Report of the first meeting of the WMO executive council working group on the WMO Integrated Global Observing Systems (WIGOS) and the WMO Information System (WIS), Ostend, Belgium
WMO-IOC (2008). Report of the first meeting of the WMO executive council working group on the WMO Integrated Global Observing Systems (WIGOS) and the WMO Information System (WIS), Ostend, Belgium. WMO: [s.l.]. 10, VIII annexes pp.
There is a broadly recognized need for a comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable globalobserving system. Many international agencies have to administer systematically these diverse sets ofobservations and have developed data policies to meet their needs. WIGOS is the organizational responseof WMO to this need and therefore is committed to the very strong cooperation that is needed among allpartners to accomplish the broad objectives.WIGOS will respect the data policies of partner organizations and will adhere to the decisions ofthe Twelfth and Thirteenth World Meteorological Congress (1995, 1999) that adopted Resolution 40 (Cg-XII)"WMO Policy and Practice for the Exchange of Meteorological and Related data and products includingGuidelines on Relationships in Commercial Meteorological Activities", and Resolution 25 (Cg-XIII) “Exchangeof Hydrological Data and Products”, respectively.EC Working Group on the WMO Integrated Global Observing Systems (WIGOS) and the WMOInformation System (WIS) held its first session from 4 to 7 December 2007 at the WMO Headquarters inGeneva, Switzerland. The Working Group reviewed the guidance and recommendations given by Cg-XVand EC-LIX towards implementation of the WIGOS concept. In accordance with their terms of reference, theWorking Group discussed in detail various aspects of the development of an over-arching WIGOSDevelopment and Implementation Plan. In particular, the Working Group discussed possible integrationlevels within WIGOS and agreed that as a system of observing systems, integration will be accomplished atthree levels: observation standardization; a common information infrastructure, i.e. WIS; and end-productquality assurance. The Working Group agreed that helping Members to more fully understand WIGOS andkeeping them current on its practical development should be considered as an essential component inWIGOS implementation. The Working Group agreed that this can be achieved through launchingDemonstration Projects in selected NMHSs. The Working Group further discussed in detail conceptualaspects of WIGOS operations and expected benefits of integration to make them more clear and transparentfor all NMHSs, partner organizations and also for policy makers. To best serve these purposes the WorkingGroup developed an initial draft of the “WIGOS Concept of Operations” which contains goals, objectives,major characteristics, operational framework, data policy and benefits of WIGOS. Finally, the Working Groupadopted the WIGOS Development and Implementation Plan (Version 1).Taking into account that WIGOS development should be closely coordinated withimplementation and institutional arrangements for overseeing WIS, the Working Group reviewed theexperience gained in the WIS planning and implementation activities and developed specificrecommendations for WIGOS implementation. It reviewed proposals for monitoring of the development andimplementation of WIGOS and WIS plans through a “rolling review” mechanism successfully developed andimplemented by CBS. The Working Group adopted this approach and felt that it would effectively steer andmonitor integration activities. The Working Group also discussed the status of WIGOS Pilot projectsidentified by Cg-XV, including “Integration of WWW/GOS and GAW into WIGOS”, “Initiation of a GlobalHydrologic Network”, “Integration of AMDAR into WIGOS”, “Elaborating on the Underpinning/cross-cuttingRole of the Instruments and Methods of Observation Programme and CIMO in the Context of WIGOS” and“Integration of Marine Meteorological and Other Appropriate Oceanographic Observation Systems intoWIGOS”. The Working Group reviewed activities on the planning and implementation of Pilot Projects andrequested the Technical Commissions concerned to provide similar report on their progress towardsimplementation to the next session of the EC/WG/WIGOS-WIS. Based on the results of discussions, theWorking Group developed its work programme for the forthcoming inter-sessional period. The WorkingGroup also agreed to establish a Sub Group on WIGOS as authorized by EC-LIX as well as appropriateTerms of Reference. Finally, the Working Group developed the layout and possible content of the documenton WIGOS-WIS to be submitted to EC-LX and requested the Secretariat to initiate appropriate actions tofacilitate compilation of the material.
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