World Meteorological Day

Date: 23 March

World Meteorological Day marks the formation, in 1950, of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).


WORLD METEOROLOGICAL DAY 2005
WEATHER, CLIMATE, WATER AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Message from Mr M. Jarraud
Secretary-General of WMO


World Meteorological Day celebrates the entry-into-force of the Convention creating the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on 23 March 1950. For this Day in 2005, the theme "Weather, climate, water and sustainable development" has been selected in recognition of the vital role and outstanding contribution of meteorology, hydrology and related geophysical sciences to human progress, sustainable socio-economic development, environmental protection and poverty alleviation.

The establishment of WMO heralded a new era, engendering rapid progress in these sciences, related technologies and international cooperation. These developments were rapidly translated into the establishment of global operational systems for the protection of life and property, mitigation of natural disasters and applications to a wide range of socio-economic activities in support of sustainable development defined as "meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".

Today, the pace of change is faster than ever before. Thanks to their spectacular achievements, especially in recent decades, much more is now expected from the sciences of meteorology and hydrology. The expectations arise also from the recognition that the world's economy is increasingly sensitive to weather and climate. Virtually every human activity is influenced by weather, climate and water and an increasing number of activities are taking place with a reduced margin to accommodate risks.

This situation calls for new and more sophisticated types of meteorological and hydrological services in almost every sector of the economy such as health, transport, urban development, food security, management of water, energy and other resources, tourism and leisure. Better services will be required from WMO and the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) to anticipate, avert and minimize the impacts of extreme events, desertification and other threats to human safety and security and to the global environment, including climate change, ozone depletion and increased pollution.

In 2000, the United Nations refined and refocused its efforts in promoting social and economic development without harming the environment by calling on all UN Members to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Some of these, which are to be achieved by 2015, are of particular interest to WMO:

These goals were expanded by the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation of the 2002 World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD). Today, the urgency of these tasks is unparalleled. WMO, as the authoritative voice of the United Nations system on weather, climate and water, has responsibility for the coordination and implementation of related programmes that contribute to the global effort in implementing the MDGs and other commitments related to sustainable development. These include Agenda 21 and international conventions such as those on the protection of the ozone layer, climate change, desertification, and biodiversity, as well as those related to plans of action on MDGs, the sustainable development of Small Island Developing States, food security, energy production and consumption, habitat and the urban environment, health, and protection of the atmosphere.

WMO's contributions to these initiatives take various forms. A primary focus is on improved observations and prediction of the state of the Earth's atmosphere and water, their interaction with one other and with other Earth systems and on early warnings.

Progress in remote-sensing observations such as radars and satellites and other monitoring facilities, as well as in data processing and communications, have led to significantly improved scientific understanding of the dynamical and physical processes of the atmosphere and ocean and their interactions with other components of the Earth's system. As a result, unprecedented improvement has been achieved in the quality and accuracy of weather forecasts and warnings. It is now possible to make deterministic weather forecasts seven to ten days in advance in the extra-tropical regions and three to four days ahead in the tropical regions. Another outstanding development is the seasonal prediction of phenomena such as El Niño and La Niña. Thanks to the enhanced knowledge and network of facilities that are available today, it is possible to produce useful forecasts of such phenomena a few months to a year ahead.

WMO has been a major driving force behind the achievements in the knowledge and awareness of the physical environment. WMO derives its strength from the fact that weather and climate do not recognize political or economic boundaries and from the unflinching commitment of its Members. WMO Programmes are formulated by its Members, owned and operated by them to meet their sustainable development goals. This unique arrangement has earned WMO the reputation of being a model of international cooperation, as well as a leader in disaster mitigation and prevention and a major contributor to sustainable socio-economic development.

Such development has greatly improved the well-being of humankind. However, new challenges have arisen such as the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, climate change, depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, dwindling freshwater resources and increasing pollution of the atmosphere and water.

