Report of the GCOS/GTOS Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate

Global Terrestrial Observing System

Third Session

Cape Town (Franschhoek), South Africa
19-22 March, 1996

June 1996

GCOS-23
GTOS-1

(WMO/TD No. 754)
(UNEP/DEIA/MR.96-6)

Table of Contents

I. Welcome and Opening of the Meeting

II. Statement of the Chairman and Objectives of the Meeting

III. Update on GTOS and GCOS

IV. Plenary Session

Guidelines for Participation of Sites
Cryosphere Needs - the Next Steps
Precipitation
Soil Moisture
Biomass Data Set
Prioritization of Variables
Data and Information Management
Review of Space-based Observations
Implementation Issues

V. Recommendations

VI. Closure of the Meeting

Annex 1: List of Participants

Annex 2: Agenda

Annex 3: Provisional Terms of Reference for the GCOS/GTOS Terrestrial Observation Panel for Climate

Annex 4: Prioritization of Variables

Annex 5: Consensus Statement on the Estimation of Soil Platforms Moisture from Space