New greenhouse gas and aerosol observations at the Pha Din station were implemented in 2014 as part of the project CATCOS (Capacity Building and Twinning for Climate Observing Systems) supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Coinciding with the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Vietnam, the event will be attended by senior scientists and managers of NHMS, MeteoSwiss, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the Swiss Cooperation Office for Vietnam.
The ceremony underscored the importance of the measurements at Pha Din as they contribute significantly to the Global Atmosphere Watch Programme (GAW), the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), and the user needs from the United Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). “The measurements at Pha Din are very significant for a wide range of applications, from climate services provision to air quality applications, to the support of national reporting obligations under international frameworks”, said Fabio Fontana, Deputy Head of the International Affairs of MeteoSwiss.
“Through the CATCOS project, Swiss institutions share world leading expertise with international partners in 10 developing countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia, including in Vietnam”, said Steven Geiger, Head of SDC program in Vietnam.
What is CATCOS?
Decisions concerning strategies on global climate change must be based on long-term, high-quality climate information. The project CATCOS (Capacity Building and Twinning for Climate Observing Systems), supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and coordinated by MeteoSwiss, contributes to filling important gaps in the global climate observing system, particularly by providing focused expert training to Vietnamese professionals. Moreover, the project raises awareness about the importance of systematic climate monitoring at the local, regional and global scale.
MeteoSwiss, International Affairs Division,
international@meteoswiss.ch, +41 58 460 94 16
National Hydro-Meteorological Service of Vietnam (NHMS),
Nhat Anh Nguyen, anhnnhn@gmail.com, +84 4 3835 7102
Additional information
MeteoSwiss – CATCOS Project: www.meteoswiss.ch/catcos
