GCW MANDATE

Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW) is the crosscutting activity area of WMO addressing the needs of its Members and their partners for authoritative, actionable, and accessible science-based information on the state of the cryosphere as a key component of Earth system. 

GCW is mandated to support Members in sustainably enhancing their capabilities for observing all components of the cryosphere, for accessing and utilizing the cryospheric data and for developing value-added analyses and indicators based on in situ, space-based, and airborne observations of the cryosphere, as well as models, to meet defined information needs at the core of the WMO Strategic Plan, 2024 -2027, and the WMO Cryosphere Ambitions.

In the context of the WMO Strategic Plan, the Earth is being considered as an integrated system of atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and geosphere, which informs policies and decisions based on a deeper understanding of the physical, chemical, biological and human interactions that determine the past, current and future states of the Earth.