The GEWEX High Mountain Activities and Its Relevance to the Andean Region

The importance of high mountain regions for global energy and water exchanges research is paramount and yet at the same time they are one of the lesser understood and under-observed regions in the world. The Global Energy and Water Exchanges (GEWEX) Core Project  as part of the World Climate Research Programme has as one of its foci high mountain regions. In particular, it aims to develop a global network of researchers that work in these regions. The Andean region is of particular interest as it has specific climate and weather related challenges unique to this region. We will present how this new initiative for Regional Hydroclimate Project in the Andes fits in the overall suite of activities of GEWEX, how it relates in particular to other regional hydroclimate projects and how it can contribute to a better understanding of the geophysical processes in high mountain environments.