GLOBAL CLIMATIC AGENCY MARKS 30 YEARS IN SERVICE
WMO’s Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme is marking its 30th anniversary this
year. The programme, which embraces about 100 countries, aims at forging an
integrated global understanding of atmospheric composition and change. It
coordinates observations across local to global scales, driving high quality
and high-impact science while co-producing society relevant products and
services.
A Union Symposium during the European
Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly explored the 30 year journey from
fundamental Atmospheric Composition Research to Societal Services. It showcased the importance of
atmospheric composition research to climate, weather forecasting, human health,
agricultural productivity and food security.
The session highlighted the progress made in translating
research into services, but stressed that much more needs to be done.
“Global Atmosphere Watch is valued for its coordination,
observations, capacity building, outreach and its global focus,” said Oksana
Tarasova, Chief of Atmospheric and Environment Research at WMO.
The Global Atmosphere Watch Programme provides reliable
scientific information for a broad spectrum of users, including policymakers,
on topics related to atmospheric chemical composition The programme supports
international environmental and climate agreements and improves our
understanding of climate change and long-range transboundary air pollution
through its work on greenhouse gases, aerosols and tropospheric and
stratospheric ozone..
It’s observations on the increase in concentrations of carbon
dioxide and other heat-trapping gases are incorporated into the annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, which
informs decision-makers at the annual United Nations climate change
negotiations. WMO is now pioneering an Integrated Global Greenhouse Gas
Information System to provide a bridge between science and policy for
greenhouse gas emission and sink identification and quantification.
Another benchmark activity is the Ozone Assessment, a joint report every four
years with the UN Environment Programme. The observational network, which
includes stations in high mountain areas, in the Arctic and Antarctic and on
remote islands, is well-placed to monitor the protective stratospheric ozone
layer, as well as pollutants including ground-level ozone and aerosols.
Emerging priorities include air quality forecasts and assessment
of total atmospheric deposition that impacts ecosystems.
“The celebration of the GAW anniversary at the 2019 EGU has been
a resounding success,” said Gregory Carmichael, chair of WMO’s Environmental
Pollution and Atmospheric Chemistry Scientific Steering Committee (EPAC SSC)
“The presentations were outstanding and showed the importance of atmospheric
chemistry research and how it is being implemented in GAW.”
The EGU General Assembly, from 7 to 12 April 2019, brings
together the scientific community. The GAW Programme supported a number of
early career researchers from developing countries to attend EGU, present the
atmospheric science that is carried out in their countries and engage with the
international research community.
Highlights of the keynote presentations given by outstanding
scientists included:
Gregory Carmichael (University of Iowa) opened the session by providing an overview
of the GAW Programme, its structure and activities, and set up the floor for
the following lectures.
Markku Kulmala (University of Helsinki’s
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research; member of EPAC SSC)
highlighted the potential for the Global Atmosphere Watch network to evolve
into a much-needed global Earth observatory with well-equipped ground stations
around the world to track environments and key ecosystems.
Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher (NIWA) explained how atmospheric
measurements revealed a strong forest carbon sink in New Zealand, which
highlighted their importance in support to the Paris Agreement.
Xin Huang (Nanjing University) presented how the interaction between
aerosols and local meteorological conditions enhances haze pollution.
Vinayak Sinha (Indian Institute of Science Education
and Research Mohali) showcased the atmosphere’s impact on crops. Yield losses
were found to be even higher than previously thought.
Angela Benedetti (ECMWF) highlighted atmospheric composition being an integral
part of the Earth system and its close linkage to weather prediction.
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