EUMETSAT hosts 44th CGMS Meeting
From 5 to 10 June 2016, EUMETSAT will be hosting the 44th plenary session of the Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites (CGMS) in Biot, France.
05 November 2024
03 June 2016
This year’s plenary session will review the implementation of the plan agreed by India (ISRO), China (CMA), Russia (Roshydromet) and Europe (EUMETSAT) to jointly secure the continuation of Indian Ocean Data Coverage (IODC) services, after Meteosat-7 is de-orbited in April 2017. The European contribution consists of relocating Meteosat-8 to 41.5° East, which is expected to be approved by the EUMETSAT Council at the end of June 2016.
The plenary session will also address future requirements related to nowcasting and Short Range Numerical Weather Prediction. As Ken Holmlund, EUMETSAT’s Chief Scientist explains, “One challenge is to prepare for the use of data from the new types of instruments available from the geostationary orbit, like advanced multispectral imagers, hyperspectral infrared sounders and lightning mappers. In order to ensure these data are used efficiently from day one, the CGMS satellite agencies and the weather services need to work hand in hand on all scientific and operational aspects of the challenge.”
"One challenge is to prepare for the use of data from the new types of instruments..."
Climate will also be on the agenda with the report of the CEOS/CGMS Joint Climate Working Group and dedicated discussions to prepare a coordinated response of the CGMS space agencies to the upcoming GCOS Implementation Plan. In addition, a thematic session will review the current status and plans by CGMS agencies concerning capacities necessary to observe greenhouse gases. Thus CGMS agencies will contribute to the fulfilment of Article 7.7c of the Paris Agreement, calling for “(...) systematic observation of the climate system and early warning systems, in a manner that informs climate services and supports decision-making.”
About CGMS
The primary goals of the activities of the Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites are to support operational weather monitoring and forecasting as well as climate monitoring on a global basis. CGMS involves the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), all operators of meteorological satellites such as EUMETSAT, and R&D space agencies operating research and pre-operational Earth observation satellites. EUMETSAT has held the CGMS Secretariat since it joined CGMS in 1987.
