CAeM/MG-2015/Doc. 4.1.1, p. 10
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION CAeM/MG-2015/Doc. 4.1.1
COMMISSION FOR AERONAUTICAL METEOROLOGY (05.V.2015)
MANAGEMENT GROUP ITEM 4.1
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA, 12-14 MAY 2015 ENGLISH only
EXPERT TEAM REPORTS
Report of the Expert Team on Communication,
Coordination and Partnership
(Submitted by Marina Petrova & Gaborekwe Khambule,
Co-Chairs of ET-CCP)
This document presents an overview of the activities of the ET-CCP since its establishment in 2014.
ACTION PROPOSED
The Management Group (MG) is invited to note the initial steps taken by the ET on Communication, Coordination and Partnership towards effective interactions at the regional/subregional levels to communicate CAeM-centred approaches in support of the GANP/ASBU implementation in the Members.
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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1 The Expert Team on Communication, Coordination and Partnership (ET-CCP) was set up through the restructuring of the Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology at its fifteenth session (CAeM-XV) held in Montreal, Canada, from 15 to 16 July 2014. The ET-CCP in the new CAeM structure for the period 2014-2018 would coordinate an encouraging response from the Commission to the requests for advice and guidance, enabling the Regional Associations to align their Strategic Operating Plans with the recommendations made at the ICAO/WMO Conjoint meeting in Montreal, including ICAO GANP and ASBU implementation. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tools throughout the WMO Regions/sub-regions would be used by ET-CCP to identify gaps/challenges, as well as weaknesses and successes, in the Members in meeting the requirements for enhanced meteorological service delivery arising from the GANP and ASBU strategies.
1.2 The ET-CCP is composed of five core members, with the involvement of non-core members or invited experts who might be helpful in the implementation process. The list of non-core members can be extended for more experts who are seen efficient and able to carry out complementary work.
In the current composition the regional representation is as follows:
RA I – 3/RA II – 3/RA III – 1/RA IV – 2/RA V – 0/RA VI – 4. A request was made to the President of RA V – Dr Andi Eka Sakya from Indonesia to nominate an appropriate expert or experts for inputs to our team.
1.3 Within the period 2014-2018 the following activities would be of prime importance for the team:
· To ensure coordination between CAeM, Regional Associations and partner organizations through regional aviation task teams/subgroups on issues of service improvements;
· To establish a two-way communication mechanism with the relevant RA teams to provide sound advice and clear guidance on AeM-related gaps and challenges arising from GANP and ASBU;
· To work proactively with aviation task teams/subgroups in the Regions in achieving CAeM OP deliverables in line with the agreed KPTs;
· To keep the CAeM Management Group informed of the on-going changes in the MET service delivery at the regional/sub-regional levels;
· To identify the regional gaps/challenges in meeting the requirements for enhanced meteorological service delivery in the intersessional period;
· To develop an effective mechanism for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the CAeM work programme in line with the WMO M&E system;
· To analyse the progress made in the Regions for collection of best practice examples;
· To facilitate sharing of the best practice examples among the Regions;
· To mobilize the CAeM resources to improve the current MET capabilities in the Members;
· To demonstrate the best practice examples in the MET community.
1.4 Following the agreement reached by the CAeM Management Group to hold joint ET meetings and the practice established by the CAeM Expert Team on Aviation, Science and Climate and Expert Team on Information and Services for Aviation meeting which already held their 1st meeting in Toulouse, France from 30 March and 1 April 2015, the 1st meeting of the ET-CCP is supposed to be held jointly with the Expert Team on Governance near the end of 2015.
2. PROGRESS/ACTIVITY REPORT
Coordination within ET-CCP and with MG
2.1 CAeM ET-CCP Teleconference-1 (2 March 2015)
2.1.1 As long as motivated participation remains high, group dynamics are always successful. Initial activities therefore focused on getting the team experts involved and fostering smooth team relations. The first teleconference called on 2 March 2015 was aimed to clarify team responsibilities and expectations, seek feedback on the items of the work plan and maintain equitable participation. Totally, seven experts participated in the teleconference, including four core experts. The team experts discussed the following issues, namely: a) the Terms of Reference of the ET-CCP based on the MET/DIV-14 Recommendations/CAeM-15 Resolutions; b) the work plan and expert inputs to the work plan implementation; c) interactions with other CAeM ETs, ICAO/IATA aviation task teams/subgroups; d) planning for face to face meetings.
