Climate Change Initiative Programmatic Review
The implementation status and progress of ESA’s CCI was assessed 9 December 2024
The purpose of the review is to brief ESA Member States on the implementation status, progress and future activities of ESA’s Climate Change Initiative in preparation for the ESA Ministerial Council in 2025. Following the review, a summary paper will be presented at the ESA Programme Board for Earth Observation in February 2025.
The Climate Change Initiative ‘Phase 2’ and new activities under the ‘CLIMATE-SPACE’ programmes were collectively assessed as part of the review. The structure of the review followed its four major research and development themes:
- The Excellence base: our Essential Climate Variables, grouped into cryosphere, land, ocean and atmospheric projects,
- Science highlights, including activities addressing UNFCCC Paris Agreement, cross-ECVs, use of EO for Tipping Points research and CCI fellowships,
- Linking climate modelling and observations, including the Climate Modelling User Group and WCRP’s CMIP,
- Knowledge Exchange, and International / stakeholder activities.
The schedule of topics presented are detailed below. All of the review's presentations are available for online viewing.
| REVIEW TOPIC | SPEAKER |
|---|---|
| Welcome & Introduction | Simonetta Cheli, ESA |
| Alessandro Grasso, Space Agency, LUX | |
| Scope of the review | Rune Floberghagen, ESA |
| CCI programme status | Susanne Mecklenburg, ESA |
| Theme (I) The Excellence Base | |
| Cryosphere | Louise Sorensen, TUD, DK |
| Land | Emilio Chuvieco, U de Alcala, ES |
| Ocean | Fabrice Ardhuin, IFREMER, FR |
| Atmosphere | Michaela Hegglin, U Reading UK/ FZJ, DE |
| Theme (II) Science highlights | |
| Support to climate policy needs: UNFCCC Paris Agreement – RECCAP-2 | Philippe Ciais, LSCE, FR |
| Cross-ECVs: Sea Level Budget Closure | Michaël Ablain, Magellium, FR |
| The skill of EO for Tipping Points research | Tim Lenton, U of Exeter, UK |
| The next generation of climate scientists | Elisa Calamita, EAWAG, CH |
| THEME (III) Linking climate observations and modelling | |
| Climate Modelling User Group | Richard Jones, UK MetOffice |
| WCRP’s Coupled Model Intercomparison Project | Eleanor O’Rourke, HESpace |
| Theme (IV) - Knowledge Exchange | Carsten Brockmann, BC, DE |
| CCI’s role in the international climate network | |
| Feedback from stakeholders – a statement from CSAB | Han Dolman, NIOZ, NL |
| CCI’s contribution to IPCC AR6 | Andrew Shepherd, Northumbria U, UK |