# Global Climate Observing System
*consortium . companies*

## Specifications
- **operator domains**: ["gcos.wmo.int"]
- **country**: International
- **website**: https://gcos.wmo.int
- **entity type**: company
- **last verified date**: 2026-06-20
- **verified by**: agency-doc
- **claim status**: unclaimed
- **attributes**: {"kind":"consortium","operator_domains":"[\"gcos.wmo.int\"]","country":"International","website":"https://gcos.wmo.int"}
- **relevance**: in-scope

## Editorial
Global Climate Observing System is an international climate-observation coordination programme hosted by WMO in Geneva and launched in 1992 after the 1990 Second World Climate Conference.[^gcos-history][^gcos-wmo-int-home] It does not operate satellites or instruments; it defines requirements, coordinates observing systems, and works through member agencies and expert panels to improve observations for monitoring, understanding, and predicting climate.[^gcos-wmo-int-home][^isc-member-page]

GCOS maintains the Essential Climate Variables framework, covering 50 physical, chemical, and biological variables used to observe Earth's changing climate.[^gcos-wmo-int-home] Its governance includes a Steering Committee and atmospheric, ocean, and terrestrial observation panels, with national focal points and coordinators connecting global requirements to national observing systems.[^gcos-wmo-int-home] The co-sponsor record includes one science-council sponsor whose current and former names refer to the same body after a 2018 rename.[^gcos-wmo-int-home][^wikipedia-gcos] For buyers and data providers, GCOS is a requirements and coordination authority rather than a data-product operator or satellite mission owner.[^gcos-wmo-int-home]

## Sources
- [gcos-wmo-int-home] | GCOS, official website | https://gcos.wmo.int/en/home | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-20
- [gcos-history] | GCOS, History page | https://gcos.wmo.int/site/global-climate-observing-system-gcos/about-gcos/gcos-history | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-20
- [wikipedia-gcos] | Wikipedia, Global Climate Observing System | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Climate_Observing_System | tier=third-party | accessed=2026-06-20
- [isc-member-page] | International Science Council, GCOS member page | https://council.science/member/global-climate-observing-system-gcos/ | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-20

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Source: https://eo-atlas.org/companies/gcos
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