Improving coordination in a complex climate landscape
A central focus was the interaction between GAW and other major WMO research programmes, including the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), the World Weather Research Programme (WWRP), and the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). Urban climate was identified as an example of a shared priority, spanning air quality, weather, and climate monitoring, modelling, and forecasting.
While this convergence can suggest duplication, discussions at the symposium highlighted a more nuanced reality. Initiatives such as GAW's Urban Research Meteorology and Environment Scientific Advisory Group (GURME), WWRP's Urban Predict, and WCRP's Atmospheric Processes and their Role in Climate (APARC) Project and Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) tend to operate at different stages of the data value chain. The work is complimentary and each programme contributes to a piece of a broader system.
The challenge lies in connecting these pieces more effectively. Participants emphasised the need for more regular and structured exchanges, moving beyond ad hoc coordination, and suggested lighter collaboration mechanisms as well as more systematic cross-representation between programmes.
The objectives of iClimateAction
In this context, iCA is well positioned to play a bridging role, helping to align outputs and improve coherence across institutions. The urban portfolio offers a concrete example, where stronger coordination could build on existing linkages and demonstrate the value of a more integrated approach.
In this sector, the need for coordination extends beyond WMO structures. Climate risks in cities intersect with public health, environmental management, and urban planning, requiring engagement with a wider range of actors across the multilateral system, including the World Health Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme, urban planners, municipalities, and regional governments.
Improved coordination between institutions and disciplines could help address these gaps - by making better use of existing data, reducing fragmentation and enabling more integrated responses to climate-related risks.
Another recurring theme in the discussion was the challenge of translating scientific outputs into information that decision-makers can use. Whether for national climate commitments, urban heat action plans or health monitoring, the demand is for data that is not only robust, trustworthy but accessible and actionable.
This objective sits at the core of iCA. Through its ongoing work - particularly within Work Package 3 - the project aims to demonstrate how coordinated climate information can support practical solutions, especially in urban settings.
These reflections will feed into discussions at the upcoming iCA Heat Resilience Workshop, scheduled for 28-29 April 2026. The workshop will bring together stakeholders from across the data value chain to examine key structural questions, including spatial and temporal coverage and data-sharing practices for Essential Climate Variables (ECVs).
The aim is to produce recommendations that are both scientifically grounded and operationally relevant, contributing to processes such as the GCOS Status Report 2027, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Climate Change and Cities, and the next GAW Science Implementation Plan.
In this context, iClimateAction is positioning itself as a facilitator, working to strengthen connections across a complex landscape, and ensuring that climate data better supports decision-making on the ground.
