European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and

European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research www. cost. esf. org ESSEM COST- European Cooperation in Science and Technology - ESSEM Domain A potential partner for GEO-(GMES) activities? Dr. Carine Petit GEO ST-09 -01 Meeting Brussels, 29 -30 July 2009 COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract

Outline ESSEM • • • What’s COST What’s a COST Action COST and the World COST organisation ESSEM Scientific Domain Some success stories Some on-going Actions A relevant partner for GEO-(GMES) activities? Open Call How to join a running COST Action? COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract

What’s COST and COST mission ESSEM COST - European COperation in Science and Technology research was the first and is the widest European network for the coordination of nationally funded research activities Strengthen Europe in scientific and technical research through the support of cooperation and interaction between European researchers COST is based on an intergovernmental framework for cooperation agreed following a Ministerial Conference in 1971 COST does not fund research, but networking activities! COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract

ESSEM Pooling National Projects into a COST Action • ERA Country A National Projects goals & deliverables: m, n, p, q COST Action: Achieving together goals & deliverables: m, p’, q Country D Ntnl Project goals & deliverables: m, p, r COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme Country C Ntnl projects goals & deliverables: n, p, q, s International organisation ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract Non-COST Partner: goal p Country B Ntnl Project goal/ deliverable: m

ESSEM Characteristics COST Actions • Co-ordination of EU research through networking • Responsibility of countries for financing the researchers • Pan-European, but open to global cooperation based on mutual benefits • Multi-disciplinary (pre-normative) • “Bottom-up” – no fixed programme/priorities • Flexible participation – any country can join at anytime • Open to companies, Administrations, European organisations, International organisations based in Europe • Focus on young researchers: Ph. D student or Ph. D less than 10 years COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract

What is funded by COST? - COST Actions: Network of researchers of min. 5 COST countries • Science management meetings for implementation of a joint scientific programme (MOU + technical annex) • Scientific workshops, seminars, research conferences • Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) • Training Schools • Dissemination: scientific papers, book, special issue, poster, leaflets, CDs, website, etc. Average funding: ~100 k€/y depending on number of countries Duration: 4 years - Exploratory/Strategic Workshops: to explore future scientific or societal needs, support policy developments or initiate new activities

ESSEM 36 COST Countries The 27 EU Member States EFTA Member States Iceland Norway Switzerland Acceding & Candidate Countries Croatia FYR of Macedonia (FYROM) Turkey Potential Candidate Countries Republic of Serbia Bosnia-Herzegovina COST Co-operating States Israel COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract

COST and the Neighbouring Countries COST countries COST neighbouring countries ● Special budget line in the COST system to facilitate collaborations ● Specific exchange activities (Short Term Scientific Missions, focus on Early Stage Researchers) Morocco (2) In 2009: 90 participations in 45 Actions Russia (41) Belarus (1) Moldova (5) Ukraine (17) Georgia (5) GEORGIA Armenia (2) Azerbaijan (1) Albania (1) Lebanon (1) TUNISIA Tunisia (7) Algeria (3) Palestinian auth. (1) Egypt (4)

COST Actions: global participation (status: May 2009) Canada (19) Russia (41) Belarus (1) BELARUS Ukraine (17) Moldova (5) Georgia (5) Azerbaijan (1) Tunisia (7) Armenia (2) Lebanon (1) Palestinian auth. (1) China (4) Albania (1) Andorra (1) USA (22) Japan (14) GEORGIA Morocco (2) TUNISIA ALGERIA UAE (1) Algeria (3) Pakistan (1) Egypt (4) Rep of Korea (6) EGYPT Mexico (1) Cuba (1) Vietnam (1) India (3) Malaysia (1) Hong Kong (2) SRI LANKA Colombia (1) MALAYSIA Singapore (1) PAPUA NEW GUINEA Brazil (3) COST countries Neighbouring countries Reciprocal agreements countries Australia (42) Argentina (4) South Africa (4) New Zealand (26) 251 participations in 103 Actions (36 countries)

COST in FP 7, within the ERA and relationship with ESF • COST is supported by a specific budget line of the FP 7: at least 210 M€ and up to 250 M€ (mid-term evaluation in 2010) • This is organized through a Coordination and Support Action grant agreement between the European Commission and the European Science Foundation (ESF), appointed by COST as its legal entity to act as implementing agent on behalf of COST • The agreement between COST and ESF brings together two major research networking structures enabling a closer and synergetic relationship to be fostered through joint activities