At the same time, a significant threat to sustainable development is the increased impact of extreme weather and climate events. For example, these include tropical cyclones, floods, drought and heat waves in several parts of the world.
It is estimated that, over the 10-year period 1992-2001, some 90 per cent of all natural disasters were of hydrometeorological origin, killing 622 000 people, affecting two billion more, devastating arable land and spreading disease. The total volume of economic losses over the same period is estimated at about US$ 450 billion, accounting for some 65 per cent of the damage arising from all natural disasters. No country is spared the adverse impacts of natural disasters, but the weakest suffer most. A single storm can leave them struggling for years. The limited resources that could be invested in development are often used for disaster relief. It is also projected that climate change is likely to cause an increase in several types of natural disasters. A major objective for WMO and the NMHSs is therefore to work towards a major reduction of the fatality rate associated with natural disasters of meteorological, hydrological and climatic origin. WMO is committed to assisting NMHSs in addressing other areas which are affected by weather and climate.

In the area of human health-a basic requirement for sustainable development-WMO responds to both the direct and indirect effects of natural disasters and atmospheric changes. It will further facilitate research on the relations between weather, climate and human health, including those related to the destruction of the protective ozone layer, the conditions that favour the development and spread of certain diseases, the potential impact of climate change on health, and stress due to extreme heat or extreme cold.

Assessing the impact of weather and climate fluctuations on food production is vital to sustainable development. The application of agrometeorological methods to improve land use, crop selection, locust control and management practices, contributes to food security.

Enhanced activities in the field of water to support sustainable development remain a priority. Support to the National Hydrological Services of the world in addressing water availability and quality and facilitating international cooperation, especially within river basins shared among countries, is essential. Partnerships within the UN system organizations and with NGOs will be strengthened.

While no one can control the weather, accurate observations, predictions with higher levels of accuracy and lead-time can radically improve people's chances of living in relative safety, building more comfortable lives and protecting precious natural resources more effectively. For vulnerable countries, endogenous capacity building and global partnerships are essential in fulfilling these goals. WMO and NMHSs are uniquely placed to contribute to national and global efforts. In the context of its mandate, WMO will further strengthen its scientific and technical programmes, enhance its strategic alliances and partnerships, and make renewed efforts for capacity building and resource mobilization.

The improvement of forecasting capabilities with emphasis on high-impact weather is a priority. This should enable the delivery of more accurate, timely and reliable warnings of severe events to ensure greater preparedness and awareness and reduce vulnerability. Greater emphasis will be placed on the transition from research results to operational applications which will contribute to the protection of life and property, the mitigation of natural disasters, the promotion of sustainable social and economic development, and protection of the environment.

In the longer term, sustainable development also requires that the climate system is better understood with the possibility to project future climate changes and their potential impacts on climate variability, socio-economic activities and the environment. Planning to meet the threat of climate change requires more detailed scenarios at regional level, including variability in storm and rainfall patterns, impacts of sea-level rise and threat to urban areas. WMO will pursue its efforts in improved monitoring and the development of better climate models to reduce uncertainty in climate projection in order to assist in successful adaptation and enable sound political and economic policies to be implemented at the national and international levels.

WMO will continue its efforts to increase the range, quality and availability of NMHS products to users. It will draw upon its unique strengths and raise awareness of its role and status as a key player in international cooperation and as a contributor to sustainable development. This, in turn, will help the Organization and NMHSs reaffirm their position as the authoritative voice in meteorology, hydrology and related geophysical sciences.

Strengthening the capacity of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to contribute effectively to sustainable development entails the improvement of existing weather-, climate- and water-related monitoring services and applications, and the development of new ones. In this regard, WMO has established three new cross-cutting programmes: the Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Programme, the Space Programme, and the Programme for the Least Developed Countries.

Greater emphasis is being placed on supporting developing countries, with focus on capacity building of the least developed countries. This is being achieved by supporting national efforts aimed at modernizing the NMHSs, human resource development and the preparation of suitable products, and by encouraging new partnerships and strategic alliances among NMHSs and between NMHSs and other partners at the national, subregional, regional and international levels. Members are also being supported in their efforts to develop innovative ways of mobilizing resources-financial, human, material and others.

As we celebrate this Day, it is my wish that the year 2005 will mark increased recognition and use of NMHS products in a wider range of sustainable development activities. We look forward to further strengthening WMO's collaboration with decision-makers and other national authorities, the scientific community, partner organizations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, the media and the public in order to ensure improved communication and effectively address the environmental and developmental challenges in the areas of weather, climate and water facing humanity in the 21st century.

For more information please visit wmo.ch/index-en

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