During the week, they have been participating in  sessions and side events at the Executive Council, as well as taking the opportunity to meet with cooperation partners from all over the world.

In the framework of the Executive Council, there are a number of important topics that are highly relevant to EUMETSAT:

-            The Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), which was established following a high-level declaration adopted by the 3rd World Climate Conference (WCC-3) in Geneva in August 2009. The purpose of GFCS is to strengthen the production, availability, delivery and application of science-based climate prediction and services. The GFCS implementation plan and governance structure designed to maximise the full potential of the Framework will be presented for approval at WMO’s Extraordinary Congress in October 2012. EUMETSAT will support GFCS with its satellite programmes and is also contributing to the climate services discussion through participation in ERA-CLIM, GSICS and SCOPE-CM.

-            The WMO Information System (WIS) and the 2025 Vision of the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS), to which EUMETSAT contributes with its geostationary and low Earth orbit satellite programmes as well as through satellite data exchange with EUMETSAT’s international partners in China, India, Russia, Japan South Korea and the US. EUMETSAT’s strategy explicitly mentions support to WIGOS.

The Director-General addressed the Executive Council in the session on the WIS and WIGOS, presenting the main contributions by EUMETSAT in support of WMO. EUMETSAT will launch two new satellites in 2012 - MSG-3 on 5 July 2012 and Metop-B on 19 September 2012 - contributing to the WMO Global Observing System and preparations for future generation satellites are under consideration.  In addition to satellites, EUMETSAT emphasises the importance of capacity building, facilitating access to EUMETSAT data and training users in using the data. This is particularly valid for African, Central and Eastern European, Western Balkan and Caucasus countries. The key message conveyed by our DG was that the contribution to WMO programmes by space agencies is increasing and WMO plays a key role to ensure, through coordination, that maximum benefits are provided to WMO Members in the most cost-effective way.

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), a side event is being held highlighting 20 years of service for climate observations, together with an outlook for the future. EUMETSAT has supported GCOS for a number of years and the provision of climate services is becoming increasingly important for EUMETSAT, as reconfirmed in the updated EUMETSAT strategy in 2011.

In addition, meetings will be held with a number of EUMETSAT's international partners, including the China Meteorological Administration, Environment Canada, India Meteorological Department, Japan Meteorological Agency, Korea Meteorological Administration, Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet), and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These meetings will provide an opportunity to review progress on cooperation.

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