APN Newsletter
Vol. 2, No. 3
October 1996
APN Scientific Planning Group Meeting
29-30 August
1996, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Summary Report
The Scientific Planning Group of APN
held its meeting at the end of August in Kuala Lumpur to discuss
the 1996 and future scientific program. This meeting was attended by representatives from Australia,
China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines,
Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, SARCS,
SASCOM and
TEACOM. Observers were present
from WCRP
and UNESCO.
Main points of the discussion are as follows.
1. Discussion of 1996 APN Scientific Programme
- APN support for GAME
(GEWEX Asian Monsoon Experiment)
After reports on the current
position with GAME, several representatives reinforced the value
of GAME for countries in the region, and the desirability of
APN support. There were also several references to the need
to link this work with other relevant activities, such as INDOEX
in the southern Indian Ocean region, and to the desirability
of APN activities extending to the winter monsoon regime at
an appropriate time.
It was also noted that it would be desirable for the basic
meteorological data from the Asian AWS (Automatic Weather Station)
Network, supported by the APN, to be available in real time
to optimize the utility of results to all APN participants.
- APN / SASCOM / GCTE
workshop on human dimensions issues
A report was made on plans for this workshop to be held in New
Delhi and participants exchanged views on its content. (It was
planned for November, but later changed to 20-23 January 1997.
Information on this workshop will be circulated soon.)
The link between climate and agriculture was suggested as
a topic for APN to focus on human dimensions issues. The WCRP
observer noted that the WCRP is developing, through START, an
end-to-end project on climate variability prediction and agriculture,
and that a START workshop involving WCRP and IGBP
/ GCTE will be held in Bogor, Indonesia, in February 1997. He
invited the APN to consider involvement in the activity.
- APN / START-TEACOM joint workshop on LUCC
The TEACOM
representative, outlined the progress being made on arrangements
to be held on 8 and 9 November 1996 in Kyoto. In discussion,
it was confirmed that the success of this workshop would lead
to land-use and land-cover change programmes which were designed
specifically in and for the region. There was emphasis on the
need to use LUCC outcomes better, both through their wider dissemination
and in developing integrated studies.
- APN / START Planning Meeting on the Regional Climate Model
The TEACOM representative also reported on progress in organizing
this meeting. The meeting endorsed the proposals continuing
APN support, and encouraged involvement by more countries in
the region. (See report below: START / APN Regional Climate
Modeling Planning Meeting) There will be a report to the next
SPG meeting of the outcome of this meeting.
- ENSO related study project
Mr. Nelson Quinn, Special
Advisor to the APN, reported that the planned meeting to pursue
development of the proposals from the United States and the
joint steering committee of the global programmes foreshadowed
at the March APN meeting was likely to occur in late 1996 or
early 1997.
There was also mention of the need for research on the recovery
and analysis of climate data in the APN region to provide the
base for improved applications of ENSO and monsoon predictions.
Further development of these issues could include collaborative
action of interested parties, including APN, to determine a
good regional approach that would serve the interests of national
activities and the various regional programmes.
It was stated during discussions that important outcomes
for any work on ENSO issues would include improved predictability,
better understanding of the relationship between ENSO and the
Asian monsoon, and a better understanding of their socio-economic
impacts.
- APN Communication Issues
An APN homepage will be operational
by the next APN Inter-Governmental Meeting. There was agreement
that a successful approach to data access involves on-line access
to information on where relevant datasets are located and accessible.
This requires a networking approach, thus overcoming the great
difficulty of one group trying to compile and maintain up-to-date
datasets on many topics.
Participants said there would be merit in continuing attempts
being made to develop and maintain an inventory of existing
datasets in the APN countries.
- APN Liaison Officers
Arrangements for Liaison Officers
in the START Regional Centers are still under discussion. Liaison
Officers could provide a continuing link between regional START
activities and the APN, facilitating survey work in their regions,
and assisting in project development, coordination, and information
dissemination, and also facilitating communication between countries.
2. APN New Potential Activities for 1997
- Freshwater Problems
The development of proposals for
further consideration by APN is continuing, in consultation
with other international bodies with relevant programmes and
interests.
The UNESCO observer gave a presentation on the UNESCO programme
on water in the region, namely the International Hydrological
Programme (IHP). There was agreement that discussion with UNESCO
in development of the APN programme would be beneficial.
- Aerosols and Acid Deposition Issues
Proposals on these
issues have not yet been developed, but there was strong support
from participants to continuing this work. This would build
on work already undertaken, for example the RAINS Asia project
sponsored by the World Bank and some work by CSIRO in Australia,
and include work on susceptibility and impacts. SASCOM offered
to take the lead in preparing a paper for a scoping workshop
perhaps early in 1997, in consultation with Australia and Malaysia.
- Possibility of co-operation with the Pacific Science Inter-Congress.
The Interim Secretariat reported on an invitation for the APN
to participate in the Pacific Science Inter-Congress being held
on 13-19 July 1997 at the University of South Pacific, Fiji.
