the opening ceremony of WCC-3

Mr Kofi Annan addressing the meeting

members of Chinense delegation

On Aug. 31 the World Climate Conference 3 (WCC-3) was opened in Geneva. The meeting aims to establish a Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS). 

The overarching theme of the Conference is "Climate prediction and information for decision-making: focusing on scientific advances in seasonal to inter-annual time-scales, taking into account multi-decadal prediction". WCC-3 will establish the GFCS to guide the development of climate services which will link science-based climate predictions and information with climate-risk management and adaptation to climate variability and change throughout the world.

Shen Xiaonong, head of the delegation of expert segment and Deputy Administrator of China Meteorological Administration (CMA) was presented at the opening ceremony. Wang Shourong, member of the WCC-3 International Organizing Committee and Deputy Administrator of CMA delivered a speech at the plenary round-session on climate risk management.

Mr. Michel Jarraud, Secretary-General of World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Mr. Hans-Rudolf Merz, President of the Swiss Confederation, Alexander Bedritsky, WMO President, Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Change, Mr. Kofi Annan, President of the Global Humanitarian Forum, Mr. Chen Deliang, Executive Director of the International Council of Scientific Unions, Mr. Zhao Houlin, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union and Mr Thomas Stocker, Co-Chair of the IPCC Working Group addressed the meeting at the opening ceremony.

When addressing the meeting Mr. Michel Jarraud said that the meeting would provide all necessary means and information for decision-makers in all fields through establishing a global framework for climate services. Mr. Bedritsky said that the remarks of climate experts, climate service providers, and experts in field of energy, disaster mitigation and others would be used to define the priority of climate service to meet the needs of users.

It is reported that building on the existing international observation and research programme on climate the GFCS will link climate prediction with climate risk and opportunity management supporting the developed and developing countries to adapt to climate variability and change. The framework is also supplement and support for the current assessment and policy mechanism on climate change of IPCC and UNFCCC.

Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland said:” we should lay the foundation of taking decisive actions for adapting to climate change for the nations, sectors and people that affected by climate variability and change.” She expressed that the international community should unit to make the climate information available to all of the people.

Jointly initiated by WMO and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESTCO) the WCC-3 consists of expert segment (Aug. 31 to Sep. 2) and high-level segment (Sep. 3 to 4). There are more than 2000 scientists and decision-makers from the world to contribute proposals for stepping up actions, and reducing risk of climate especially for the sustainable development of the developing and least developing countries.