GAW Program Overview

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) works in partnership with GCOS.  The objectives of  the GAW are to provide reliable long-term observations of the chemical composition of the atmosphere, and to organize assessments in support of formulating environmental policy. The GAW monitoring program includes a coordinated global network of observing stations with supporting facilities and a network of regional stations.

Program Management

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) formally embarked on an observing program of atmospheric chemistry and meteorological aspects of air pollution during the 1950s. This included assuming responsibility for standard procedures for ozone observations and establishing the Global Ozone Observing System during the 1957 International Geophysical Year. In the late 1960s, the Background Air Pollution Monitoring Network was established and subsequently consolidated with the Global Ozone Observing System into the current WMO Global Atmosphere Watch in 1989. The GAW program has matured considerably during the last few years, and presently consists of many coordinated components that have been designed to provide accessible, high quality atmospheric data to the scientific community.

Contact Information

Dr. Len Barrie

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Chief Environment Division

GAW Secretariat
7bis,avenue de la Paix
Case postale No. 2300
CH-1211 Geneva 2
Switzerland
Tel: + 41 22 730 81 11
Fax: + 41 22 730 81 81

Email: Barrie_L@gateway.wmo.ch