RA VI Management Group Fifth Meeting - Key Highlights
Under the direction of the newly elected president of RA VI, the Management Group met with a slightly revised membership and discussed several important issues pertaining to RA VI.
The main points of the meeting are outlined below:
The dates for the upcoming RA VI Session were discussed, in accordance with Resolution 48 (CG-19). The meeting reached a consensus to set the session dates as follows: the first phase will be held online in October 2024, and the second phase will take place in person in October 2026.
In line with WMO General Regulation 138, the RA VI president will notify the WMO President about this consultation to ensure that the dates and location of the upcoming RA VI session are suitable for the WMO President.
WIGOS Implementation: The Concept Note for the Regional WIGOS Center was approved by the Management Group. The RA VI president will inform prospective RWCs when it is time to formally apply to become a Regional WIGOS Centre within RA VI.
In this context, Members of RA VI are encouraged to consider including the 63 additional stations currently operated by RA VI, as reported in OSCAR Surface, when establishing WIGOS centers. These stations are critical for forecasting, research, and understanding climate change, especially in relation to the global implications of Antarctica's ice sheets.
The RA VI Rapporteur on High Mountains and Polar Areas will use the upcoming EC Panel on Polar and High Mountain Observations, Research, and Services (EC PHORS) meeting in February 2024 in Oslo, Norway, as an opportunity to discuss with Member States operating stations in Antarctica the governance mechanism for Antarctica WIGOS stations.
EW4All Implementation: The RA VI Management Group will regularly assess user needs for the WMO Integrated Processing and Prediction System (WIPPS) and communicate these requirements to SERCOM biennially through the Rolling Review of User Requirements process, ensuring the inclusion of all stakeholders.
The RA VI Management Group was tasked with defining priority hazards as part of the design of the Regional Basic Observing Network (RBON), drawing from a list of priority hazards.
Taking into account the roadmap for implementing EW4All, the Management Group agreed on a shortlist of Member States (specifically, 10 countries with the lowest GDP) to begin the assessment process in 2023. This roadmap will be incorporated into the Association's Work Plan, and the Technical Coordination Committee will be informed during its upcoming meeting scheduled for October 17-19, 2023, in Geneva, Switzerland.
HydroSOS Implementation: The establishment of a HydroSOS team was approved, with HydroSOS being recognized as a priority for RA VI during this intersession period. It was agreed to form the team with experts from the WMO Experts Network.
As part of the EW4All initiative in RA VI, the Management Group decided on a shortlist of Member States (ten countries with the lowest GDP) for which the assessment process would begin in 2023.
State of Climate in Europe Report: The Copernicus Climate Change Service has proposed a streamlined approach to the State of the Climate (SoC) reports, focusing on physical science and expanding its coverage to the entire RA VI region. The SoC report, coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), will shift its emphasis to extreme events, impacts, and climate policy and action, avoiding redundant efforts for experts. Both reports will be collaboratively prepared by the WMO and the Copernicus Climate Change Service, but final agreement on the SoC report’s schedule, expected for completion in 2023, is still pending. The Management Group agrees with the streamlined approach and awaits updates on the 2023 report schedule.