Deutsches Klimaportal - Klimadienste für Deutschland

20.02.2020

GCOS: Essential Climate Variables - Public Consultations on its Requirements

This public consultation is held from 13 January to 13 March 2020 on the requirements for global essential climate observations needed by users of climate data (called Essential Climate Variables, ECV). An ECV is a physical, chemical or biological variable or a group of linked variables that critically contributes to the characterization of Earth’ s climate. The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) currently specifies 54 ECVs.

Essential Climate Variables 
Quelle: WMO / GCOS Essential Climate Variables Quelle: WMO / GCOS

This public consultation addresses not only the observation community, but all communities that work with climate data including climate science, modelling, policy, adaptation, mitigation. ECVs are concepts that may be characterized by one or a group of ECV Products. For example, the ECV “Lakes” is a concept and in order to characterize it, several ECV Products such as "lake water level" and "lake colour" are required to monitor the relevant climate aspects. ECV Product requirements are instrument-agnostic: the requirements do not imply that any specific equipment should be used; they do not distinguish between satellite and in-situ observations.

These GCOS ECV requirements have guided the development of in-situ and satellite global climate observations by all national meteorological services and space agencies and other oceanic and terrestrial networks. This revision will guide the next generation of global climate observations.

Reviewers should consider the information provided for each ECV Product and provide comments in the forum for the public consultation. While not all cells are applicable to all ECV products, where relevant cells in the proposed tables in the forum are blank, reviewers are encouraged to supply suggestions to address these gaps.

Paritcipate in the consultation at GCOS’s website (lists of ECV and their products, detailed step by step guide on how to contribute to the public consultation, ...)

Supplementary Information

Essential Climate Variable (ECV)

ECV datasets provide the empirical evidence needed to understand and predict the evolution of climate, to guide mitigation and adaptation measures, to assess risks and enable attribution of climate events to underlying causes, and to underpin climate services. They are required to support the work of the UNFCCC and the IPCC.

ECV are identified based on the following criteria:

  • Relevance: The variable is critical for characterizing the climate system and its changes.
  • Feasibility: Observing or deriving the variable on a global scale is technically feasible using proven, scientifically understood methods.
  • Cost effectiveness: Generating and archiving data on the variable is affordable, mainly relying on coordinated observing systems using proven technology, taking advantage where possible of historical datasets

The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)

GCOS is co-sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IOC-UNESCO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment), and the International Science Council (ISC). It regularly assesses the status of global climate observations of the atmosphere, land and ocean and produces guidance for its improvement.

GCOS works towards a world where climate observations are accurate and sustained, and access to climate data is free and open.

Zusatzinformationen

Nachrichten aus dem Bereich Sektorübergreifend

Woche der Umwelt 2024 25.03.2024

Bundespräsident Frank-Walter Steinmeier und die Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt laden herzlich ein …

Heinz Maier-Leibnitz-Preis geht an Leipziger Klima-Forscher Sebastian Sippel25.03.2024

Wichtige Auszeichnung für Juniorprofessor des Instituts für Meteorologie

Auf den Klimawandel reagieren21.03.2024

Der Klimawandel schreitet voran. Je nach Region unterschiedlich, sicher ist aber: Seine Auswirkungen …

Strömungen im Klimawandel: BTU-Experiment erneut für Einsatz im Weltraum in Vorbereitung21.03.2024

Mit einem einzigartigen Experiment, das ausschließlich in der Schwerelosigkeit durchgeführt werden …

Hinweis zur Verwendung von Cookies

Cookies erleichtern die Bereitstellung unserer Dienste. Mit der Nutzung unserer Dienste erklären Sie sich damit einverstanden, dass wir Cookies verwenden. Weitere Informationen zum Datenschutz erhalten Sie über den folgenden Link: Datenschutz

OK