The GCOS is co-sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the International Council for Science (ICSU).
[5][6][7] Three expert panels have been established by the GCOS Steering Committee[8] to define the observations needed in each of the main global domains – atmosphere, oceans, and land – to prepare specific programme elements and to make recommendations for implementation.
Those expert panels report to the GCOS Steering Committee, and have been established to define the observations needed in each of the main global domains to prepare scientific programme-elements and to make recommendations for implementation.
Key activities of AOPC are: OOPC, co-sponsored by GOOS, as well as GCOS and WCRP, is a scientific and technical advisory group charged with making recommendations for a sustained global ocean observing system for climate in support of the goals of its sponsors.
OOPC's role has evolved to oversee the ocean component of the GCOS, and the physical variables for GOOS, while defining long-term observing requirements for climate research of WCRP.
Key activities of OOPC are: TOPC was set up to develop a balanced and integrated system of-in situ and satellite observations of the terrestrial ecosystem.
Key activities of TOPC are: One of the first tasks of the GCOS programme was to define a subset of the World Weather Watch (WWW)[12] stations appropriate for basic climate monitoring.
The network is planned to grow over its initial size of 15 stations in coming years; introducing climate quality standards to a larger number of sites.