Introduction

Realizing this need for the development of appropriate policies to deal with climate change and based upon the GCOS Implementation Plan, the UNFCCC Conference of Parties in its ninth session (Decision 11/CP.9; UNFCCC, 2003):
“8. Invites the sponsoring agencies of the Global Climate Observing System, and in
particular those of the Global Terrestrial Observing System, in consultation with other international or intergovernmental agencies, as appropriate, to develop a framework for the preparation of guidance materials, standards and reporting guidelines for terrestrial observing systems for climate, and associated data and products, taking into consideration possible models, such as those of the World Meteorological Organization/Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Joint Commission for Oceanographic and Marine Meteorology, and to submit a progress report on this issue to the Conference of the Parties at its eleventh session”.

The GTOS Secretariat has initiate the process and a progress report summarizing the above report was submitted to SBSTA/COP for its 23rd Session in Montreal, November 2005. In its response (UNFCCC, 2006, p. 16):
“The SBSTA welcomed the efforts by the GTOS secretariat to develop a framework for the preparation of guidance materials, standards and reporting guidelines for terrestrial observing systems for climate and encouraged the GTOS to continue its work. It also called on the GTOS secretariat to assess the status of the development of standards for each of the essential climate variables in the terrestrial domain. The SBSTA invited the GTOS secretariat to report on its progress by SBSTA 26 (May 2007).”

On this further request further work was undertaken and a new report was submitted to SBSTA 26 as requested.

Current status report

The current document focuses on: the required mechanisms to establish such a framework, costs of establishing and running; mechanisms for the endorsement of standards and guidelines and requirements that would be needed for national endorsement and implementation, and an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches provided to allow the adequate appraisal by the stakeholders.

After briefly setting out the scope of the problem, the report describes three options for establishing a TCF, and compares these from a number of perspectives. It then discusses the implementation issues associated with each option.

View the current document 123kb, v07, October 2007

Comments, suggestions and guidance on the development of the terrestrial framework are welcome. Please send to the GTOS Secretariat.

Results of SBSTA 27

At SBSTA 27th Session the following recommendations were made:

The SBSTA welcomed the progress report on the assessment of the status of the development of standards for each of the essential climate variables in the terrestrial domain prepared by the GTOS secretariat in response to an invitation by the SBSTA at its twenty-third session. The SBSTA encouraged the GTOS secretariat and the sponsoring agencies of GTOS to finalize the assessment and invited the GTOS secretariat to report to the SBSTA on progress at its twenty-ninth session (December 2008).

8. The SBSTA welcomed the efforts by the GTOS secretariat to develop a framework for the preparation of guidance materials, standards and reporting guidelines for terrestrial observing systems for climate, in response to decision 11/CP.9. The SBSTA welcomed the progress report by the GTOS secretariat on this matter and took note of the different options for such a framework presented therein. The SBSTA encouraged the GTOS secretariat and the sponsoring agencies of GTOS to continue developing the framework in the way it considers most appropriate, making use of existing institutional bodies and processes, where appropriate, and taking into account that such a framework should meet the following criteria:
(a) Standards should be developed on a scientifically sound basis;

(b) The framework should provide for the involvement of governments in the development of standards and guidance materials and in their implementation;

(c) Access to those standards and guidance materials should be free and unrestricted;

(d) The process for developing the standards and guidance materials and the operation of the framework should be cost-effective and sustainable and take into account existing standards and guidance materials;

(e) The framework should be flexible in view of future needs and developments in this area.

Next steps

GTOS will further proceed in the development of the preferred framework mechanism and submit updates to SBSTA 27.

The above activities are part of Task Number CL-06-03 of the GEOSS implementation plan of GEO.