Earth Information Day spotlights climate science and observations
Climate science took centre stage at Earth Information Day at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), as a senior WMO delegation showcased the importance of systematic observations, data exchange, climate monitoring and the climate services needed to understand and communicate the current state and rate of change in our earth system, as it serves as the foundation of our collective response to climate change.
The WMO delegation is seeking to inform negotiations on the COP28 global stocktake that aims to increase ambition and accelerate action on climate change by informing the next round of climate action plans due in 2025.
“As our greenhouse gas emissions continue to break records, driving global temperature ever higher, humanity faces the urgent challenge of decoding these changes and understanding their consequences, to enable swift and informed action on adaptation,” said a WMO statement from Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas.
“Systematic observations, a cornerstone of the WMO’s mission, are central to these efforts. Observations empower us to monitor and comprehend the Earth's climate system. From tracking the relentless increase in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations to improving forecasts of climate variability and change, our observations yield the insights that guide policy, drive innovation, and protect our communities,” said the statement which was read out by WMO Director of Services Department, Dr Johan Stander.
WMO experts presented the highlights of this year’s provisional State of the Global Climate report as well as plans for a new Global Greenhouse Gas Watch to increase understanding of the gases which are driving climate change. They fielded numerous questions from delegates, reflecting growing political interest and engagement, as public anxiety mounts about increasingly extreme weather under our changing climate.
Provisional State of the Climate 2023
According to WMO’s provisional State of the Global Climate report 2023, launched at the start of COP28 to provide the latest climate figures, this year is virtually certain to be the warmest year in the 174-year observational record, with the global mean near surface temperature to October at around 1.40 ± 0.12 °C above the 1850-1900 baseline. Ocean heat content reached its highest level in 2022, the latest available full year of data in the 65-year observational record.
Global mean sea level reached a record high in the satellite record, reflecting continued ocean warming as well as the melting of glaciers and ice sheets. The rate of global mean sea level rise in the past ten years (2013–2022) is more than twice the rate of sea level rise in the first decade of the satellite record (1993–2002).
The cryosphere also shows worrying trends. Antarctic sea-ice extent reached an absolute record low for the satellite era (1979 to present) in February. Ice extent was at a record low from June onwards, and the annual maximum in September was far below the previous record low maximum. Glaciers in western North America and the European Alps experienced an extreme melt season. In Switzerland, glaciers lost around 10% of their remaining volume in the past two years.
Extreme weather continues to lead to severe socio-economic impacts. Extreme heat affected many parts of the world. Wildfires in Hawaii, Canada and Europe led to loss of life, the destruction of homes and large-scale air pollution. Flooding associated with extreme rainfall from Mediterranean Cyclone Daniel affected Greece, Bulgaria, Türkiye, and Libya with particularly heavy loss of life in Libya.
Food security, population displacements and impacts on vulnerable populations continue to be of concern in 2023, with weather and climate hazards exacerbating the situation in many parts of the world. Extreme weather and climate conditions continued to trigger new, prolonged, and secondary displacement in 2023 and increased the vulnerability of many who were already uprooted by complex multi-causal situations of conflict and violence.
Global Greenhouse Gas Watch
The latest science from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that greenhouse gas emissions need to be cut 43% by 2030, compared to 2019 levels to stay within the 1.5°C temperature limit.
There is consensus on the need to cut emissions linked to human activities. But much more needs to be done to monitor and understand greenhouse gas fluxes from natural processes, as well as sources and sinks.
Whilst nature currently takes up about half of anthropogenic emissions, we do not know exactly when, where, why or how long this will continue, said WMO’s Deputy Director of Infrastructure, Lars Peter Riishojgaard.
There are uncertainties, especially regarding the role in the carbon cycle of the ocean, the land biosphere and the permafrost areas. The Global Greenhouse Gas Watch seeks to increase our capability to account for natural sources and sinks, both as they currently operate and as they will change as a result of a changing climate, he said.
The new Global Greenhouse Gas Watch will fill critical information gaps and provide an integrated, operational framework which brings under one roof all space-based and surface-based observing systems, as well as modelling and data assimilation capabilities. It is based on a top-down approach.
Many of the existing international and national activities dealing with greenhouse gases are supported mainly by the research community. At present, there is no comprehensive, timely international exchange of surface and space-based greenhouse gas observations or modelling products.
Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF)
SOFF is a new UN climate fund with a single purpose, supporting countries to close today’s major Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) data gaps – a global standard decided by 193 members of WMO in 2021. Today, the 109 LDCs, SIDS, Lower MICs countries deliver only 7 percent of the mandatory GBON land surface data.
SOFF opened doors for business in July 2022, and already 60 countries benefitting from SOFF support. The average time it took to prepare a funding request and receive approval by the Steering Committee it is 3.7 months.
“SOFF contributes to averting Loss and Damage, but SOFF needs additional financial support now to keep up with the pace of countries’ SOFF implementation,” said Markus Repnik, Director of SOFF. Today, 73 million USD of initial funding are mobilized, and the funding target as part of the UN Early Warnings for All initiative Executive Action plan is 400 million.
Underpinning UNFCCC process
WMO hosted two World Café tables, the participatory part of the Earth Information Day 2023.
WMO is aiming to get official recognition of the Global Greenhouse Gas Watch to underpin mitigation actions taken by the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process, in conjunction with the already established Global Climate Observing System and State of the Global Climate reports. It also is pressing for recognition of the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF).