Terms of Reference

1. Provide international coordination and help organise collaboration on climate change detection and indices relevant to climate change detection.

2. Further develop and publicise indices and indicators of climate variability and change from the surface and sub-surface ocean to the stratosphere.

3. Encourage the comparison of modelled data and observations perhaps via the development of indices appropriate for both sources of information.

4. Coordinate these and other relevant activities the ET chooses to engage in (such as perhaps observing system experiments that help determine where observations are needed for climate change detection) with other appropriate agencies such as GCOS, CBS, CIMO, CAgM, CHy, IPCC, and START, as well with the joint WCRP JSC/CLIVAR Working Group on Coupled Modelling, the WCRP Observations and Assimilation Panel, and regional associations.

5. Explore, document and make recommendations for addressing the needs for capacity building in each region, pertinent to this topic.

6. Submit reports in accordance with timetables established by the OPAG chair and/or Management Group.