22-27 April 2012, Montréal, Canada

From Knowledge to Action

Global Framework for Climate Services Turns Research into Action

As global climate change and variability creates new challenges and opportunities for all sectors of society around the world, the need for accurate, up-to-date climate information and predictions has never been more pressing. Many socio-economic sectors including agriculture, fisheries, health, forestry, transportation, tourism and energy, are highly sensitive to weather and climate extremes, which are already becoming more frequent as the global climate warms.

The findings of International Polar Year (2007-2008) and other recent polar science has increased understanding of how the changes taking place in polar regions are influencing global climate. How this new knowledge can be transformed into actions that address critical global issues will be explored by participants at the IPY 2012 Conference From Knowledge to Action, taking place in Montréal, Quebec, Canada in April 2012.

One example of "knowledge to action" is The Global Framework for Climate Services, which was proposed by the Heads of State and Government, Ministers and senior government officials of 160 countries at the 3rd World Climate Conference in September 2009.

"The framework is intended to strengthen the production, availability, delivery and use of science-based climate monitoring and predictions services worldwide to bolster the development of successful adaptation strategies for managing the risks of climate variability and change," says Michel Béland, President of the Commission on Atmospheric Sciences of the World Meteorological Association (WMO). "It is an excellent example of how science can be brought to action to address one of the greatest challenges facing the world in the coming century by transforming climate observations, modelling and prediction into improved climate services."

According to a position paper recently released by the WMO: "The Framework is designed to mainstream climate science into decision-making at all levels and help ensure that every country and every climate-sensitive sector of society is well equipped to access and apply the relevant climate information."

With a 10-year implementation timeframe ending in 2021, this initiative will build on and strengthen existing local, national, regional and global networks of climate observation, monitoring, research, modelling and prediction service programs. It will also include a climate services information system and a climate user interface program to bridge the gap between the information being developed by climate scientists and service providers and the practical information needs of users.

"The framework will benefit very much from the science that was carried out during IPY and other polar research, particularly for its applications in polar areas where the impacts of climate change are occurring more rapidly," says Mr. Béland.

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