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Global Observing Systems Three inter-related global systems to observe the environment of the planet are being organized by United Nations organizations in cooperation with the scientific community and national governments. http://www.wmo.int/web/gcos/gcoshome.html GCOS is responsible for planning and coordinating the collection of observational data for climate applications, including climate change detection and attribution on long-term basis. It is sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)of UNESCO, the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), with its GCOS Joint Planning Office at WMO in Geneva. GCOS includes the climate components of other global observing systems, such as GTOS, GOOS, the Global Observing System (GOS) of WMO, and others. The GCOS Steering Committee and its scientific panels on atmosphere, oceans, and terrestrial observations provide guidance to the GCOS Secretariat. GCOS recently completed the "Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC", based on the "Second Report on the Adequacy of the Global Observing Systems for Climate".
GOOS is implementing operational observation programmes for the oceans and coastal areas. It is sponsored by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, the International Council for Science (ICSU), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), with its GOOS Project Office at IOC in Paris.For an update by GOOS Project Office on the status of GOOS to Febnuary 2000, see Global Ocean Observing System. For a summary description of GOOS and frequently asked questions, see the GOOS flyer. GOOS has adopted a Strategic Plan in March 1998 and is issuing a report on its implementation plans as GOOS 1998.
GTOS is developing and networking observations of long-term change of the land and its resources. It is sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Council for Science (ICSU), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), with its Secretariat at FAO in Rome.The GTOS Planning Group Report was accepted by the sponsors in January 1996, and provided the initial strategic document for the launching of GTOS. The GTOS Implementation Plan was issued in December 1998 to provide the framework for the implementation of GTOS.
Together the three observing systems were often referred to as the G3OS, and they cover the major environmental components of the planet.Sponsors Group for the Global Observing Systems Collaboration and integration between the systems is fostered by a Sponsors Group for the Global Observing Systems (GCOS, GOOS, GTOS), whose meeting reports are available below. The Sponsors Group has developed an Integrated Strategic Plan for the Global Observing Systems. The chair and secretariat for the Sponsors Group rotate annually. UNEP organized and hosted the 1997 meetings. The 1998 meeting was held at ICSU in Paris on 5-6 June 1998,and the 1999 meeting was hosted by FAO in Rome on 7 June 1999. WMO will organize the next meeting in Geneva on 6 June 2000.
Efforts over the past few years by a number of partners are leading to improved coherence and joint planning for global observations of the environment. An Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS) is implemented by an IGOS Partnership including the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), representing the world's space agencies, the G3OS Directors, the Sponsors' representatives, the International Group of Funding Agencies (IGFA), and representatives of the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP) and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). The IGOS process is helping to build support for GCOS, GOOS and GTOS. For further information and complete background documentation, see the IGOS Partners web site hosted by UNESCO/IOC.
The Global Observing System Information Center (GOSIC) has been designed to provide a one-window view of the observing requirements, the operational data systems, and access procedures for users to find and obtain data and products from the G3OS (GCOS, GOOS and GTOS).
In addition to the information at each system web site, the following documents are available for more information on the Global Observing Systems:
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