Development of the Observing Requirements for Terrestrial Climate

The development of the observing requirements for terrestrial climate was a cooperative effort by GCOS and GTOS. The two observing systems established a joint panel, the Terrestrial Observing Panel for Climate (TOPC), for the purpose. The lead for TOPC is a GTOS responsibility.

The TOPC

The Terrestrial Observing Panel for Climate (TOPC) is responsible for specifying the terrestrial observing requirements and systems needed for GTOS and GCOS climate issues. TOPC began work in 1994 following on from work by the GCOS JSTC Task Group on Land Surface Processes. ( terms of reference for TOPC)

TOPC is also working in partnership with the Integrated Global Observing System - Partners to develop pilot projects on Global Observations of Forest Cover (GOFC), Net Primary Productivity (NPP), and on development of the Terrestrial Carbon Cycle Theme. This has included analysis of the Kyoto Protocol to determine the needs for carbon observations by GTOS and GCOS to support the FCCC.

The foundation of the GTOS observing system is the GT-Net. GT-Net is a system of observation networks representing an organized effort, either for a particular theme or habitat type, or among several countries. Stated another way, GT-Net is a system of thematic and regional networks.

The TOPC has also begun the work of identifying existing operational and historical data sets that are relevant to the climate needs of GTOS and GCOS. These data sets are identified in the the GOSIC Data Set Registry which can be reached from the GOSIC home page.

It should be noted that many of the variables that have been identified as of importance for climate purposes will also be of interest to the other four issues of interest to GTOS which are changes in land quality, freshwater resources availability, pollution and toxicity, and loss of biodiversity.

The Observing Strategy

General Categories of Terrestrial Climate Related Data

References