COST governance and partnership contract with the European Community (FP 7)

ESSEM A network of ~30. 000 researchers involved in 9 COST Research Domains • Biomedecine & Molecular Biosciences • Food & Agriculture • Forests, their Products & Services • Materials, Physical & Nanosciences • Chemistry, Molecular Sciences & Technologies, and Cultural Heritage • Earth System Sciences & Environmental Mgt (ESSEM) • Information & Communication Technologies • Transport & Urban Development • Individuals, Society, Culture & Health • Trans-Disciplinary COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract

ESSEM Scope Atmosphere Sun Anthroposphere Lithosphere and Pedosphere Biosphere Hydrosphere and Cryosphere

Sun-Earth Interaction ESSEM Portfolio 31 Actions; 3 M€/y Risk Asst - 6 Actions Health Biodiversity Natural Resource Management Global Changes Biogeochemical cycles 2 Actions, among which 726 6 Actions Meteorology Climate System Satellite and Ground -based Remote 11 Actions 4 Actions Sensing Bio-Meteorology Observing technologies Atmospheric Chemistry and Networks 2 Actions Ice Monitoring Hydrology Marine Sciences Geology Geodesy Soils Sciences Soil Erosion

Strategic Achievements and Successes Successful Actions wrt. Task ST-09 -02): interoperability, datasharing/archiving, capacity building, optimise data assimilation…: • 5 COST Actions developed data transfer standards, which through partnership with WMO became global standards (radar, wind-profilers, GPS). • COST 713 => Harmonised UV-index (with WMO, WHO) • COST 40: European sea level observing system • COST 43: Experimental European network of ocean stations • COST 725: => US-09 -03 d Global Phenology Data (UIC) • COST Actions as a forum for preparing major EU-FP proposals • Cooperation (+ coordination) with: WMO, ITU, WHO, UNESCOIOC, FAO, EUMETSAT, ESA, ECMWF, and EEA • First GSM standards developed in COST

ESSEM First Success Story: European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) from COST Action 70 COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract

COST 724: Developing the basis for monitoring, modelling and predicting Space Weather (ended)

Success story – COST 725 ESSEM Establishing a European Phenological Data Platform (hosted by EUMETNET) for Climatological Applications Cause colourful auroras ATMOSPHERE Weather (current and last season) and climate – micro-mesomacro scale local and, gases, light, photoperiod, pollutants Weather and climate play an important role in plant development • BIOSPHERE diseases, pests, competition INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS genes, age SOIL temperature, nutrients, water, flora & fauna COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract

ESSEM Success story COST 725 developped: European reference data set of Cause colourful auroras phenological observations Evidence of Climate Changes in Europe IPCC, AR 4, WG II report, chapter 1 - page 113: Box 1. 3. “Phenological responses to climate in Europe: the COST 725 project”. COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract

ESSEM Portfolio of ongoing Actions (1/3): Climate Change • ES 0601 - Advances in homogenisation methods of climate series: integrated approach => ETCCDI, DARE, CLIPS, IPCC • ES 0604 - Atmospheric Water Vapour in the Climate System => SPARC, GCOS, IGACO • ES 0902 - Permafrost and Gas Hydrate related CH 4 Release in the Arctic and Impact on Climate Change: European Cooperation for Long-term Monitoring => IGLO, Carbo-North, GOSAT Observing Systems and Networks • 727 - Measuring and forecasting atmospheric icing on structures • ES 0702 - European ground-based observations of essential variables for climate and operational meteorology => EUCOS, ISOWG, THORPEX, GMES • ES 0802 - Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in Atmospheric Research • ES 0903 - Spectral Sampling Tools for Vegetation Biophysical Parameters and Flux Measurements in Europe Soil Sciences • 639 - Greenhouse gas budget of soils under changing climate and land use Environmental Management • 638 - Investigating and managing the impacts of marine sand gravel extraction and use • 729 - Assessing and Managing Nitrogen Fluxes in the Atmosphere-Biosphere System in Europe => UN-ECE/CLRTAP (New Task Force on Reactive Nitrogen) • 734 - Impacts of climate change and variability on European agriculture

