Qingdao, China, 14-16 May 2025

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES

Asia (WMO RA II) is a vast continent with more than 60% of the world population and the largest number of people living under the threat of climate variability and the impact of climate change. Asia is experiencing high seasonal climate variability and frequent extreme weather. It poses a great challenge to the food and water security, poverty eradication, health, economic and development sectors in the region.

As one of the first Regional Climate Centers (RCCs) in RA II designated by WMO FOCRAII, since 2009, has helping Countries in RA II to deal with climate variability by supporting the WMO East Asian Monsoon Activity Centre, Global Producing Centre of Long range Forecasts and the Centre for Supporting Climate Services. The FOCRAII has fulfilled its commitments by, among others: (1) maintaining the RCC website (http://rcca21.org) and RCC's (bcc.ncc.cma.gov.cn); (2) organizing annually the Forum on Regional Climate Monitoring, Assessment and Prediction for Asia (FOCRAII); (3) co-sponsoring International Training Seminar on Methods for Short-term Climate Prediction organized by WMO Regional Training Centre (BCC) (Beijing).

The annual FOCRAII was initiated in 2005 and 20 sessions of FOCRAII have been organized to discuss since then. The Forum focuses on seasonal to inter-annual climate prediction in Asia. It serves as a review of the limitations and prospects for seasonal to inter-annual climate prediction methodologies and systems, and serves as a platform to share Asian climate prediction products and experiences in the region. As Asian RCOF (Regional Climate Outlook Forum), FOCRAII also enables the needs of RA II for climate monitoring, seasonal prediction and assessment (CMAAP).

The letter of intent between the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and China Meteorological Administration (CMA) to promote regional meteorological cooperation and activate the Belt and Road was signed by Administrator of CMA and Secretary-General of WMO on 14 May 2017. In that letter, WMO encourages CMA to play an active role in the regional meteorological cooperation through relevant programmes and mechanisms, including WMO Voluntary Cooperation Programme, Pilot Project to Enhance the Climate System Monitoring and Disaster Risk Reduction in RA II Region, Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS), East Asia WMO Regional Meteorological Forum, and Symposium on Meteorological Technology for Central and West Asia.

The main objectives of the Twentieth Session of the FOCRAII are:

• To review the progress made in CMAAP programmes and activities both regionally and nationally, with a specific focus on advances in sub-seasonal, seasonal to inter-annual climate prediction methodologies and systems related to RA II;
• To provide a platform to the Members in the region to exchange experiences and knowledge on CMAAP and climate services, as well as a platform to update the regional climate outlook;
• To build collaboration and partnerships among the Members of RA II in CMAAP programmes as well as other international partners and activities;
• To identify needs of Asian countries on RCCs and climate services in climate prediction;
• To implement the Nanjing Initiative on China-ASEAN Cooperation in Meteorology—Regional monitoring of and co-responses for meteorological disasters.

THEMES

• Advances in sub-seasonal, seasonal to inter-annual climate prediction in Asia (including East Asian monsoon);
• Advances in East Asian monsoon studies;
• Advances in climate system modeling including AI models in Asia;
• Advances in management and technology of climate data and services.

Scientists, policy makers, forecasters and journalists will be invited to participate in this forum and to submit abstracts of presentations on papers related to one of the four themes.

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

Chair: Mr. CHEN Zhenlin

Members: CHAO Qingchen, LIANG Feng, ZENG Qin, WANG Yuwei, ZANG Jiajia

Organizer and co-sponsors

The Forum will be organized by the Beijing Climate Centre, co-organized by Shandong Meteorological Service. There is no registration fee for the participants.

Venue (TBD)

STEIGENBERGER Sauce Qingdao Hotel
No.808, Zhangzhou Road,Huangdao District, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China

Working Language

English