EUMETNET WG-ENV Activities to support

Network of Atmospheric Services in GMES

Sylvain Joffre

Finnish Meteorological Institute

POB 503 Helsinki, Finland

EIONET- LaRochelle, 26-27.10.2006

EUMETNET / WG-ENV (1997)Objectives:

- To improve understanding and co-operation between Members in the

environmental area;

- To develop proactive co-ordinated relations with the EEA and other

environmental organisations.

Implementing Activities:

• Organise exchange of information and know-how between Members related to measurements and forecast in the environmental domain;

• Recommend practices and propose EUMETNET Programmes that would allow all European citizens to benefit from the best possible meteorological information pertaining to the environment (e.g., AQ forecasting);

• Maintain liaison with the EEA to serve its meteorological needs, and promote the European NMSs as providers of information and services to EEA

• Enlist the support of EEA for EUMETNET actions in favour of the environment;

• Maintain liaison with relevant COST Actions and other international activities.

EUMETNET - EEA MoU signed on 4 September 1998.

WG-ENV Support to GMES Atmospheric Service

• WG-ENV activities in support of the GAS

• Workshop with EEA (April 2005): indication of substantial interest in collaboration of NEA’s and NMS’s in creating a real-time service

• Cooperation with GEMS and PROMOTE in identifying needs, challenges, partners, etc.

• Recommendation of EUMETNET Council (Oct 2005) that WG-ENV be involved closely with ECMWF in drafting background papers for making a case for the GAS.

• Interactions with other stakeholders: ECMWF, EUMETSAT, DLR, EEA, ….

• Stimulating the preparation of a COST Action for complementing GEMS and PROMOTE activities towards a European Network of AQFISs (ENAQFIS).

GMES Status• GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) is an ESA-EC

initiative and was launched in 1998;

• 2005: for practical reasons GMES Programme Office (GPO) concluded that only a few initial services can be launched as a start

• Three “pilot services” were selected and “fast-tracked”:

• Land Monitoring

• Marine (Core) Services

• Emergency Response

• Gradually, following these 3 fast-track pilot services, further services shall be implemented, based on user´s needs as identified and acknowledged by Member States and by the EC.

• EC R&D FP7 will provide funding for GMES.

• June 2005, GMES Advisory Council (GAC): several delegations desired to start looking into the possibility of an atmosphere-related service.

GMES Atmosphere Services (GAS)

• There is strong interest within the environmental and meteorological communities to address such a service.

• Preparation of an operational transition of GEMS in 2009

• Scoping paper (May 2006) to build a case that “fully operational services” could be implemented by 2008-09

• Sept. 2006; GAC: Workshop to be held in Dec. 2006 involving relevant stake-holders.

• Preparation of an orientation paper for the workshop.

• Building on conclusions of Workshop => Implementation of respective operational services will

then be prepared => pilot GAS in 2009.

Questions & Issues• What shall be the scope of GAS ?

- O3, Surface UV , Air Quality, Global & Regional Monitoring of Greenhouse Gases, Reactive Gases and Aerosols

• Find consensus on what the operational services can and shall be ?

• To be based on a Core Service architecture to produce basic global to European data sets.

• To feed a set of Downstream Services providing specific information at regional to local levels.

• Initially a subset of these services will constitute the GAS (should start their operational delivery by 2009) and from then onwards should be gradually complemented by additional services.

• Involvement & coordination of relevant players: EEA, ECMWF, GEMS, PROMOTE, ESA, O3-SAF, CM-SAF, NEAs, NMSs (WG-ENV), ….

AQFIS: Air Quality Forecasting & Information System

i) Acquiring observational data (met+chem);

ii) Processing and assimilating data into useful inputs/fields;

iii) Forecasting the evolution of the dynamical and chemical state of the atmosphere (incl. emissions);

iv) Post-processing and assessing models’ outputs;

v) Exchanging, disseminating, and archiving shared data, metadata, and products;

vi) Monitoring the performance against the defined requirements and intended benefits (mainly from users).

Structure of AQ Forecasting System

AQ Model(s)

Meteodata

Emission

Physiography

Remote sensingproducts

AQ observations

AQforecast

NMSs

NEA, EEA

ESA, EUMETSAT,proc.centres

Initial chemistry.fields

Verification

AQ products

UsersUsersUsersUsers

Motivation• Legislation: to inform the public on AQ throughout the territory of MSs

• forecasting the AQ and exceedances of limit and target values, • assess possible measures to abate exceedances using modelling tools

• Exists today: various national systems in terms of model tools, monitoring data and institutional arrangements

• EEA: data compilation for annual assessment through NRCs, near-real-time “Ozone on the Web”

• NMSs: weather data and modelling, development of tools and models, sometimes AQ forecast

• NEAs: dissemination of AQ information. Often AQ monitoring, sometimes AQ forecasts

• Extra complexity:• AQ is an essentially trans-boundary phenomenon limitation to a national

approaches• forecasting the AQ is more difficult and less accurate than e.g. weather prediction

single-model forecasts are uncertain

Motivation for ENAQFIS• Today: patchwork of players: national systems in terms of

model tools, monitoring data and institutional arrangements

• EEA/EIONET: coordination, AQ data exchange, compilation

• NMSs: weather data and modelling, development of tools and models. Infra. Data assimilation; Sometimes AQ forecast

• NEAs: dissemination of AQ information. Often AQ monitoring, sometimes AQ forecasts

• Legislation: inform the public on AQ throughout European MSs

• Forecasting the AQ and exceedances of limit and target values,

• Assess possible measures to abate exceedances using modelling tools

• Extra complexity:

• AQ is an essentially trans-boundary phenomenon: limitations from national approaches, ongoing international projects (GEMS, PROMOTE, SAFs,

• Forecasting AQ is more difficult and less accurate than e.g. weather prediction single-model forecasts are uncertain.

