A key element of the GCOS Switzerland strategy is to maintain an up-to-date inventory of the most important climatological time series and international centres in Switzerland. The result is an inventory report of the National Climate Observing System (GCOS Switzerland). It was first published in 2007, underwent a general update in 2018 and the most recent one in 2025.
Currently, 34 essential climate variables, two ancillary datasets and seven international centres operated by Swiss institutions, are included in the inventory report. For each variable, the type of observations carried out in Switzerland, the legal basis, the importance, and international significance of long time series are described.
In addition, the report identifies time series and international centres that are at risk of being discontinued due to inadequate financial resources.
A climate observing system fulfilling the diverse needs of its users relies on a variety of observing techniques. The continuation of the existing long-term in-situ measurements will continue to be of fundamental importance for global climate observation.
At the same time, new measurement techniques are becoming available thanks to significant advances in technology and scientific methodology. For example, new satellites are launched further expanding the nearly 50-year long historical satellite climate data records. The inventory report also includes a chapter describing new trends climate monitoring in support of GCOS-CH.
Switzerland has a long lasting tradition of climate observation. It hosts some of the oldest measurement series of ECVs including:
Driven by evolving user requirements and technological advances, climate observation is constantly developing. Internationally, this is reflected in the periodic updating of the GCOS Implementation Plan. In Switzerland, MeteoSwiss published the GCOS Switzerland Strategy for the period 2017 - 2026.
The GCOS Switzerland Strategy 2017 - 2026 consists of four main strategic pillars:
The implementation of the strategy puts strong emphasis on securing the continuity of the most important long measurement series and operation of international centres.
The strategy also stresses, for example, the importance of promoting the integration of state-of-the-art measurement techniques, an integrative monitoring approach across Earth system cycles and enhanced communication efforts.
In summary, the GCOS Switzerland Strategy 2017-2026 serves as the foundation for the elaboration of actions to be implemented by the entirety of the GCOS-CH community.