In a move to enhance India’s climate observation infrastructure, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune and the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) in Nainital have agreed to set up a long-term climate monitoring station at Devasthal in Uttarakhand’s Himalayan region. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed online on June 18 by IITM Director Dr. A. Suryachandra Rao and ARIES Director Dr. Manish Kumar Naja. This collaboration aims to improve climate change research by continuously monitoring crucial climate variables such as meteorological parameters, greenhouse gases, short-lived climate forcers, and soil moisture.
Located in the Himalayan region, ARIES’ Devasthal campus provides a unique high-altitude setting for observing the atmosphere. Its pristine environment makes it an excellent location for measuring baseline atmospheric conditions, monitoring greenhouse gas levels, studying the movement of climate-related pollutants, and enhancing knowledge of climate processes in the Himalayas. The planned station will be integrated into the Bharat Climate Observation Network (BCON), a national observational initiative managed by IITM under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
The BCON network’s objective is to create long-term, high-quality climate datasets covering various geographical areas of India. The data collected through BCON will aid in identifying long-term climate patterns, reinforcing climate change studies, and boosting India’s ability to assess climate and develop evidence-based policies. Additionally, the observations will offer crucial validation information for Earth System Models, including the IITM Earth System Model, to enhance simulations of climate processes and future climate predictions in India.
Scientists from IITM’s Centre for Climate Change Research (CCCR), such as Dr. Suvarna Fadnavis and Dr. Yogesh Tiwari, along with ARIES researchers Dr. Umesh Kumar Dumka and Dr. Priyanka Srivastava, participated in the online signing ceremony. The establishment of the Devasthal station is anticipated to strengthen India’s climate monitoring capabilities in the environmentally sensitive Himalayan region while contributing valuable scientific data to national and global climate research endeavors.
