The Indonesia Agency for Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG) is organizing the 2 nd International GAW Workshop addressed to the GAW Activities in tropical regions, tentatively on 6-7 October 2010 in Jakarta, in collaboration with the Global Atmosphere Watch Programme (GAW) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The first workshop was held in Jakarta in 2007 and was attended by seven international invited speakers, 15 national speakers and about 100 participants.

Background
Atmospheric composition is a very sensitive element of the environment which is impacted by many natural and anthropogenic processes. It is directly related to the climate via radiative forcing of the greenhouse gases. On the other hand, atmospheric species define the levels of atmospheric pollution and their assessment is critical for human health. Understanding the anthropogenic contribution to the changing climate forcing and atmospheric pollution requires worldwide observations of several atmospheric parameters, such as solar irradiance, atmospheric gases and aerosol mixing ratios, and other physical, chemical, and meteorological parameters.
Tropical regions are important in understanding of climate driving processes, critical for the assessment of carbon pools and regional carbon budgeting. They also serve as a source of reactive (CO, VOCs) gases and aerosols, especially during episodes of biomass burning. To address the above issues, WMO/GAW coordinates the activities of the several Global stations in Africa, Asia and the Pacific region, including Mt. Kenya (Kenya), Bukit Kototabang (Indonesia) and Danum Valley (Malaysia).

Greenhouse gas and air pollutants measurements in Indonesia
The GAW Station Bukit Kototabang, in West Sumatra, has been operated since 1996 by BMKG as a GAW Global Station. It is among 26 global GAW stations across five continents, plus Antarctica and Oceania. This station became the only station in Indonesia that is classified as a pristine air reference station, which has continuous and most complete data of atmospheric physical and chemical measurements. Measurements conducted in this station include solar irradiance, mixing ratios of gases, aerosol concentration, and surface weather observations. The results of these measurements are being contributed to the WMO global data centres: WDCGG (World Data Centre for Greenhouse Gases) and WRDC (World Radiation Data Centre), and also to EANET (East Asia Network on Acid Deposition), and CCGG (Carbon Cycle Greenhouse Gases).
The distinctive factor of the GAW Station Bukit Kototabang is its position near the equator surrounded by the Sumatera tropical rainforest. Currently there are other places in Indonesia that are explored to be considered as new locations for GAW stations. These places are Palu (Central Sulawesi) and Biak (Papua). Both places are potentially good for GAW station establishment, considering their locations and relatively untouched natural conditions.

General Objective
The objective of the workshop is to provide a scientific forum to discuss the national and international roles of the GAW stations (in particular station Bukit Kototabang) in tropical regions, to foster knowledge transfer and information exchange on recent developments in air quality and climate change research for better understanding of the region in these issues. BMKG plans to convene the biannual meeting of GAW workshop as a media for science and expert knowledge exchange on GAW activities.

Specific Objectives

1. To develop recommendations for policy makers in the region needed to reduce the impact on atmospheric environment.
2. To improve international cooperation and knowledge exchange between air quality community in Indonesia and institutes in other countries making similar measurements.
3. To increase an interest of the community in the activities at the GAW Stations and raise the profile of the stations as research centers of national and international importance.

Expected participants
This workshop is targeted towards station managers and department leads in atmospheric chemistry in tropical regions. The same specialists from other regions are welcome to participate in order to facilitate information and experience exchange. Participation of specialists working in policy matters is highly desirable in order to improve communication between scientific, observational and decision making communities and to enable the development of recommendations for reducing of environmental deterioration and its consequences for human health.

Funding opportunities
Very limited funds are available to a few participants from WMO (for more information please contact Dr. Oksana Tarasova, OTarasova@wmo.int) and from BMKG upon request.

Registration and abstract submission
Please find a registration form below this announcement. In the form you can express your interest to give an oral or poster presentation and provide your abstract of maximum 200 words on:

• Air quality and climate change research
• GAW Stations activities of the participants' countries

Please send the registration form to the Organizing Committee.
The deadline for abstract submission is 10 September 2010.
Extended abstracts of maximum 2 pages can be submitted at the time of the meeting. They will be published in workshop proceedings.

Travel and accommodation
Travel and accommodation information will be available by 20 August. Please consider any visa requirements in time.

Expected Keynote Speakers

Mrs. Sri Woro B. Harijono
Director General of BMKG

Dr. Liisa Jalkanen
Chief, Atmospheric Environment Research Division, WMO

Mailing Address
All correspondence concerning the workshop should be addressed to the Organizing Committee (OC):

Ms. Riri I. Nasution
Center for Climate Change and Air Quality
The Indonesia Agency for Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG)
Jl. Angkasa I No.2 Kemayoran Jakarta Pusat 10720, Indonesia
Tel: +62 21 4246321 Ext 4202
Fax: +62 21 6540214
Email: riri@bmg.go.id

Ms. Sheila DA Kusumaningtyas
Center for Climate Change and Air Quality
The Indonesia Agency for Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG)
Jl. Angkasa I No.2 Kemayoran Jakarta Pusat 10720, Indonesia
Tel: +62 21 4246321 Ext 2320
Fax: +62 21 6540214
Email: sheila_bmg@yahoo.com

Download File :
GAW_Indonesia_announcement.pdf
Registration Form

http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/gaw/Upcomingmeetings.html