related activities, working under the auspices of
the Coordinating Committee for the World Climate Programme
(CCWCP).
31. The Climate Agenda provides an infrastructure to coordinate
and strengthen the necessary long-term monitoring and climate
research programmes pertaining to the ocean and the atmosphere
essential to the implementation of Article 5 and to coordinate the
necessary capacity and capability building in developing countries.
The Climate Agenda will be an integrated plan for all the
climate-related programmes of the sponsoring international agencies,
recognizing that these programmes are at different stages of
development and that each has its own distinct origin and
history.
AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVICE
32. The SBSTA may wish to take note of this report and:
(a) Invite the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), and other
participants developing the Climate Agenda to inform the SBSTA on
recent activities to coordinate long-term monitoring and research
programmes related to the oceans and the atmosphere in support of
Article 5 of the Convention, particularly the establishment of
capacity and capability building mechanisms to assist the full
participation of developing countries;
(b) Indicate what further work would have to be undertaken by the
secretariat. In this context, it may consider requesting the
secretariat, in cooperation with relevant international governmental
and non-governmental organizations, to convene meetings or workshops
of experts of Parties with a view to determining priority needs of
Parties in the areas of research and systematic observation of the
oceans and atmosphere, as well as other areas, with particular
attention to Article 5(c) of the Convention;
(c) Invite the Subsidiary Body for Implementation to take account of Article 5, in particular Article 5(c), when considering the issue of guidance to the financial mechanism of the Convention.
LIST OF ACRONYMS
ACSYS - Arctic Climate System Study
BAPMON - Background Air Pollution Monitoring Network
CCWCP - Coordinating Committee for the World Climate Programme
CLIVAR - Climate Variability and Predictability Study
COP - Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
GAW - Global Atmosphere Watch
GCOS - Global Climate Observing System
GDPS - Global Data Processing System of the WWW
GEMS - Global Environmental Monitoring System
GEWEX - Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment
GOOS - Global Ocean Observing System
GOS - Global Observing System of the WWW
GRID - Global Resource Database
GTOS - Global Terrestrial Observing System
GTS - Global Telecommunication System of the WWW
ICSU - International Council of Scientific Unions
IGBP - International Geosphere-Atmosphere Programme
IGM-WCP - Intergovernmental Meeting on the World Climate
Programme
IGOSS - Integrated Global Ocean Services System
IOC - International Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO
IODE - International Oceanographic Data Exchange
IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
ISSC - International Social Science Council
SBSTA - Subsidiary Body on Scientific and Technological Advice
SPARC - Stratospheric Processes and their role in Climate
UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
UNEP - United Nations Environment Programme
UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization
UNFCCC - United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
WCP - World Climate Programme
WHO - World Health Organization
WCIRP - World Climate Impacts and Response Programme
WCRP - World Climate Research Programme
WMO - World Meteorological Organization
WOCE - World Ocean Circulation Experiment
WRI - World Resources Institute
WWW - World Weather Watch
WHYCOS - World Hydrological Cycle Observing System
1. FAO, ICSU, ISSC, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO and its IOC, WHO, and WMO.