ESSEM Portfolio of ongoing Actions (2/3) Marine Sciences • 735 - Tools for assessing Global air–sea fluxes of climate and air pollution relevant gases => SOLAS, WCRP • ES 0801 - Ocean chemistry of bioactive trace elements & paleoclimate proxies => GEOTRACES/SCOR, IMBER, SOLAS Hydrology • 731 - Propagation of uncertainty in advanced meteo-hydrological forecast systems • ES 0901 - European Procedures for Flood Frequency Estimation Water Quality and Waste Waters • 636 - Xenobiotics in the urban water cycle • 637 - Metals and Related Substances in drinking water • TD 0803 - Detecting evolutionary hot spots of antibiotic resistances in Europe Meteorology • 733 - Harmonisation and applications of weather types classifications for European Regions Space Research • ES 0803 - Developing space weather products and services in Europe => ESA Geodesy • ES 0701 - Improved Constraints on Models of Glacial Isostatic Adjustment => GRACE

ESSEM Portfolio of ongoing Actions (3/3) Biogeochemical Cycles • ES 0804 - Advancing the integrated monitoring of trace gas exchange between biosphere and atmosphere => ILEAPS, ICOS, GEOLAND • ES 0806 - Stable Isotopes in Biosphere-Atmosphere-Earth System Research Biosphere, Ecology • 725 - Establishing a European Phenological Data Platform for Climatological Applications => IPCC, WMO/EUMETNET guidelines • ES 0805 - The Terrestrial Biosphere in the Earth System => FLEX, Flux. Net, i. LEAPS, COCOS, QUEST, US-NCEAS, US-NESCent Environment & Health, Biometeorology • 726 - Long term changes and climatology of UV radiation over Europe • 730 - Towards a universal thermal climate index UTCI for assessing thermal environment of the Human Being Air Quality • 728 - Enhancing meso-scale meteorological modelling capabilities for air pollution and dispersion applications • ES 0603 - Assessment of production, release, distribution and health impact of allergenic pollen in Europe => MACC, PROMOTE, US-09 -03 d • ES 0602 - Towards a European Network on chemical weather forecasting and information systems => GEMS/MACC, PROMOTE

COST ESSEM assets towards GMES/GEO • ESSEM DC: 30 natl. delegates (expertise wrt. Earth System Science/EO): - Permanent DC Observers: EC/DG-Res, WMO, EUMETNET, EEA, EMS => Efficient exploitation and transfer of COST results to wider forums => WMO assigns dedicated contact persons within its administration for all relevant COST Actions: => e. g. , WMO Inter-comparison campaigns, mutual exchange of experts => Several COST Actions became follow-up EUMETNET Programmes, thus enabling full operationality - Partnership with HMEI (Association of Hydro-meteorological Equipment Industry) => Enables participation of industry and enlarged user views. COST Actions: - A few directly support GMES activities but many have indirect relevance - COST Actions concern grossly all 9 GEO Societal Benefit Areas - COST Actions have a very wide participation basis => wide consensus - Flexible modalities => user involvements and wide application coverage

ESSEM COST - GEO Interactions • • COST delegate in STC Direct contacts COST-EC in Brussels => practical matters GEO scientists => COST Actions GEO-relevant COST Actions => contribution to GEO task COST Action as platform for applying to FP-GEO funding Joint Workshops (ad-hoc or targeted) Invitation of GEO task leaders to COST Actions’ meetings Invitation of Action’s leaders/experts to GEO-Task meetings • (Euro)GEO can apply to launch COST Actions on needed GEO-topic (with involvement of non-European partners) COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract

The “Open Call” Scheme ESSEM • Two collection dates per year: 60 new Actions in total per year • Next Collection Date for preliminary proposals: 25 Sept. 2009 and 26 March 2010 • “Open Call” = Thematically open, criteria are public • 3 -stage process results in short list recommended for funding – DC assessment of pre-proposals (4 p. ; 10 -20 %) – Peer reviewed evaluation of full proposals (20 -30 p. ; 50 %) – DC hearings • Successful COST Actions proposals can expect to start activities within 9 -12 months after the collection date http: //www. cost. esf. org/participate/open_call COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract

How to join an on-going COST Action? ESSEM • Visiting the website: http: //www. cost. esf. org/participate/join_action • Contacting the Science Officer of the Domain, for ESSEM: – Dr Lucia Forzi, lforzi@cost. esf. org – Dr Carine Petit, cpetit@cost. esf. org COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract

ESSEM Thank you for your attention! www. cost. esf. org COST is supported by the EU RTD Framework Programme ESF provides the COST Office through an EC contract