TT-ORP First Meeting Report
GLOBAL FRAMEWORK FOR CLIMATE SERVICES
REPORT OF THE FIRST MEETING OF the AD HOC TASK TEAM FOR
THE GFCS 2015 – 2018 OPERATIONAL AND RESOURCES PLAN
GENEVA, 27 to 28 April 2015
FINAL
8 July 2015
INTRODUCTION
The first meeting of the Task Team on the Operational and Resource Plan for the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) for the period 2015 – 2018, was opened at 09:00 on Monday, 27 April, at the headquarters of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 7 bis, avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland. Members of the Task Team were nominated by the principal members of the Intergovernmental Board on Climate Services (IBCS), WMO technical commissions, WMO Regional Centers, and GFCS Partners. The Task Team meeting was attended by a total of 30 participants, including 6 WMO Member States, 6 partner organizations, 4 representatives of WMO Technical Commissions, and 4 representatives of WMO Regional Climate Centers (Annex 1).
1. OPENING OF THE SESSION
1.1 The Chair of the Intergovernmental Board on Climate Services (IBCS) Mr. Jens Sunde, and the WMO Deputy Secretary- General (DSG), Mr. Jeremiah Lengoasa, opened the meeting with statements to the Task Team.
1.2 Mr. Sunde welcomed participants and reminded members that the mandate of the Task Team came from the Second Session of the IBCS Management Committee in 2014. The objective of the Task Team on the Operational and Resource Plan is to work with partners to finalize the GFCS work plan and extra-budgetary resource plan for the period of 2015-2018 for consideration by the third IBCS Management Committee meeting in October 2015. The Task Team will therefore be required to undertake a number of tasks in the coming months.
1.3 Mr. Sunde emphasized that finalization of the Operational and Resource Plan is a new opportunity to further define the work plan and priorities for GFCS, while being realistic about implementation. Partner involvement is critical for GFCS implementation and the priority areas. Partners are encouraged to be involved in the development of the plan, as well as the beneficiary communities.
1.4 The proposal to include the energy sector as a 5th GFCS priority area is under consideration, and will be decided upon at the 17th Session of the World Meteorological Congress. If agreed upon in May 2015, this decision will have bearing on the work of the ORP-TT.
1.5 Mr. Lengoasa welcomed the Members, partners, representatives of WMO Technical Commissions and WMO Regional Climate Centres. He noted the expanding commitment to the implementation of the Framework obvious from the Task Team participants, representing WMO members, WMO Technical Commissions, WMO Regional Climate Centres as well as a range of GFCS partners. He reminded members, that when the WMO Extraordinary Congress approved the GFCS Implementation Plan (IP) and project compendium in 2012, GFCS entered into an implementation phase. In its first two years, much of the focus has been on establishing the governing bodies and structures. The GFCS is now entering the 6 year implementation phase where tangible results at country level are expected to be achieved. The work delivered by this multi-faceted Task Team will drive the success of the GFCS implementation. GFCS, in its goals, aims to enhance support, particularly in 70 vulnerable countries, noting the difficulty of implementing activities in some countries due to conflict or periods of reconstruction.
1.6 Mr. Lengoasa emphasized that in the next 6 years GFCS should be focused on clear translation of Pillars and Exemplars of the Implementation Plan (IP) into actionable and fundable plans, whereby at the end of the 6 year period the GFCS can show significant progress.
1.7 The GFCS flagship projects already taking place, such as those in Malawi and Tanzania, are demonstrating proof of concept in how partners can come together and jointly support nationally prioritized activities. Through these projects the GFCS has already learned a certain number of valuable lessons about governance needs, and the required process to transition research products into operations. For example, the GFCS has learned that capacity levels are low in many places and that it is critical to follow national consultations with plans and support mechanisms ready to allow activities to be implemented to address priorities and gaps.
1.8 These projects are important test-beds. The GFCS must set up the infrastructure to fully transition products available in research mode into operations, through the WMO-led CSIS. WMO is prepared to commit other resources such as the Global Data Producing and Forecasting System (GDPFS) to enable this transition until the WMO CSIS or other CSIS efforts are ready. The decadal forecast is one of these products that could be ready for transitioning at full scale to a decision-making tool in applicable sectors. This would be an immense gain if it can be effectively transitioned.
