Explanatory Memorandum - ERA COORDINATION GROUP

WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION ________ COMMISSION FOR BASIC SYSTEMS EMERGENCY RESPOSE ACTIVITIES COORDINATION GROUP WASHINGTON, D.C, USA, 10 -14 SEPTEMBER 2001		CBS ERA/COG/Doc. 2 (2.VII.2001) _______ ITEM: 2 Original: ENGLISH

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM RELATING TO THE PROVISIONAL AGENDA

1. OPENING OF THE MEETING

At the kind invitation of the Government of USA, the CBS Emergency Response Activities Co-ordination Group will be held in Washington, D.C, USA, from 10 to 14 September 2001.

2. ORGANIZATION OF THE MEETING

2.1 Adoption of the agenda

The session will be invited to consider the provisional agenda with a view to its adoption.

2.2 Other organizational questions

The working group will agree on details concerning the organization of its work including working hours.

Items 3 to 9 of the agenda cover the terms of reference of the Co-ordination Group given by CBS-XII and include related identified issues, as follows;

Test and improve collective ability of all RSMCs in EER to fulfil the operational requirements specified in the Global and Regional Arrangements, according to adopted standards and procedures.

Requirements for updates to current default products based on recent experiences (e.g. global WMO-IAEA exercise, JINEX);

Flow of information and further consultation on concepts of operation with WMO centres.

Develop, test detailed operational procedures for IAEA’s notification of the WMO (RTH Offenbach, WMO Secretariat and RSMCs).

Consider any necessary adjustments to procedures due to the Joint Radiation Emergency Management Plan of International Organizations. One of the issues to be considered would be whether there is any need from the WMO perspective to distinguish between transboundary and general emergency.

Explore improved distribution/access methods of specialized products to/by NMHS and the IAEA in collaboration with the IAEA and other relevant organizations;

Use of the GTS for dissemination of products;

Consider Internet based dissemination methods;

Product data representation forms (GRIB and BUFR) and their presentation to meet transmission and the requirement by NMCs and other users to be able to manipulate the data and use the products to produce value added products).

Examine the development of detailed procedures to activate additional observations in the event of nuclear accident;
Demonstrate the role of NMHS in EER;
Explore possible co-operation with the CTBTO, including testing of concepts of operational arrangements;
Study the feasibility of using atmospheric transport modelling for the prediction of volcanic ash in relation to general public safety

10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

The meeting will consider among other issues that may be raised, clarifications of implementation of Amendment 72 to ICAO Annex 3 specifically on "airborne radioactivity".

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