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Earth System Science Organization
What is Earth System Science
Organization and what is its
vision?
Recognizing the importance
of strong coupling among various
components of the earth, viz.
atmosphere, oceans, cryo-sphere
and geo-sphere the Ministry of Earth
Sciences was founded in 2006.
Soon after in 2007 came in a virtual
organisation, an executive arm of
the Ministry, the Earth System
Science Organisation (ESSO). It
has three major branches of earth
sciences viz., (i) Ocean Science
& Technology (ii) Atmospheric
Science & Technology and (iii)
Geoscience and Technology. The
sole purpose of the endeavor was
to address holistically various
aspects relating to earth processes
for understanding the variability
of earth system and for improving
forecast of the weather, climate
and hazards.
Primarily aimed to develop
and improve capability to forecast
weather, climate and hazard
related phenomena for societal,
economic and environmental
benefits including addressing
aspects relating to climate change
science, climate services and
integrated Himalayan meteorology,
the ESSO is also responsible
for development of technology
towards the exploration and
exploitation of marine resources
in a sustainable way for the socioeconomic benefit of the society
by taking into account the global
developments in the field of marine
environment.
The Vision
The overall vision of the ESSO
is to excel in knowledge and
technology enterprise for the earth
system science realm towards
YOJANA March 2012
socio-economic benefit of the Indian
sub-continent and in the Indian
Ocean region. It has three major
components:
l Provide scientific and technical
support for both academic
and applied research in Earth
System sciences as a whole
comprising the atmosphere,
hydrosphere, cryosphere and
the geosphere, with particular
reference to the Indian subcontinent and the surrounding
oceans as well as the Polar
Regions.
l
Provide the Nation with the best
possible services in forecasting
the monsoons and other weather/
climate parameters, ocean state
including early warnings to
natural disasters like storm
surge, earthquakes, tsunamis
and other phenomena through
well integrated programs.
l
Support science and technology
development for exploration and
exploitation of ocean resources
(living and non-living), ensuring
their sustainable utilization.
How does ESSO Work?
The ESSO contributes to the
areas of Weather (General), Weather
advisories specific to agriculture,
aviation, shipping, sports, etc.
Monsoon, Disasters (cyclone,
earthquake, tsunami, sea level rise),
Living and non-living resources
(fishery advisory, poly-metallic
nodules, gas hydrates, freshwater
etc), Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
and Climate Change, Underwater
Technology. One of the major
schemes of the ESSO, on defining
and deploying satellite based,
airborne and in-situ atmospheric,
ocean and lithosphere observing
systems, acts as backbone for
achieving the objectives. These
policies/programmes are being
pursued through its centres viz.,
autonomous bodies and subordinate
offices. The institutions, viz.
India Meteorological Department
(IMD), National Centre for
M e d i u m R a n g e We a t h e r
Forecasting (NCMRWF) and
Indian Institute of Tropical
Meteorology (IITM),