The “APN Scoping Workshop on Glboal Earth Observations and the Capacity Building Needs of the Region: Focus – Climate” was held in Tokyo , Japan , on 17-18 November 2005. The workshop was organized by the APN, the Ministry of the Environment, Japan and National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan . The workshop was attended by 32 participants from 12 countries, including Bangladesh , China , Fiji , Indonesia , Japan , Malaysia , Mongolia , New Zealand , Samoa , Thailand , USA and Viet Nam . The key objective of the workshop was to consider the capacity building necessary for research and monitoring related to climate change and its impacts, to discuss the role of the APN in such research and underpinning systematic observations, and to create road maps for designing ideas appropriate for capacity building activities in the Asia-Pacific region. The discussions also focused on exchange of information on observational data needs, experience and views on climate change and adaptation strategies among the countries in Asia and the Pacific, and to facilitate further activities to address the capacity building needs for climate change related issues in relation to the 10-Year Implementation Plan for GEOSS in the region. A second follow-up workshop is being planned and will take place in Thailand in March 2006.