CCA appoints expert panel to examine the future of meteorological and hydrological services in Canada

Technological advancements are transforming meteorology, while extreme weather events are contributing to a more challenging forecasting environment. At the request of the Meteorological Service of Canada, the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) has formed an expert panel to assess how the essential functions of Canada’s public meteorological service are changing in the context of climate change, technological advances, and other trends. Jim Abraham, Fellow and Past President of the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society, will serve as chair of the expert panel.

“I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues on the panel to address this critical question,” said Mr. Abraham. “The essential functions of a public meteorological service and how it adapts to rapid change is an incredibly timely issue.”

Jim Abraham has spent 45 years studying weather, water, and climate, including at Environment Canada, where he managed a wide variety of weather and environmental programs. As President of ClimAction Services Inc., he led initiatives to help communities adapt to climate change and extreme weather. As a result of his many contributions to the field of meteorology, Mr. Abraham was awarded the Patterson Distinguished Service Medal in 2003, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

As Chair, Mr. Abraham will lead a multidisciplinary group of expert panel members to answer the following question:

What are the essential functions of Canada’s public meteorological service, and how are these changing in the context of climate change, new technology, a shifting information landscape, and other trends?

“We are delighted Mr. Abraham has accepted the role of chair and look forward to drawing on his and the panel’s extensive knowledge in this area,” said Tijs Creutzberg, President and CEO of the CCA. “This assessment will provide valuable insights about how meteorological and hydrological services can continue to serve the public interest.”

The panel’s work will be informed by a workshop with a diverse group of experts.

Read more about the assessment on our project page.

The Expert Panel on the Future of Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Canada:

• Jim Abraham, Fellow and Past President, Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society
• Alain Bourque, Executive Director, Ouranos
• Laxmi Sushama, Professor and Trottier Chair in Sustainability in Engineering and Design, Department of Civil Engineering, McGill University
• Roy Varghese, Director, Azure HPC + AI, Microsoft

Expert panel members serve as individuals and do not represent the views of their organizations of affiliation or employment.