World Meteorological Organization

Global Air Quality Forecasting and Information System Steering Committee Terms of Reference:

• Develop an Implementation Plan to establish and execute the GAFIS initiative  following its stated near-term and mid-term objectives.
• Facilitate the development of good practices for air quality forecasting and monitoring services utilizing diverse approaches.
• Facilitate close cooperation for the implementation among operational service providers (e.g. CAMS), semi-operational (e.q. MAP-AQ, SDS-WAS) and research efforts (e.g. PREFIA, PAPILA) as well as end-users of air quality services, relevant WMO programmes as well as international organisations such as WHO and UNEP.
• Carry out and maintain a survey of regional and global air quality forecasting and information systems and identify areas and regions with a lack of adequate air quality services.
• Facilitate dialogue with the regional WMO operation infrastructure as future service provision network.
• Engage with the user community to understand the requirement for air quality services (e.g. AQ indicators for human health, air quality regulation for the protection of crops).
• Promote development of the observational infrastructure for air quality observations, explore the potential of emerging data set such as low-cost air quality sensors or satellite retrievals from geostationary platforms (Sentinel 4, GEMS, TEMPO) and encourage quality control and providing appropriate meta data and representativeness information in close cooperation with relevant SAGs and expert teams.
• Develop a harmonized protocol for evaluation of air quality services and Assist SAG App in definition user- and science-driven metrics for general air quality forecasts evaluation.
• Develop and implement research mobilization strategy to ensure continuity of the activities.
• Support the implementation of scientific findings identified by SAGs.
• Contribute to WMO regulatory processes (Technical Commissions) concerning AQ forecasting such as grib definition for atmospheric composition standards, data dissemination and warning procedure protocols.
• Support the development and implementation of the integrated health services from the air quality perspective.