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Canadian Permafrost Monitoring NetworkActive layer (thickness and temperature) and permafrost thermal state have been identified as key cryospheric parameters for monitoring under the World Meteorological Organizations's Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). In 1999 under the leadership of the International Permafrost Association (IPA), the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN-P) was established. This is a global network of permafrost observatories designed to monitor changes in permafrost thermal state and active layer conditions. These observatories provide long-term field observations essential for detection of the terrestrial climate signal and its spatial variability in permafrost and for the assessment of the impacts of climate change on permafrost. Canada, through the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) is an active participant on the GTN-P organization and implementation committee and is also responsible for the establishment of the data management centre and web site. In 1995, the Canadian National GCOS Committee was established and a preliminary Canadian GCOS plan was published in 1999. With funding from the Canadian government's Climate Change Action fund (CCAF), a series of workshops were held to assess the capacity to meet GCOS (and Canadian) requirements for systematic climate observations and propose cost-effective options to meet them. A permafrost monitoring workshop held in January 2000 brought together members of the permafrost community to review the status of current monitoring activities and to formulate a plan of actions and recommendations for the development of a national monitoring network in support of Canada's contribution to GCOS. A considerable effort and financial resources have been invested by the Canadian permafrost community over the past two decades for regional and local research and monitoring programs. A coordinated and comprehensive national program which builds on this existing infrastructure is required. In 2001, a multi-partner, multi-discipline submission was made to Treasury Board on Systematic Climate Observations - Atmosphere, Oceans and Cryosphere. Natural Resources Canada (GSC) led the development of the permafrost component of the cryosphere submission. This submission was successful and the GSC received funding for four years from the federal government's Action Plan 2000 to develop and implement the framework and infrastructure for a national permafrost monitoring network. This initiative will allow Canada to make progress in meeting its obligations to provide systematic cryospheric observations under GCOS and to address the recommendations and concerns raised at the permafrost monitoring workshop. A data management node will be established at the GSC to coordinate metadata and data submission and access. A historical database will be assembled for network sites and annual observations from contributing sites will be collected on an ongoing basis. The summary data will be disseminated through this web site. Analysis of historical and recent data to document regional trends in permafrost temperature are important objectives of this program. This information is required for assessment of climate change and variability by international programs such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA). Related documents
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