2.1.2 All experts made short introductions, showing acquired meteorological experience in their services and work done in different WMO/ICAO expert/task teams.
2.1.3 The terms of reference of the ET-CCP aligned with the Recommendations of the MET DIV Meeting and the Resolutions of CAeM-15 made in Montreal, Canada, in July 2014 were used as a starting point of encouraging discussions.
2.1.4 The team experts focused on the work plan approved in January 2015, paying special attention to the implementation areas and target stakeholders, which range from WMO Regions to regional/subregional aviation task teams/subgroups. The experts were informed on:
· Regional officers in all WMO Regions. Updates on the elections recently held during the 16th session of the Regional Association I (Praia, Cabo Verde, 3-9 February 2015) showed that Dr Bah (Guinea), President of RA I, was succeeded by Dr Amos Makarau (Zimbabwe).
· Priority areas and urgent tasks to be fulfilled to help the Regions meet the GANP and ASBU requirements, including involvement in the regional/subregional projects, participation in the regional/subregional expert teams/groups, collection of best practices examples, provision of advice, consultation and guidance at the meetings/workshops/conferences.
2.1.5 The experts reported accordingly on what was going on in their Regions, i.e.:
· The RA I report briefed on the recently held sixteenth session of Regional Association I (Praia, Cabo Verde, 3-9 February 2015).
· The RA II report mentioned two regional events held in end-2014, namely: a) the RA II Expert Group on Aeronautical Meteorological Services Delivery (EG-AeM) (Hong Kong, 10-12 November 2014); and b) the 6th session of Regional Conference on Management of NMHSs in RA II (Asia). In addition, he noted that RA II EG-AeM highlighted regional challenges and set future work directions aimed to address current deficiencies, inter alia, in the QMS implementation and SIGMET issuance, as well as to initiate work on capacity building towards GANP/ASBU strategies. The RECO-6 highly appreciated regional/subregional partnership/twinning projects.
· The RA III report informed on an AMP competence assessment meeting held in November for sharing competence expertise. ICAO South American (SAM) Office in Lima initiated teleconferences which will be held monthly. Most of the Members in the Region lack National Air Navigation Plans.
· The RA VI (Western Europe) report reminded of the SES Programme which was designed to harmonize the EU. Indeed, small EU countries are striving to provide much needed regionalized meteorological information. Most coordination work is done through METG/EANPG meetings held in Paris.
· The RA VI (Eastern Europe) report stressed the importance of holding regional events, like the mentioned above RECO-6 in RA II. The forthcoming regional events– the Aviation Conferences – are scheduled for late 2015 (November?) in RA VI and early 2016 in RA II.
2.1.6 An analysis of the regional/subregional situation brought out the following:
2.1.6.1 RA VI (Eastern Europe) placed an emphasis on the enhanced liaison with regional/subregional aviation task teams/subgroups. As an example, close collaboration continues between the CIS ICH Working Group and the ICAO METG PT/EAST which have already held three joint meetings to scale out the work programme. The joint fourth meeting was scheduled for 31 March – 3 April in Sochi (Russia).
2.1.6.2 Covering agenda items 3 and 4, the Secretariat resumed that the ET-CCP Telecon-1 closed the 1st round of the on-line expert communication in the CAeM ETs. With regard to the ICAO MET Panel, RA VI (Eastern Europe) and RA I updated on the nomination of experts from the Russian Federation and South Africa, whereas the Secretariat pointed out that the 1st meeting of the Panel would take place in Montreal from 20 to 24 April 2015. Further comments were made on initial work under the ET-CCP to establish a network of aviation focal points in the Members and the Regions, as a whole.
2.1.7 As per the Regions, the following updates on regional/subregional aviation bodies were made available:
· RA I – A subregional task team was set up at the recent RA I/16 to address the GANP/ASBU implementation issues and keep the PRs abreast of the on-going developments.
· RA II – The RA II EG-AeM is progressing in assessing the regional capabilities and bridging the gaps.
· RA III – Additional updates on an aviation task team will be made available in the Region soon.
· RA IV – An aviation task team is set up in Costa Rica which meets this April.
· RA V – No idea of any appropriate task team.