Participants urged the Interim Secretariat to consider the matter.
It was also suggested that greater involvement of and cooperation
with the Pacific countries should be expanded through South
Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and through the
UNESCO integrated programme on coastal and island ecosystems.
Prof. Aprilani Soegiarto, Prof. Keiji Higuchi were co-chairpersons
of the meeting.
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of APN Newsletter Vol.2, No.3
START/APN
Regional Climate Modeling
Planning Meeting for Asia
16-17 September 1996, Boulder, Colorado
Summary Report
A planning meeting on the development
of regional climate system modeling activities in the TEACOM (Temperate
East Asia Regional Committee for START)
region for the study of anthropogenic climate and ecosystem changes
in East Asia was held at the National Center for Atmospheric Research,
Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A. on September 16-17, 1996. It was held
under the joint support of START (Global Change SysTem for Analysis,
Research and Training) and APN (The Asia-Pacific Network for Global
Change Research). The meeting was attended by representatives of START, APN, WCRP
and some related core projects of IGBP and WCRP, such as IGAC /
IGBP, TEMA / GCTE / IGBP, GAIM / IGBP, CLIVAR / WCRP and GAME /
GEWEX / WCRP. Also attending were a number of leading scientists
in the areas of Asia monsoon research and regional climate modeling,
and an observer from SARCS (Southeast Asia Regional Committee for
START).
This meeting was organized as one of the TEACOM activities towards
the development of the first priority of its research program, i.
e. the study of dynamics and impacts of monsoon and monsoon-driven
ecosystems, which was identified by the Committee in its implementation
plan (TEACOM REPORT No. 1, 1994).
Ten presentations were given by the participants to review the
state of regional climate system modeling and its application to
the Asia region, along with related international and regional activities
in this research area Participants discussed the need for a regional
climate system model for global change research in Asia. The analysis
of the scientific basis for developing a comprehensive regional
climate system model which will incorporate physical, chemical and
biological components of the Asia monsoon system was carried out
mainly through the discussion on three processes: atmosphere-biosphere
interactions, chemical-physical interactions and atmosphere-hydrology
interactions. The feasibility of developing such a program in the
TEACOM region, with particular emphasis on infrastructure development
for the region was also discussed in -depth.
The main conclusions are as follows:
- The regional climate system model (RCSM) including coupled
atmosphere, biosphere and chemistry components is a useful tool
for synthesis, analysis and modeling global change issues at
the regional level, especially for the developing world where
the infrastructure and computing resources are not sufficient
to maintain global climate models;
- Application and further development of RCSM for Asia is
recommended, because of the unique features of the Asia monsoon
system, which includes strong physical, biological and chemical
interactions that will likely be subject to a rapidly growing
regional anthropogenic forcing;
- Ongoing research activities in the region as well as in
other laboratories worldwide provide the knowledge base and
the collaboration opportunity for the development of a comprehensive
regional climate system model for east Asia;
- The development of the infrastructure necessary for building
regional climate modeling activities in TEA regional center
is a primary strategic goal for START. This regional center
would serve as the node for regional climate system modeling
activities not only for the TEACOM region, but also for other
regions of Asia and APN, as well as other regions of the developing
World.
Initial activities suggested for START / TEA are:
- Three post-doctoral fellowships for the TEA regional center
to work in world leading institutions in the area of regional
climate modeling to be requested through the START fellowship
program, APN support and others. The aim of these fellowships
would be to train high level young scientists in the TEA region
on synthesis, analysis and modeling at the regional scale so
that they can serve as base support for future regional training
activities.
- A workshop with about 10 scientists from the TEA region
and some outside countries aimed at 1) providing an in-depth
scientific discussion on the research objectives of RCSM model
development for East Asia; and 2) finalizing a research proposal;
- A training course on the application of regional climate
models in Asia which is expected to take place at the START
RRC in Beijing sometime during 1998 based on the development
of infrastructure at the TEA center during the next 2 years.
Prof. Congbin Fu, Director of START RRC for TEA, and Dr., Filippo
Giorgi, CGD, NCAR served as Co-chairs of the meeting.
Back to the contents
of APN Newsletter Vol.2, No.3
New
Director of APN Interim Secretaria
Mr. Yosihiro Natori, of the Global Environment Department of
the Environment Agency of Japan became the new Director of the APN
Interim Secretariat in July.
Back to the contents
of APN Newsletter Vol.2, No.3
About
the APN
The Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) is an inter-governmental
organization created to support the promotion of global environmental research
in the Asia-Pacific Region. Japan is currently serving as the Interim Secretariat.
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APN
Schedule
| Nov 8-9 |
APN/TEACOM Joint Workshop on LUCC (Kyoto, Japan) |
| 1997 |
|
Jan 20-23 |
APN/SASCOM/GCTE Workshop on Human Dimensions Issues (New
Delhi, India) |
Mar |
APN Scientific Group meeting (TBD) |
Mar |
Second APN Inter-Governmental Meeting (TBD) |
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|
