Climate Sense

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Observing , Predicting and Projecting C limate C onditions
• Providing the material to educate people about
climate change and the contribution attributed to
human activities, thereby enabling individuals to
better understand the impact of their decisions.
In supporting the development of ECVs, EUMETSAT
has striven to place long-term data sets into the hands of
the ultimate user communities. This paper describes the
end-to-end process that will enable EUMETSAT to best
achieve its vision and meet the challenges. It provides
a brief description of each component – space, ground
and end-user segments – for EUMETSAT’s integrated
and coordinated approach to tackling climate monitor-
ing challenges from an operational agency’s perspective.
Space segment
The Meteosat programme is the well-established
European contribution to the ring of operational
geostationary satellites. The first Meteosat satellite was
launched by ESA in 1977. In 1995, EUMETSAT took
over the operation of the Meteosat satellites. EUMETSAT
currently operates two Meteosat satellites of the first
generation (Meteosat-6 and -7) over the Indian Ocean
and two second generation satellites (Meteosat-8 and -9)
over the prime meridian, clearly demonstrating Europe’s
ability to build long-lasting systems that strongly contrib-
ute to fundamental climate data records.
Second generation satellites have much higher capa-
bilities in terms of temporal repeat cycles (15 minutes
compared to 30 minutes for the first generation) and
twelve spectral bands, as compared to only three spec-
tral bands for the first generation Meteosats. The larger
number of spectral bands enables a better observation of
important climate variables, especially those undergo-
ing diurnal cycles. An additional advancement of vital
importance to climate observations is the improved
on-board calibration of the thermal infrared channels
of the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites.
partner, the European Space Agency (ESA), whose primary objective in
Earth observation is research and development. Whereas ESA develops
new capabilities for monitoring global climatic changes, EUMETSAT
hones that new potential into continuing series of data. These data
respond directly to the requirements of the WMO’s co-sponsored
Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). GCOS has articulated
requirements for Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) in terms of long-
term data records, called Climate Data Records (CDRs). Since its
existence EUMETSAT has responded with dedication and vigour in
providing data for CDRs.
The availability of accurate climate information collected over
decades will benefit mankind at all levels and in a wide range of
areas, including:
• Assistance to policymakers when considering the need for, and
the effects of, actions to mitigate climate change, such as the
Kyoto Protocol
• Monitoring compliance with international obligations related to
climate change
• Assistance to regional and national planners to better assess the
potential impacts of climate change and to thereby select the
most appropriate options for their infrastructure planning
• Supporting initiatives such as Global Monitoring for
Environment and Security (GMES) in its provision of accurate
information for policy-making
• Assistance to the science community in its quest to better
understand the mechanisms of climate change and its potential
impacts
• Support for a better understanding of climate physics, resulting
in better climate projections
• Management of human health risks associated with climate
change, such as the spread of vector-borne diseases and heat stress
• Identification of flood-prone areas and requirements for coastal
protection
• Management of agriculture, fisheries, food production,
freshwater resources and land use
• Risk identification for biodiversity
• Providing the industrial and service sectors with the information
they need to respond efficiently to the challenges of climate change
Global solutions through networks
GOS
Global Observing System
GSICS
Global Satellite
Inter-Calibration System
SCOPE-CH
Sustained Coordinated Processing of
Environmental Satellite Data
Satellites
and sensors
Satellite
data
Fundamental
Climate Data
Records (FCDRs)
EssentialClimate
Variables (ECV)
satellite products
Users and
Organizations
The need for information on climate change means that steps have to be taken to harmonize and integrate the various observing systems
Source: Eumetsat