The Imperatives provide a detailed framework for GEWEX activities by focusing on seven areas where GEWEX can best advance water and energy cycle science. They were formed as GEWEX was undergoing a reevaluation and capitalize on new perspectives and opportunities in the program. Each Imperative outlined below is described in the full document in more detail, including its rationale and scope, its scientific background and challenges, and the strategic plan to carry it out.
- Data Sets: Foster development of climate data records of atmosphere, water, land, and energy-related quantities, including metadata and uncertainty estimates.
- Analysis: Describe and analyze observed variations, trends, and extremes (such as heat waves, floods, and droughts) in water and energy related quantities.
- Processes: Develop approaches to improve process-level understanding of energy and water cycles in support of improved land and atmosphere models.
- Modeling: Improve global and regional simulations and predictions of precipitation, clouds, and land hydrology, and thus the entire climate system, through accelerated development of models of the land and atmosphere.
- Applications: Attribute causes of variability, trends, and extremes, and determine the predictability of energy and water cycles on global and regional bases in collaboration with the wider WCRP community.
- Technology Transfer: Develop new observations, models, diagnostic tools and methods, data management, and other research products for multiple uses and transition to operational applications in partnership with climate and hydrometeorological service providers.
- Capacity Building: Promote and foster capacity building through training of scientists and outreach to the user community.