1.9 Another important achievement for GFCS has been the strengthening of partnerships and creation of Joint Offices to allow closer collaboration with partners and user-communities. For example, the WHO/WMO Joint Office for Climate and Health; the Joint Office with the Global Water Partnership and the WFP Climate Service Advisor for food security co-located within WMO. These mechanisms for implementation and the resource needs of these mechanisms should also be considered during the deliberations of the Task Team.
2. ORGANIZATION OF THE MEETING
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2.1 Adoption of the agenda
Prior to adopting the agenda, two additional agenda items were proposed. First, the communication needs for presenting and promoting the work plan to partners and donors, under agenda item 5 - Next Steps. Secondly, to consider the project compendium, and make it available with the meeting documents for consideration under agenda item 4.
2.2 Working arrangements
The meeting worked from 9:00 to 12:30 and from 14:00 to 17:00. Thirty minute breaks were held in the mornings and afternoons.
3. BACKGROUND TO THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OBJECTIVES OF THE TASK TEAM
3.1 Background to the establishment of the Task Team
3.1.1 Mr Filipe Lúcio, Director of the GFCS Office, provided the Task Team members a background to the establishment of the Task Team on Operational and Resource Plan for the GFCS for the period 2015 – 2018 to set the context for their work.
3.1.2 Discussion arose around the compendium of projects, with members noting it as a valuable but underutilized document that remains somewhat separate from the Implementation Plan. Consideration of the compendium was noted as key to the finalization of the Operational and Resource Plan. Members agreed a review is warranted as compendium activities may be outdated since its development in 2012. Clarifications noted that the GFCS Office plans to update the compendium for the Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Board on Climate Services in 2018 and that this Task Team could provide recommendations towards this update to ensure consistency with the Operational and Resource Plan.
3.2 Purpose and Terms of References (ToR) of the Task Team
3.2
3.3
3.2.1 The meeting discussed the purpose of the Task Team and refined the Terms of Reference (Annex 1) introducing several amendments seen necessary to effectively address the objectives for the establishment of the Task Team. The agreed ToRs are as follows:
3.2.2 The current mandate of the ORP-TT (TT-ORP/INF.2) is to prepare and present a finalized Operational and Resource Plan to the 3rd meeting of the IBCS Management Committee by October 2015. In revisiting the ORP-TT Terms of Reference, members raised a range of longer-term operational and resource related needs that highlighted the potential relevance and value to consider an extension of the mandate of this TT beyond its originally envisioned mandate.
3.2.3 A collective decision was made to amend the ToR to include the following item (g) rather than appropriate new responsibilities that extend beyond the current time-mandate of the group. This would allow the Task Team to make recommendations to the IBCS Management Committee on the long-term role of this Task Team as follows:
· Make recommendations to revise and amend the compendium of GFCS-related projects and activities at global, regional and national levels.
· Link the Operational and Resource Plan with the Sendai Framework, UNFCCC Adaptation Agenda, the post-2015 development agenda, and other climate sensitive policy processes which could benefit from climate services.
· “Provide recommendations on emerging priorities and gaps to inform annual revisions in the operational work plan as needed.”
· “Provide recommendations on technical capacity needs for the implementation of the operational and resource plan
· Provide recommendations on the communication and outreach of the Operational and Resource Plan”
3.3 Work done on the 2015-2018 Operational and Resource Plan of the GFCS for the period 2015-2018
3.3.1 Mr Filipe Lúcio provided a historical account of work done to develop the GFCS Implementation Plan, including the inter-linkages of the five annexes and four sectoral exemplars. He explained that the current compendium of projects summarizes key activities of the nine IP documents into 40 projects and proposals for a total cost of 140 million CHF over 10 years. Each project ranges in cost from 100,000 to 40 million CHF.
