WMO Competency Framework For Climate Services Providers

1. Competency 1: Create and Manage Climate Datasets

1.1. Conduct climate data preservation and rescue procedures

1.2. Assess the location and characteristics of the observation sites against the requirements for a climate observation reference network

1.3. Collect and store in relational databases climate data and metadata

1.4. Assess climate data homogeneity and adjust inhomogeneous time series

1.5. Apply quality control processes to climate data and resulting time series

1.6. Create, archive and document climate datasets

1.7. Apply spatial and temporal interpolation to ensure data continuity

1.8. Climate data, metadata and climate data products are gathered and stored in datasets, quality controlled and assessed for homogeneity.

2. Competency 2: Derive products from climate data

2.1. Identify and retrieve climate data from different sources to generate climate products;

2.2. Compute basic climate products, normals and averages, or anomalies defined relative to a reference period;

2.3. Compute Climate Indices for the monitoring of climate change, climate variability and climate extremes;

2.4. Compute sector-specific Climate Indices and other sector oriented climate products;

2.5. Apply statistical and geo-statistical analysis to monitor the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of climate;

2.6. Create value-added products, such as graphics, maps and reports to explain climate characteristics and evolution, according to the needs of specific sectors such as health, agriculture, water, energy and disaster management.

3. Competency 3: Create and/or interpret climate forecasts, climate projections and model output

3.1. Locate, select and retrieve climate forecasts and climate models output generated by Regional Climate Centers, Global Producing Centers and other institutions;

3.2. Create sub-seasonal, seasonal and longer scale forecast products;

3.3. Create future climate projections using climate models over selected domain for different scenarios and parametrization;

3.4. Apply statistical and geo-statistical analysis, including downscaling, to monitor the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of model output;

3.5. Evaluate the performance of climate models output and quantify the associated uncertainties;

3.6. Create value-added products, such as graphics, maps and reports to communicate climate forecasts and climate model information.

4. Competency 5: Communicate climatological information with users

4.1. Prioritize the communication of climatological information according to social, political and economic relevance;

4.2. Establish effective communication channels with climate services users and build outreach capacities, such as Regional Climate Outlook Forums;

4.3. Conduct and evaluate customer needs analysis on a regular basis;

4.4. Revise climate services and their communication based on user feedback;

4.5. Formulate and deliver, in partnership with users, specific applications to facilitate the understanding and use of the climate products and services;

4.6. Comply with the interfacing requirements of the GFCS and the integration within the WMO WIS system.

5. Competency 4: Ensure the quality of climate information and service

5.1. Create and apply Quality Management processes procedures for climate services;

5.2. Recruit competent personnel and design the organization workforce to develop and deliver climate services;

5.3. Ensure that the institution meets the competency framework at its infrastructural capacity level and has a strategy for sustainable capabilities;

5.4. Provide training to personnel to fulfill their job requirements and expand their capabilities;

5.5. Define and implement a catalogue of climate datasets, products and services, to meet user requirements at the national/regional level;

5.6. Monitor the functions of climate services, including validation of data, products and services;

5.7. Evaluate the impacts and benefits to customers of climate services, including gathering customer comments, suggestions, and complaints;

5.8. Make service improvement decisions based on evaluation results;

5.9. Build partnerships with science and service providers and end user stakeholders to improve products and service delivery.