New Ideas & Action

FORMATION OF AN ORGANIZATION TO FOSTER URBAN CLIMATOLOGY

Several very successful international conferences on urban climate have been held since the late 1960s. One set was organized by the WMO (also WHO and sometimes with CIB) in Brussels, Moscow and Mexico City. A second set was run by IFHP in Herzliya-on-sea and Karlsruhe. The two merged to hold joint International Conferences on Urban Climatology (ICUC) together with other occasional cosponsors (e.g. AMS, ISB) in Kyoto (1989), Dahka (1993), Essen (1996) and Sydney (1999). In Sydney there was a general consensus that ICUC should be constituted as a more formal entity than it currently is, but that it should be a loosely structured organization without expensive trappings.

In order to move this notion forward it was decided in Sydney, to form an interim board to create the organization. For simplicity the unofficial board consisted of a member from each of the organizations involved in the Sydney meeting [Professor John Arnfield (IGU); Professor Arieh Bitan (IFHP); Dr Sue Grimmond (AMS); Professor Tim Oke (ISB) and a representative from WMO]. They considered it useful to move to the next stage and:

1. create an organizational structure that has representation from the full range of the urban climate community.
2. issue a call for proposals to host the next ICUC, probably to be held in 2002 or 2003.

A START HAS TO BE MADE!

This announcement is the start to the process of forming a new scientific body. The prime aim at this time is simply to put in place a more representative Board that will then feel it has the authority to act, including consideration of proposals to host the next ICUC. Nothing has been decided at this time, not even the name of the Society/Organization, or the procedures for future Board elections or what business it will undertake.

THE ORGANIZATIONAL BOARD

The interim Board strongly wishes to make sure that all the main sub-fields are represented on the new full Board. The following initial classification of areas is proposed, simply as a way of trying to make sure everyone relevant feels included. (Note this does not preclude a different set of areas in the future.). At this stage 8 sub-areas are proposed:

1. Urbanizing meso-scale models
2. Urban biometeorology and bioclimate
3. Micro-scale process: building, canyon, road, parks etc
4. Urban climate amelioration, design and planning
5. Thermal climate and remote sensing
6. Moisture climate: cloud, fog, humidity, precipitation, hydrology
7. Physical climatology: radiation, energy balance, wind and turbulence
8. Air quality

The ICUC Board will consist of a total of 10 members. Officers, who will be selected from within the Board, will consist of the following:

1. President
2. Secretary
3. Program chair for upcoming ICUC conference.

ELECTING THE FIRST BOARD

The first purpose of this announcement is to ask eveyone interested to be a member of the new international society to indicate:

1. your interest in becoming a member (no fees, interest in urban climate and some level of past participation in the field is the only requirement)
2. your main areas of speciality (according to the 8 sub-areas noted above), your sex, your scientific affiliation (govt./univ./private), and your country.
3. your willingness to stand for election to the Board, and separately your willingness to be President or Secretary
4. whether you wish to serve for a 1, 2 or 3 year term. (To maintain new ideas and renewal the Board membership will rotate on a 3 year cycle, and the first Board will require members with different terms).

All people who respond will be in the new organization. Everyone who indicates they are willing to be on the Board will be placed on the 'ballot' for election. If you know of others who have not been approached please feel free to draw this to their attention, including circulation to national and other groups likely to have urban climatologists/meteorologists who might like to join.

WHAT TO DO NOW!