Program
Monday, 14 April 2008 - Plenary
Tuesday, 15 April 2008 - Parallel Sessions
Wednesday, 16 April 2008 - Plenary
Tuesday, 15 April 2008 - Parallel Sessions
| 09:30 - 10:00 |
Registration |
| 10:00 - 17:00 |
Parallel Sessions
|
Wednesday, 16 April 2008 - Plenary
AGENDA FOR PARALLEL SESSIONS
1 MONITORING AND PREDICTING CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change is threatening the safety and security of human society - as indicated by the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) and the Stern report - and is becoming a top-priority political issue. The upcoming G8 Summit meetings in Japan will focus on this issue. The IPCC AR4 pointed out that the changes in the atmospheric abundance of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and aerosols, in solar radiation and in land surface properties alter the energy balance of the climate system. These changes are expressed in terms of radiative forcing, which is used to compare how a range of human and natural factors drive warming or cooling influences on global climate. Since the Third Assessment Report (TAR), new observations and related modelling of GHGs, solar activity, land surface properties and some aspects of aerosols have led to improvements in the quantitative estimates of radiative forcing.
In support of the objectives of GEOSS, the Japanese Alliance for Climate Change Observation (JACCO) was launched by Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) in April 2006 to plan and coordinate comprehensive climate change observation systems. JACCO and Center for Global Environmental Research (CGER), National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) organized the "Asia-Pacific Workshop on Carbon Cycle Observation (APWSCCO)" in Tsukuba in March 2008. In APWSCCO, we discussed how to develop a comprehensive and integrated atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial carbon cycle observation system in the Asia-Pacific region that takes user needs into consideration. In addition to the topics of APWSCCO, we need to expand how to coordinate the needs from modeling and integration for climate and oceanic observations in the framework of World Meteorological Organization (WMO), World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), and GEOSS.
The objectives of this breakout session are:
- To discuss the on-going and future plan for international collaboration in atmospheric GHG, oceanic and terrestrial carbon observation as well as climate observation that takes needs from modeling in Asia-Pacific region;
- To clarify the achievement of IPCC AR4 and strategy of climate change modeling for IPCC-AR5.
2 EARTH OBSERVATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT
The Asian monsoon is the largest water circulation system in the world. More than 60 percent of the world population lives under the influence of the Asian monsoon system, where rapid population and economic growth is taking place. Water resources from the Asian Monsoon benefit the region's food production, energy generation and even transportation. Serious water related problems occur due to variability of the monsoon rainfall. Global warming is changing the water cycle and predictions include heavier rainfall events and larger inter-annual variations. Since Asia is especially vulnerable to these impacts, common water-related issues are a growing concern in Asia.
In recognition of the need for accurate, timely, long-term, water cycle information as a basis for sound and effective water resources and risk management, the GEOSS Asian Eater Cycle Initiative (GEOSS/AWCI) was established at the 1st Asian Water Cycle Symposium in Tokyo in November 2005, for using GEOSS to take up the challenge of solving water-related problems in Asia. The GEOSS/AWCI adopted its Implementation Plan at the 3rd Symposium in Beppu in December 2007, based on the continuous discussions and preliminary investigations in Bangkok in September 2006, Tokyo in January 2007, and Bali in September 2007.
The GEOSS/AWCI integrates observational network data with other data to generate information. It develops a Data Integration and Analysis System and an Ontology System, and implements capacity building programs, for supporting sound water resources management decisions.
The objectives of this breakout session are:
- To recognize on-going water cycle variations and to identify the associated societal problems in the Asia-Oceanic region under the climate change;
- To seek regional approaches for adapting the variations; and
- To adopt GEOSS/AWCI actions for contribution to the adaptations to the water cycle variation under the climate change.