3.3.2 The draft Operational and Resource Plan for the GFCS for the period 2015 – 2018 (Doc. 7/IBCS-2) identifies 43 priority projects structured in accordance with the five Pillars, and draws from activities described in the Compendium. Members noted that the mechanisms for coordination and resources required to coordinate were inadequately reflected in the draft Operational and Resource Plan considered by IBCS-2. Task Team members also debated on the most appropriate approach for presenting the work plan (around the priorities areas or pillars).
3.3.3 Reference was made to a decision made at the Second Meeting of the Partners Advisory Committee (PAC-2) in March 2014 to focus on demonstrating the value of partner’s collaboration in six countries (Dominica, Bhutan, Papua New Guinea, Burkina Faso, United Republic of Tanzania, Moldova). In these countries partners would work together to expand the proof of concept of GFCS implementation. However, these focus countries do not limit GFCS implementation elsewhere.
Coordination at Global, Regional and National Levels: Status and Needs
3.3.4 It was noted that the coordination function of GFCS is highly valuable to show partners the added value and what the Framework can do for them [the UIP] as a mobilizing platform at global and regional levels.
3.3.5 Mr Filipe Lúcio summarized how the GFCS Office is addressing activities related to coordination needs. A first step was taken at the Partners Coordination meeting in October 2014 which collected information on the type and scale of climate services activities occurring in 16 countries. Secondly, the recently formed and expanding PAC has agreed to assume increased coordination function for GFCS. Thirdly, with World Bank PAC membership, GFCS is working to link the World Bank information platform to the GFCS project database, which will provide enhanced information on current climate service investments.
3.3.6 GFCS has the potential to play a coordinating role between recipients and donors of climate service investments. It was noted that the volume of resources being invested in Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Resilience, Climate Risk Management and other agendas that share common goals with GFCS is high and increasing. However, it should be recognized that only a small portion would be directly coordinated through GFCS and its existing structures. Existing GFCS activities generally fall into three tiers – direct GFCS coordination, indirect GFCS coordination, and no coordination. There was consensus that the types of activities that should be prominent in the Operational and Resource Plan are coordination and action plans at country level, which can help bring coherence to the volume of resources being made by various actors. Strategic level thinking is required in the Operational and Resource Plan to allow GFCS to guide and influence the other investment decisions.
GFCS Operational and Management Capacity: Status and Needs
3.3.7 In relation to the 2015-2018 Draft Operational and Resource Plan, Mr. Mizutani’s of WMO Finance provided a presentation on the existing and proposed budget. Subsequent discussion highlighted the insufficient management and operational capability of the Secretariat to manage the estimated volume of funds required for implementation of GFCS activities, the Compendium of activities and other related efforts.
3.3.8 The Task Team discussed the Administrative and Financial Management capacity of the GFCS Office. This discussion focused on the needs for reinforced operational capabilities of the WMO Secretariat including the GFCS Office, if the Operational and Resource Plan is to be implemented successfully. Mr. Muzutani pointed out to the large scale of the 2016 funding gap and emphasized the importance for resource mobilization if implementation is to advance as planned. He noted that the proposed GFCS implementation of projects valued at over 50 million CHF is ambitious and will require specific capacity to be built up to implement at this scale. For example, staff costs to develop detailed project documents of the planned activities are not available today. WMO Regular budget is limited and, within the current resources, WMO will not have resources to provide staff and services required to develop and supervise GFCS related projects at the scale of 50 million CHF per annum. He emphasized that both extra-budgetary resources and general purpose contributions would be required to develop the infrastructure to develop and supervise the projects.
3.3.9 Additionally, at present the GFCS is heavily dependent on the WMO infrastructure to implement GFCS activities. A concern was raised that to-date the GFCS has been notably drawing upon WMO Secretariat capacity for project management, and potentially deviating human resources from WMO core programming. Since 2013, the WMO DRA department has taken on the burden of managing two important projects (NOR2 and CAD) so that the activities are coordinated under the GFCS.
3.3.10 Mr. Lúcio clarified that GFCS related resources should be registered under the GFCS budget. Resources would subsequently be redistributed to the appropriate WMO programs who would implement specific activities for which they would provide the appropriate accounting and reporting. This would allow a better capture of resources being channelled to support the GFCS.