· RA VI – The EUMETNET designated a Rapporteur on MET Service Delivery
· With respect to the Aviation Conference in RA VI, the Secretariat meets with the Organizing Committee in (Vienna) Austria on 21 March. A ministerial meeting takes place in Indonesia (RA V) on 29-30 April which can make relevant decisions.
· RA III commented on the possibility of holding an Aviation Conference in RA III.
2.1.8 It was suggested to use the Enterprised Social Network (ESN), such as Yammer, to enhance internally communication between the ET members and externally with other organizations/regional or subregional focal points. As an example, the ET-CCP members were informed of an available QMS forum platform set up at Yammer and managed by BoM (Australia) which proved to be a more effective way for discussing relevant issues than emailing.
2.1.9 The core members agreed to hold teleconferences quarterly. The next teleconference was proposed to be held after Cg-17 (Geneva, Switzerland, 25 May – 12 June 2015).
Liaison with aviation task teams/subgroups
2.2 The conjoint CIS ICH WG-4/ICAO METG PT/EAST/15 meeting (Sochi, Russian Federation, 31 March – 3 April 2015)
2.2.1 Collaboration and coordination with the regional/subregional task teams/subgroups develop greater awareness of the implementation process, increase tolerance of differences in implementation tools, encourage reflection and feedback.
In an effort to enhance the transferability of the current practices, a regular joint meeting of the CIS Interstate Council for Hydrometeorology Working Group – 4 – Meteorological Services for Civil Aviation – and the ICAO Meteorology Group Project Team for the States in the eastern part of the European Region (ICAO METG PT/EAST) was held in Sochi, the Russian Federation, from 31 March to 3 April 2015.
2.2.2 The joint meeting was intended to create a pool of ideas and knowledge, providing the participants with a chance to discuss challenges and successes. It was attended by 40 experts in the field of aeronautical meteorological services from eight Members/States, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as team members, as well as from the international and national organizations, such as ICAO, Austro Control, RSHU, IRAM, and, in addition, other MET experts from CIS countries.
2.2.3 The meeting reviewed vital issues of aeronautical meteorological services for aviation users in the airspace of CIS countries, interactions and coordination enhanced through regional cooperation, as well as prospects and trends of meteorological services to aviation. The meeting, recognizing the importance of the delivery of safety-relevant services to civil aviation as a high-priority issue, appreciated the need to align aeronautical meteorological practices available in NMHSs with ICAO/WMO International Standards and to foster regional cooperation in the interests of ICAO/WMO States/Members. The meeting noted with appreciation twenty presentations and rеports, as well as expert interventions. The meeting expressed its satisfaction with the involvement of all the participants in the discussions.
2.2.4 The meeting was pleased to note that in the intersessional period the Members/States addressed the following issues that needed to be continuously reviewed, namely: (a) aviation safety through improved QMS; (b) control of AMP competency assessment in the Members linked to quality standards; (c) capacity building for Doppler radar network in aeronautical meteorological services; (d) support of the “One Sky” concept for international air navigation fostered by the Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP) framework and the aviation system block upgrades (ASBU) methodology.
2.2.5 During the course of the meeting the focus was given to the short-, medium- and long-term enhancement of MET services. It was noted that the GANP explores the need for more integrated aviation planning at both the regional and State level, and addresses required solutions by introducing a consensus‐driven Aviation System Block Upgrade (ASBU) methodology. Since meteorological information will be a key enabler to the enhanced operational efficiency and flight safety, the group members continued work towards the reduction of SIGMET deficiencies in the MWOs and the establishment of advanced meteorological radars.
2.2.6 In the intersessional period the Members have achieved significant improvements in QMS for aeronautical meteorological services, maintaining the level of MET service compliant with the quality standard. After the entry of the new ISO 9001:2015 Standard measures will be taken towards the conformity of QMSs implemented with the new quality standard. Moreover, the meeting agreed that the Members/States currently certified to ISO 9001:2008 would need a transition period to accommodate the introduction of ISO 9001:2015.
2.2.7 In the interests of the aviation safety, the Members dealt with the issues of re-equipment of MET units, increasing the competency of MET staff, upgrading technologies for generation of MET information, including terminal forecasts, flight region forecasts, SIGMET, AIRMET, as well as for briefings with aviation users. On the subject of exchange of OPMET data, the meeting was pleased to note the efforts made by the Members/States for providing reliable, accurate and timely OPMET data.