NETWORKING national AQFIS-systems

• Existence of several National AQFIS with differing capacities, modalities, protocols and scientific bases !

=> Need of:

• a European-wide “network of systems”, bringing together all players in the field and allowing for near-real-time (NRT) interactions and data flows, finally leading to an operational CW forecasting network

• Enhanced and structured dialogue, collaboration between the main actors involved.

COST is a suitable neutral forum for the dialogue and for developing the basis of a chemical-weather forecasting “system of systems” in Europe.

COST Action Objectives To setup a forum for benchmarking, harmonising and developing

approaches and practices for chemical weather forecasting network and near-real-time information systems in Europe.

• Identify needs for the optimisation and harmonization of exchange of AQ data & integration of modelling systems;

• Find out the gaps of existing knowledge and practices;

• Review the potential for and means of multi-model ensemble and chemical data assimilation;

• QA/QC criteria for CW forecasting systems;

• Assess visualisation and dissemination platforms, arrangements, formats and protocols;

• Build up on current systems, enhance cooperation and coordination between providers, operators, and users for improving the science and application of CW forecasting;

• Establish and/or strengthen links with similar ongoing national and international activities and dedicated projects

Illustration of a possible arrangement in Europeinvolving several NMSs and NEAs projects (dashed blue square)

The double red arrows depict still missing connections.

AQ Data from S/L Agencies

EEA/ETC Data Centre

PollutantForecasts

AQ displays/ Forecasts

Public

ECMWFECMWF

Nation./Reg./Local Air AgenciesNation./Reg./Local Air Agencies

Users &Stake - holders

ENAQFIS Initial ConfigurationENAQFIS Initial Configuration

Media

City - specificAQ forecasts

Emission Emission InventoryInventory

Weather Obs .

Satellite Obs .

NMSi NMSj NMSk

Multi -model forecastsand info

NEAi NEAj NEAk

WG2

WG1,3

WG1,3

COST

GEMS /PROMOTE

Benefits (1/2)For Information Users

• Full coverage of Europe and continuity between system domains

• Versatile system: flexibility to incorporate emerging uses

• Harmonised and user-friendly products and deliverables

• Information to target groups (elderly, children, sensitive individuals)

For Information Providers and Scientific Community

• Optimised cost-benefit for information/data collection and transfer

• Continuous improvement of products and tools through a continuous, open and coordinated dialogue

• Added-value through sharing R&D work burden between partners

• Improving scientific understanding of processes and situations behind high air pollutant concentrations and deposition

• Contributing to improvement of weather forecasts

Benefits (2/2)

For Society

• Contribute to reduction of detrimental health effects

• Cost-effective measures to manage transport and energy production

• Improved management and protection of terrestrial, coastal, and marine ecosystems

• Enhanced quality of life

• Decreased overlap and redundancy of national, regional or local activities and arrangements

• Better possibilities to relate the AQ with human health and impacts on ecosystems

• Help countries to fulfil their environmental and sustainable development obligations

• Serve as a model for international coordination and cooperation.

Scientific ProgrammeAddressing the issues and barriers for the inter-operability of the various

systems (various models, data storing, resolution,…).Towards agreeing on formats, standards and protocols for data and model

result transfer and exchange.• WP1 . Exchange of AQ forecasts and input data:

Requirements on data exchange frequency, formats, existing infras. Combining forecast data and NRT observations in a single system. Provisions for quality checks.

• WP2 . Multi-scale forecasting, multi-model ensemble, boundary data

Multi-model AQ assessments and forecasting. QA/QC issues. Ensemble. Feasibility of emission scenarios (short term abatement). Multi-scale CW forecast and assessment

• WP3 . Dissemination and visualisation:

Dissemination of AQ information to users. What to display, harmonization possibilities: separate pollutants vs. AQ index. Inventory of national systems, other activities and organisations.

Cross-cutting activity: coordinate with other organizations (EEA, WMO, EUMETNET/WG-ENV, etc.) and ongoing activities (GEMS, PROMOTE).

Participants

Involvement of a large community scattered at various NMSs, NEAs, research centres and universities in Europe

• From each country, 2 delegates to Management Committee:

• one met-service delegate to MC

• one environmental agency (or other AQ forecast provider)

• EEA

• Key ongoing European activities in the field

• GEMS (Global and regional Earth-system Monitoring using Satellite and in-situ data), lead by ECMWF

• involvement of WMO through ECMWF

• PROMOTE (Near-Real-Time delivery of the satellite products of GMES system), project of ESA lead by DLR

• involvement of ESA

Further INFO:

WG-ENV: http://www.eumetnet.eu.org/

GMES: http://www.gmes.info/

Thank you for your attention