Status of the U.S. National Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Program

A full-time national Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) program manager position was established and filled within NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service in November 1999. The primary focus of this position is to coordinate the development of a national GCOS program that involves all U.S. federal agencies with a role in climate observations (e.g., NOAA, NASA, National Science Foundation, U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture, and the Environmental Protection Agency). As part of this effort, a national GCOS Steering Group has been formed in order to begin coordinating a national GCOS program. The US national program manager will coordinate GCOS with other climate activities within the US including the US Global Change Research Program and CLIVAR. The US GCOS program manager serves as the national focal point for GCOS to the GCOS Secretariat at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). In accordance with decisions adopted at the Fifth Session of the Conference of Parties (COP-5) of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change in November 1999, the US GCOS Program Manager along with the aid of the national GCOS steering group will develop a national report in time for submission to the meeting of the COP-7 in the November 2001 time frame. The US has been a key participant in meetings focused on developing a better intergovernmental process for GCOS, as well as looking for resources to better support the GCOS Secretariat's office at the WMO. In addition, the US will be supporting the first regional GCOS workshop for developing nations to be held in Apia, Samoa, from August 14-15, 2000. The current status of the GCOS Surface Network (GSN) and GCOS Upper Air Network (GUAN) will also be discussed.