World Meteorological Organization
WMO OMM
Working together in weather, climate and water
GFCS Governance proposal
Process of development
and elements for discussion
TT-GFCS-1
WMO
www.wmo.int
References
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 The Report of the High-level Taskforce for the Global Framework for
Climate Services: Climate Knowledge for Action: A Global
Framework for Climate Services – Empowering the Most Vulnerable
(WMO-No. 1065),
 Resolution 47 (Cg-XVI) – Response to the Report of the High-level
Taskforce for the Global Framework for Climate Services,
 Resolution 1 (EC-LXIII) – Establishment of an Executive Council
Task Team on the Global Framework for Climate Services.
Relevant decisions of Cg and EC (1 of 2)
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 The Congress decided to entrust the WMO Executive Council with the responsibility
of developing proposals, with the involvement of relevant stakeholders including other
UN bodies, for consideration by an Extraordinary Session of the World Meteorological
Congress. These proposals to address the:


Development of the draft implementation plan for the GFCS;
Establishment of the draft Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure for
the Intergovernmental Board and its substructures based on the draft
implementation plan.
 The Executive Council established the Task Team on the Global Framework for Climate
Services (ECTT-GFCS) to develop the a detailed draft implementation plan for the
GFCS, the draft terms of reference and initial rules of procedure for the
Intergovernmental Board and its substructures based on the implementation plan.
Proposal development process
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 TT-GFCS-1: agreement on the principles and functions based on Cg decisions and
draft outline implementation plan; outline IB TOR,
 Consultations with governments: PRs, missions in Geneva: December - January;
 TT-GFCS-2: draft IB TOR based on the draft implementation plan, consideration of
required amendments to the WMO General Regulations, and draft IB Rules of
Procedure; agreement on the level of detail for the definition of the IB subsidiary bodies;
 EC-LXIV: establishment of draft proposal for presentation to the Cg-Ext 2012;
 July-Aug 2012: submission of proposals to Cg-Ext 2012, as well as proposed
amendments to WMO General Regulations, if required.
Relevant decisions of Cg and EC (2 of 2)
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 The Congress decided to proceed with Option A of Recommendation (5) as
contained in Chapter 10 of the Taskforce Report, to implement the GFCS, amended to
reflect the agreement
 That the Intergovernmental Board of the Framework, will be accountable to
the WMO Congress and
 that the management committee structures, that may be accountable to the
Intergovernmental Board will be decided upon completion of the
implementation plan.
 The Congress was divided on the degree of autonomy the new intergovernmental
board would have from existing WMO management structures. There was a strong view
that the GFCS management structures should be as inexpensive as possible and not
duplicate exiting mechanisms and so it was for this reason that the Congress decided
to use the World Meteorological Congress as the supreme intergovernmental
body to which the new operational entity should report to, and receive direction from.
Main principles of GFCS governance
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 GFCS governance should be participatory, consensus oriented,
accountable, flexible, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient,
equitable and inclusive;
 Direct involvement of governments at all levels of GFCS governance
structure;
 Operational nature of climate services; the GFCS to become an effective
operational entity in 2012;
 Leading role of WMO and active involvement of the participating UN
system organisations, NGOs and other partners, including civil society.
Schematic representation of IB
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Option A - Figure 10.1 from HLT Report
Schematic representation of IB
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Option A compatible with the decisions of Congress
World Meteorological Congress
Intergovernmental Board
on the Framework
A
B
C
D
United Nations System entities
Executive
Secretariat
Committee
Management
Committee on
User Interface
Programme
Management
Committee on
Climate Service
Information
System
Management
Committee on
Observations and
Monitoring
Management
Committee on
Research,
Modelling and
Prediction
Management
Committee on
Capacity Building
Authority of the Intergovernmental Board
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 The Board shall operate under the authority of, and be fully accountable
to, the World Meteorological Congress, which decides on policies,
principles, implementation plan and resources;
 The Board is the executive body for the GFCS;
 Responsible for all matters relating to the implementation of the GFCS
including coordination of activities of participating organisations and
financial and institutional resources allocated to the Framework in
accordance with the decisions of the Congress (and governing bodies of
other organisations).
 Constituted as an intergovernmental body of the WMO (joint with XXX
UN organisations), operates on the basis of General Regulations of the
WMO (complemented as necessary) and Board’s Rules of Procedure .
Input to the discussion on IB TOR
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Authority of the Intergovernmental Board
Functions of the Board
Engagement of partner agencies and institutions
Other elements of TOR
Functions of the Board (1 of 2)
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 Main functions - to give effect to the decisions relating to the GFCS of the World
Meteorological Congress and of the supreme bodies of other organizations participating
in the Framework, to ensure the overall management and delivery of GFCS.
Functions:
a) To implement the decisions of the Congress; act upon resolutions of the WMO EC and
governing bodies of other participating organizations; to make recommendations to
WMO and other participating organisations;
b) To evaluate implementation progress and approve annual progress report; to assess
risks, review and approve annual work plan and budget;
c) To provide advice to the WMO (Executive Council, regional associations and technical
commissions) and other participating organizations in preparation of their work
programme relating to the implementation of GFCS;
d) To review and endorse high priority projects and initiatives at global, regional and
national levels (against a set of objectives and targets of the implementation plan) for
consideration by donors and investors, and to facilitate resource mobilization;
Functions of the Board (2 of 2)
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e)
f)
g)
h)
i)

To facilitate integration of the GFCS with relevant international and regional policies,
strategies, plans and initiatives;
To study and make recommendations on any matter affecting the implementation of
the GFCS;
To review the Framework strategy, objectives and targets, and the implementation
plan and to examine budget estimates for the following (financial) period and to
present its observations and its recommendations thereon to Congress (and
governing bodies of partner organisations);
To report on its activities to each session of World Meteorological Congress and to the
governing bodies/general assembles of relevant partner organizations;
To perform such other functions as may be conferred on it by Congress or by
Members collectively.
The Board may establish its management, advisory and expert bodies, for which
governments and participating organisations shall designate qualified experts.
Engagement of partners, liaison
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Formal co-sponsorship of the GFCS,
Member representation in the Intergovernmental Board;
IB reporting to supreme/governing bodies of partner organizations;
IB Partners Advisory Committee;
UN system inter-agency mechanisms, up to CEB;
Participation in Management Committees;
Other elements of TOR and governance
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Chair and composition
Sessions
Decision making
Funding
Transparency
Subsidiary structure
Secretariat
GFCS governance discussion
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Thank you