Future Plans

In 2006-2007 high priority will be given to completing those aspects of the IGWCO implementation plan that relate to the GEO work plan. One priority here is to take action in GEO WA-06 02 (Hydrological Ensemble Prediction) and to coordinate with GEO on several work plan goals including the organization of one or two water cycle workshops in 2007.

A focus will be placed on moving the Capacity Building activities forward through efforts in South America (Buenos Aires, 2005) followed by a workshop in Asia and another in Africa in collaboration with the Terrestrial Initiative in Global Environment Research (TIGER) Project. A related activity is the effort IGWCO directed towards the World Water Forum 4 that was held in Mexico City in March 2006 (see report below).

Of special importance is the fast-track development of a GEO Water Cycle Community of Practice. A first draft outline of a proposal for a community of practice that will be fully developed for the next GEO Users Interface Committee meeting. A number of new topics will also be advanced in 2006. These include:

• Develop a flood project to fill an apparent gap in the Integrated Global Observing Strategy-Partners (IGOS-P) themes and possibly the GEO Plan.
• Propose a planning workshop held in collaboration with the International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM) Program (Japan) and other organizations.
• Propose "drought" as a possible demonstration project of how to link remote sensing and socioeconomic data.
• Form a UNESCO-IGWCO-GARS Working Group on groundwater and the establishment of an initial task list.