On November 1, the 11th Asia-Oceania Meteorological Satellites Users’ Conference and 2021 Fengyun Satellite International Users’ Conference hosted by China Meteorological Administration (CMA) and China National Space Administration (CNSA) was opened online. Participants like meteorological data providers, user representatives, and experts from 50 countries and regions, World Meteorological Organization (WMO)，the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), European Centre For Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), and others attended this event. They will conduct in-depth discussions over topics like elevating international exchanges and cooperation, optimize the international application of Fengyun satellites, the Emergency Support Mechanism for International Users of Fengyun Meteorological Satellites in Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (FYESM), to jointly ramp up capacities for meteorological disaster preparedness andresponse to climate change in Asia Pacific and even the entire world.

 

Mr. Zhuang Guotai, Administrator of CMA，Prof. Petteri Taalas, Secretary- General of WMO, and Dr. James Purdom, Expert from the AOMSUC International Conference Steering Committee delivered remarks at the opening ceremony.

Zhuang Guotai remarked that UNFCCC COP26 was held in Glasgow, Britain. The international community paid great attention to climate change and the increase of extreme events against the backdrop of global warming. The Chinese government attaches great importance to meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation and climate change response as evidenced by its strong support to the development of meteorology, including satellite meteorology. In 2021, CMA launched two satellites, namely FY-4B and FY-3E. CMA will strengthen the role of FY satellites as a platform and bridge for international cooperation, and further honor the commitments on the international application of FY satellites made by Chinese leaders in an effort to develop FY satellites into an open, collaborative and win-win platform.

 

Petteri Taalas congratulated on the opening of this event. He stated that AOMSUC bears vital significance to users of this region to elevate the application capacity in field like weather and climate, disaster preparedness, and response to climate change. He hoped that via mechanisms like AOMSUC and WMO Unified Data Policy, the application benefits of FY meteorological satellites data will be further developed to contribute to sustainable development across the globe.

James Purdom expressed that satellite data played a huge role in NWP and the launch of FY-3E satellite further filled in the key vacancy of global space-based observing systems, and provided vital data for global NWP. He hoped that via this event, experts would benefit and carry out in-depth discussions over the latest technologies in terms of the application of satellite data in NWP.

In the next five days, representatives will conduct exchanges over topics like global meteorological satellites status quo and future development, satellite data and products, NWP, Forecasting, land, ocean and atmospheric products, space weather, and climate.

Until now, CMA has launched 19 FY meteorological satellites, with 8 of them in in orbital operation now. (Nov. 2)

Editor: Liu Shuqiao