here - CEOP-HE

High-altitude Mountain Stations, JAMEX (Joint Aerosol-Monsoon EXperiment). Furthermore,
several international organizations, including IGPB (International Biosphere Geosphere
Programme), IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change), and GCOS (Global Climate
Observation System), could benefit from collaboration with the HE working group.
4.3 The Global High Elevation Watch (GHEW)
CEOP aims to develop an integrated global system of observations, in order to study the water
budget and, in particular, the mechanisms of interaction between energy and water cycles, using a
network of reference sites covering large areas characterized by different climatic regimes, from
arctic to tropical.
CEOP is highly representative integrated project bringing together activities in the fields of
physical, chemical, hydrological, glaciological and, more in general, ecological disciplines. The
CEOP activities, as a part of GEWEX, a project of WCRP, are carried out in the framework of the
objectives of the International Panel of Climate Change, one of the fundamental strategies
promoted by United Nations.
Within this context, HE-Net could represent more than a simple network that includes the
CEOP-HE sites. In fact, the HE-Net, within the initiative of Global High Elevations Watch could be
integrated with other reference stations for the study of the energy and water balance already
included in other networks (GCOS, GTOS, GAW…).
GHEW is an initiative promoted within the framework of WCRP/GEWEX/CEOP/CEOP-HE, whose
goal is to realize an electronic database relating to the study of the energy and water balance in
high altitude areas, supporting climate observation and modelling studies, and the investigation of
climate change and environmental variations at high altitudes.
The idea refers to the similar networks within WMO, such as the Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW)
or the very recent Global Cryospheric Watch (GCW).
The stations included within this new network could provide unique information on the composition
and alteration of the cryosphere, in the water cycle and energy balance, as well as on the
atmosphere composition and its changes. Such locations include in particular: areas located along
and over the limit of vegetation, plateaus, rough reliefs, and sites that may determine or directly
influence climate patterns on a regional level, as well as having an effect on the availability of water
resources, atmospheric circulation, natural hazards, and the life of living beings.
4.4 CEOP-HE Organizational structure
In order to address the general goal of HE and support its work, a Chairperson and a Scientific
Coordinator were designated, and a Steering Committee (SC), made up of a dozen experts in high
elevation studies from different countries, was formed in early 2008. The SC must integrate
scientific expertise, such as hydrology, climatology, meteorology, atmospheric chemistry, glaciology
and cryosphere, and modelling, with geographical expertise on each sub-continent, and will seek
to provide scientific guidance for the program by describing the scientific rationale and methods for
achieving HE’s specific objectives in line with the goal of CEOP. In fact, the Chair, the Scientific
Coordinator and members of SC must work together to reach the goals listed in this Science Plan
and to make effective the proposed implementation strategy.
To further develop the SP broader input from hydrology and modelling expertise will be sought.
Therefore, additional research in high elevation studies or involving scientists may be further
identified to contribute towards intensifying knowledge in the field of mountain hydrology, climate
change and meteorology.
The HE initiative will be managed by the HE members, the Ev-K2-CNR Committee and a
CEOP-HE Secretariat, which has been opened at its headquarters in Bergamo, Italy. The
CEOP-HE Secretariat will also support the actions of the working group by coordinating efforts to
CEOP-HE
28