Tuesday, 14 April 2008
Plenary
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
| 09:30 - 10:00 |
Morning Coffee | |
| 10:00 - 10:20 |
Opening Water Breakout Session | |
| 10:00 - 10:10 |
Opening Remarks - GEO Secretariat | |
| 10:10 - 10:20 |
 Introduction to GEOSS / AWCI - video |
|
| 10:20 - 11:00 |
Scientific Understandings and Predictions | |
| 10:20 - 10:40 |
Development of a daily grid precipitation analysis dataset over Asia - A.Yatagai |
|
| 10:40 - 11:00 |
Water Cycle Projection in Asia by Super-High-Resolution Climate Model - A.Kitoh |
|
| 11:00 - 12:00 |
Short reports on "What is happening in the water cycle and water resources management under possible(ongoing) impacts of the climate change?" (8 min. each)Bangladesh / Bhutan / India / Indonesia / Japan / Korea / Malaysia / Mongolia / Nepal /Pakistan /Philippines /Sri Lanka /Thailand /Uzbekistan / Vietnam |
|
| 12:00 - 13:00 |
Lunch | |
| 13:00 - 14:00 |
Short reports on "What is happening in the water cycle and water resources management under possible(ongoing) impacts of the climate change?" (8 min. each) - continued | |
| 14:00 - 15:10 |
Short reports on "What is on-going and/or planned?" (8 min. each)IGWCO / APN / UNU / ICHARM / Pacific Region Drought Initiative / Sentinel Asia / HARIMAU / AWCI |
|
| 15:10 - 15:30 |
Break | |
| 15:30 - 17:00 |
Toward Adaptation to the Water Cycle Variations under Climate Change - Discussions GEOSS/AWCI capacity and possible contributions Actions for:
|
|
| 17:00 - 17:30 |
Closing Water Breakout Session | |
| 17:00 - 17:20 |
Session Summary - Session Convene | |
| 17:20 - 17:30 |
Concluding Remarks - GEO Secretariat | |
3 USING GEOSS TO MANAGE ECOSYSTEMS AND PROTECT BIODIVERSITY
The effects of global warming on ecosystem and biodiversity have already been prominent in many aspects, and adaptations to such effects are urgently needed. GEOSS is to be used both to monitor the change and the effectiveness of the adaptation. Though some remote sensing systems are effective to observe globally or regionally, many processes ongoing are to be detected only by on-site observations. Better combination between the two types of observation is necessary to establish and utilize GEOSS effectively to contribute the monitoring and adaptation to global warming.
Asia Pacific region includes variety of ecosystems, which includes from low to high latitudes. Also it is the region of one of the highest biodiversity, including many hot spots. However, human population and economics are also growing rapidly in this region to cause interactive effects with global warming. The GEOSS should cover such interactive effects of global warming and other human impacts, in particular to develop the adaptive methods.
In this session, we discuss on how we can use GEOSS to manage ecosystems and protect biodiversity. In particular,
1) How GEOSS can contribute to monitor the change and adaptation of ecosystem and/or biodiversity in the global warming process? Or, what kind of system should be established or enhanced to do this?
2) How we can connect the large scaled observations with on-site observations?
Tuesday, 15 April 2008 Parallel Sessions (Closed)
4 Mapping Forest and Tracking Carbon
Introduction
Systematic Forest Monitoring is a key action for providing information that is essential for different GEO Societal Benefit Areas, in particular for addressing ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation. As both a major potential source of and sink for carbon, forest monitoring is also essential to tackling climate variability and change and dealing with adaptation.
A number of Tasks in the GEO WorkPlan 07-09 are addressing the issues of monitoring forests and tracking carbon by estimating biomass. The present session will present and discuss the activities conducted in these Tasks and the current plans for increasing GEO's activities in these areas.
An effective, dependable monitoring system for mapping forests and measuring changes in forest carbon content will need to incorporate a range of monitoring instruments and take advantage of the best available scientific information about emissions from deforestation and other land-use change.
Many activities that have been initiated or are on-going at the national, regional and global levels have not yet been recorded as GEO activities. Based on what is available and being planned today, there is a clear need to share information and experiences about how to ensure forest monitoring and measure forest carbon.
Recognizing this, GEO, is encouraging its Members and Participating Organizations to coordinate their work on observations, reference datasets and robust assessment tools and methodologies in this field.
If properly designed, this initiative may provide the necessary supporting tools for implementing the Bali Action Plan, which calls for "Enhanced national/international action on mitigation of climate change, including, inter alia, consideration of ... Policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries; and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries ..."
Objectives of the Session
The Session has the following objectives:
* Address the need for integrated observations from diverse instruments (satellite, airborne, in situ) and from various fields (climate, biodiversity, agriculture, etc.)
* Provide an overview of the available tools and methodologies, here included associated technical limitations and uncertainties
* Address the requirements for systematic satellite observations.* Provide an overview of on-going activities for addressing the issue at different geographical levels (national, regional, but particularly in the Asia/Pacific, and global).
* Collect inputs and comments for a strong GEO initiative on this subject.
* Discuss implementation aspects of GEO initiative, and identify potential contributors.
The session will also contribute to building momentum around the Forestry and Climate-related issues being prepared for the G8 meeting, which takes place in Japan in July.
agenda
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
| 09:30 - 10:00 |
Morning Coffee |
| 10:00 - 10:15 |
Opening Forest and Carbon Session
|
| 10:15 - 11:00 |
Global Initiatives
|
| 11:00 - 11:45 |
GEO Workplan Tasks on Forest Mapping and Carbon Tracking
|
| 11:45 - 12:00 |
Discussions |
| 12:00 - 13:00 |
Lunch |
| 13:00 - 13:30 |
Global Observations (key words: integration, coordination, continuity, quality)
|
| 13:30 - 14:45 |
Initiatives and projects on Carbon Monitoring
|
| 14:45 - 15:00 |
Discussions |
| 15:00 - 15:30 |
Break |
| 15:30 - 16:30 |
Initiatives and projects on Carbon Monitoring continued
|
| 16:30 - 17:15 |
Round table: How GEOSS could support global carbon measurements |
| 17:15 - 17:30 |
Conclusions and wrap-up |