Climate Change and the Role of Radio Frequency
The World Meteorological Organisation Perspective
By
Zinede Minia Ghana Meteorological Department
Omar Baddour & David Thomas World Meteorological Organisation
Climate: a complex system
Climate variability and change
 For centuries man has tried to change the
weather...but he succeeded at changing
climate
Towards a seamless transition from
weather to climate prediction
WMO Global Observing Systems
• World Weather Watch - Global
Observing System (GOS, 1963), WMO
backbone system
– Surface & Ocean in situ
observing networks
– Upper-air networks
– Surface remote sensing
(Radar) networks
– Airborne and observations
– Satellite constellations
CCl Management Group meeting, Geneva 18-21 May 2010
CCl Management Group meeting, Geneva 18-21 May 2010
GOS Space-based development
1961
1990
CCl Management Group meeting, Geneva 18-21 May 2010
1978
2009
WMO Co-sponsored Global Observing Systems
--Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) for Climate
IOC, UNEP， WMO and ICSU
Total in situ networks
61%
March 2009
87%
100%
66%
81%
100%
54%
48%
CCl Management Group meeting, Geneva 18-21 May 2010
79%
59%
Status against JCOMM targets
New Challenges: Climate Change and severe
disaster under this background. Ever-complex
society need improved services.
Hot & cold spells
Climate Change
Tropical cyclones
Dust storms
Hail&Lightning
Flash floods
Avalanches
Tornadoes
CCl Management Group meeting, Geneva 18-21 May 2010
Storm (winds)
Wildland fires
& haze
Mud & landslides
River basin flooding
Heavy precipitations
(rain or snow)
Storm surges
Ice Storms
Droughts
Increasing Risks under a
Changing Climate
Energy
Water Resource
Management
Food
security
Transport
Strong Wind
Intensity
Health
Coastal Marine Hazards
Tropical Cyclones
Hazards’ intensity
and frequency
are increasing
Urban areas
Heavy rainfall / Flood
Heatwaves
CCl Management Group meeting, Geneva 18-21 May 2010
Industry
Frequency
Exposure is increasing !
Need improved Climate
Monitoring and Prediction
for
Better climate risk
management
2010 ranked globally as the warmest Year on record,
2001-2010 the warmest decade with all individual years are amongst the 11 warmest years on record.
Many Extreme weather and climate events occur each year and need to be monitored and predicted to save lives
2010 recorded an extreme heat wave in Russia, major flooding in Pakistan and Australia and part of West Africa
The Arctic Ocean ice
has been there for 2
million years.
Sea Ice depleting quickly
CCl Management Group meeting, Geneva 18-21 May 2010
The Arctic
Ocean ice has
been there for
2 million years.
CCl Management Group meeting, Geneva 18-21 May 2010
1979
CCl Management Group meeting, Geneva 18-21 May 2010
2003
CCl Management Group meeting, Geneva 18-21 May 2010
World Climate Conference-3
Aug 31 – Sept 4, 2009, GENEVA
CCl Management Group meeting, Geneva 18-21 May 2010
WCC-3 High-level Declaration
(approved on 3 September 2009)
DO 1 We, Heads of State and Government, Ministers and Heads of Delegation present at the High-level Segment of the
World Climate Conference-3 (WCC-3) in Geneva, noting the findings of the Expert Segment of the Conference;
OP 1 Decide to establish a Global Framework for Climate Services (hereafter referred to as “the Framework”) to
strengthen production, availability, delivery and application of science-based climate prediction and services;
OP 2 Request the Secretary-General of WMO to convene within four months of the adoption of the Declaration an
intergovernmental meeting of member states of the WMO to approve the terms of reference and to endorse the composition
of a task force of high-level, independent advisors to be appointed by the Secretary-General of the WMO with due
consideration to expertise, geographical and gender balance;
Decide to establish a
Global Framework for Climate Services
OP 3 Decide that the task force will, after wide consultation with governments, partner organizations and relevant
stakeholders, prepare a report, including recommendations on proposed elements of the Framework, to the SecretaryGeneral of WMO within 12 months of the task force being set up. The report should contain findings and proposed next
steps for developing and implementing a Framework. In the development of their report, the taskforce will take into
account the concepts outlined in the annexed Brief Note;
OP 4 Decide further that the report of the task force shall be circulated by the Secretary-General of WMO to Member
States of the WMO for consideration at the next WMO Congress in 2011, with a view to the adoption of a Framework and a
plan for its implementation; and
OP 5 Invite the Secretary-General of WMO to provide the report to relevant organizations, including the UN SecretaryGeneral.
CCl Management Group meeting, Geneva 18-21 May 2010
Components of
Global Framework for Climate Services
Government
Water
Agriculture
Agriculture
Water
Health
Health
Transport
Transport
Sectoral
Users
Users
User Interface
User
Programme
Energy
Energy
Ecosystem
Ecosystem
Tourism
Private
Tourism
sector
Interface
Programme
Climate Services
System
Climate Information
Services Information
System
Observations
Research &and
Monitoring
Modeling
and Prediction
CCl Management Group meeting, Geneva 18-21 May 2010
Research &
Modeling and
Prediction
19
Importance of radiocommunications for
meteorological operation and research
Radiocommunication Services used
for meteorology
• Specific radiocommunication services:
–
–
–
–
Meteorological Aids Service
Meteorological-Satellite Service
Earth Exploration-Satellite Service (passive)
Earth Exploration-Satellite Service (active)
• Joint ITU-WMO Handbook “Use of Radio
Spectrum for Meteorology: Weather, Water and
Climate Monitoring and Prediction”,
– freely available online
http://www.itu.int/pub/R-HDB-45-2008
Radiocommunication Services for
meteorology
• As special systems of generic
radiocommunication services:
– Meteorological weather radars and Windprofiler radars of the Radiolocation Service
• As users of Radiocommunication Services:
– Fixed Service, Mobile Service, etc.
XVI World Meteorological Congress
Maintained Cg XV Resolution 4 that:
• Highlights the crucial importance of RF bands for
meteorological and related environmental operations and
research
• Stresses that some RF bands are a unique natural resource
for passive sensing that deserve absolute protection
• Appeals to ITU and its Administrations to ensure the
absolute protection of the passive sensing RF bands, and to
give due consideration to the WMO requirements for RF
allocations and regulatory provisions
• Complements ITU Resolutions (WRC-07)
– 673 “Radiocommunications use for Earth observation applications”
– 647 “Spectrum management guidelines for emergency and disaster
relief radiocommunication
Monitoring the climate is dependant on radio
frequency