WMO for Cryosphere

1. Conduct/organize high-level consultations and provide recommendations on the role of WMO on the coordination of activities of Members with an interest in Antarctica and its Southern Ocean environment (South of 60˚S) [...];
2. Engage Members to evolve necessary structure in WIPPS and WIGOS in support of activities on the Antarctic […], e.g. the Regional WIGOS Centres, Regional Specialized Meteorological Centres, the Antarctic RCC-Network;
3. Recommend a convening role for WMO on link Antarctica icesheet melt and its impacts on sea level rise, globally;
4. Recommend a service delivery model for Antarctic weather and marine services, in consultation with Parties to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM);
5. Maintain active engagements between WMO and groups such as the SCAR, the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes (COMNAP).

 

WMO's focus on Antarctica

• 1959 - Antarctic Treaty - signed
• 1963 - Cg IV - emphasized the need for WMO to assume in the Antarctic area the role which devolves from Article 2 of the Convention
• Cg-IV to Cg-XV reestablished EC body on Antarctica Meteorology - with links to the World Weather Watch, on the principle of global commons (voluntary participation of countries, who desire and are able to do so)
• 2007 - Cg-XV/EC-59 established the EC Panel on Polar Obs, Res, Services (PORS) - with Antarctica and Arctic focus,
• 2014 - Resolution 2 (ATCM -37) - on Cooperation, Facilitation, and Exchange of Meteorological and Related Oceanographic and Cryospheric Environmental Information; cooperation with WMO
• 2023 - Cg-19: Resolution 6 (Priorities to address changes in the Cryosphere): priority on Antarctica.

 

The Antarctic Treaty System

• Antarctic Treaty (AT)
• Signed in 1959
• 56 Parties, today (countries also represented as WMO Members)
• Signed following the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58
• Parties are entitled to participate in the AT Consultative Meetings during such times as they demonstrate their interest in Antarctica by “conducting substantial research activity there”.
• In most countries - institutions/ministries other than NMHSs have the lead role on Antarctica.
• Some NMHSs play roles related to meteorological observations, data exchange, and forecasting.
• Currently - increased level of activities on the Antarctic with evolving expectations.
• Five gateway cities in Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand.

 

Draft Resolution 6(3)/1 (EC-78) - Role of WMO on the coordination of meteorological programmes in Antarctica, as operated by Members

Considering:

• PHORS is operating under the general ToRs of Regional Associations with regard to WMO activities in Antarctica,
• PHORS-13 (2024) - Oslo - 12-15 February 2024: included a focus on Antarctica,
• At Cg-19 -Members from all latitudes, with coastal regions, expressed concerns about impacts of melting icesheets and glaciers through sea level rise, totally outside their jurisdictions.
• Emerging needs of Members:
• Sea-level rise is accelerating, being committed for the coming centuries (a 2-m rise in sea level is almost inevitable, the question is when),
• Coastal adaptation takes time and mitigation is crucial: need to better understand the long-term impacts and uncertainties,
• Need to monitor for early warning signs, to detect tipping points in ice sheet instabilities leading to more rapid sea-level rise,
• Evolve climate services for coastal adaptation to incorporate this information.
• PHORS recommendations also submitted to the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (India, 20-30 May 2024) - sponsored by Norway and India

 

Decision of EC-78:

• To endorse the organization of a dialogue of the WMO Members that are also Party to the Antarctic Treaty and
• To explore collaborative mechanisms for:
• coordinating gathering and sharing of observations, as devolves from Article 2 of the WMO Convention (Basic Documents No. 1 (WMO-No. 15)
  and
• the provision of Services for Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, similar
  to other areas of global commons where Members with the ability to
  operate are the main actors;

 

EC request:

• PHORS to organize consultations with Members on the role of WMO on:
• The coordination of meteorological and related programmes operated by Members in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean environment (South of 60˚S),
• linkages between the Antarctica icesheet melt and its global impacts, accounting for the particularities of engagements.
• PHORS, TCs, RB to work together on:
• Increasing the availability of critically important Antarctic observations and the research for improving the estimates of Antarctic ice sheet melting and understanding the associated global impacts;
• Developing a roadmap for a WMO service strategy for Antarctica in consultation with operators and service users, and the ongoing implementation of Antarctic Regional Climate Centre (RCC) network.

EC urges Members with a presence in/interest in the Antarctic:

1. Provide long term and sustained observations and to operate GBON stations in areas of global commons including the High Seas and the Antarctic, according to their ability;
2. Evolve the necessary structures to meet the information needs on Antarctica (South of 60˚S), e.g. Regional WIGOS Centres, Regional Specialized Meteorological Centres and the Antarctic RCC-Network;
3. Contribute to establishing the Antarctic RCC-Network through resourcing a RCC Coordinator and web-based solutions for publishing and sharing of data and products;
4. Foster active engagements amongst agencies responsible for Antarctic activities, the NMHS and their international engagements undertaken through ATCM.