World Meteorological Organization

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World Meteorological Organization

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World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

• What is WMO ?
• Brief Historical Overview
• WMOs Structure
• WMOs Programmes
• Collaboration with other Organizations
• Major Achievements
• Role of National Meteorological and
  Hydrological Services (NMHSs)
• Long-term Plan
• Challenges and Future Perspectives

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World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

• Set up on 23 March 1950
• Successor to International Meteorological
  Organization (IMO, created in 1873)
• Specialized agency of the United Nations for
  meteorology (weather and climate), operational
  hydrology and related geophysical sciences.
• UN systems authoritative voice on the state
  and behaviour of the Earths atmosphere, its
  interaction with the oceans, the climate it
  produces and the resulting distribution of water
  resources.

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The United Nations System
International Court of Justice
Economic and Social Council
General Assembly
Security Council
Trusteeship Council
Secretariat

• Main and other
• sessional committees
• Standing committees
• and ad-hoc bodies
• Other subsidiary organs
• and related bodies

• Military Staff Committe
• Standing committees
• and ad-hoc bodies

• ILO
• FAO
• UNESCO
• WHO
• World Bank Group
• IBRD
• IDA
• IFC
• MIGA
• IMF
• ICAO
• UPU
• ITU
• WMO
• World Meteorological
• Organization
• IMO
• WIPO

• UNTSO
• UNMOGIP
• UNFICYP
• UNDOF
• UNIFIL
• UNIKOM
• UNAVEM II
• ONUSAL
• MINURSO
• UNPROFOR
• UNOSOM II
• UNOMIG
• UNOMIL
• UNMIH
• UNAMIR
• UNMOT

• UNRWA
• IAEA
• INSTRAW
• UNCHS
• UNCTAD
• UNDCP
• UNDP
• UNEP
• UNFPA
• UNHCR
• UNICEF
• UNIFEM
• UNITAR
• UNU
• WFC

• WFP
• ITC

• FUNCTIONAL
• COMMISIONS
• REGIONAL
• COMMISSIONS
• SESSIONAL
• AND STANDING
• COMMITTEES
• EXPERT, AD-HOC AND
• RELATED BODIES

• UN programmes and organs (representative list
  only)

• Specialized agencies and other autonomous
  organizations within the system
• Other commissions, committees and ad-hoc
  related bodies

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Purposes of WMO

• Promote and foster meteorology and hydrology and
  related geophysical sciences and to facilitate
  world-wide co-operation for the benefit of
  humankind
• Networks for meteorological / hydrological and
  other geophysical observations
• Standardization of observations and publications
• Development of operational hydrology
• Systems for processing and rapid exchange of
  data
• Applications for socio-economic development
  (transportation, water issues, agriculture,
  oceans, pollution control, etc), environment
  protection and policy formulation
• Disaster prevention and mitigation
• Research and training

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Brief Historical Overview

• Origin and First Years of WMO
• August 1853 (Brussels) First
  International Meteorological Conference
• September 1873 (Vienna) International
  Meteorological Organization (IMO) created as a
  non-governmental body
• February 1946 (London) Extraordinary
  Conference of Directors of National
  Meteorological Services (NMSs)
• September 1947 (Washington) Conference
  of Directors, WMO Convention voted unanimously
• 23 March 1950 Entry into force of
  WMO Convention
• December 1951 Specialized agency of UN

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You, who are Meteorologists, will be called upon
to play a far more important role than you have
ever played before in human affairs British
Minister Strachey, addressing the
Extraordinary Conference of Directors of
National Meteorological Services London,
1946
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Evolution of WMO - A brief review

• IN THE FIFTIES
• Agreement on common procedures and technical
  regulations
• Arrangement of prompt exchange of data between
  nations
• Organizing technical assistance
• Refinement of services provided, especially to
  shipping and aviation
• IN THE SIXTIES
• Advent of new technologies especially
  meteorological satellites and fast computers
• - Improved real data coverage
• - Greater understanding of physical processes
• - Operational Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP)
• Establishment of
• - World Weather Watch Programme (WWW)
• - Operational Hydrology Programme
• - Voluntary Assistance Programme (now VCP)

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Evolution of WMO - A brief review

• IN THE SEVENTIES
• Increase in concern for the environmental and
  possible change in world climate
• First GARP Global Experiment (WMO and ICSU)
• First World Climate Conference (1979)
• IN THE EIGHTIES
• Consolidation of National Services to take up
  new challenges
• Global initiatives on a broader spectrum of
  activities (climate change, ozone convention
  and environmental issues)
• Establishment of the Intergovernmental Panel
  on Climate Change (IPCC)

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Evolution of WMO - A brief review

• IN THE NINETIES AND EARLY 21st CENTURY
• Second World Climate Conference
• Establishment of the Global Climate Observing
  System (GCOS)
• Climate Agenda
• Establishment of
• - Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation
  Programme
• - WMO Space Programme

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Structure of WMO
187 Members (November 2003) It functions
through its constituent bodies

• CONGRESS
• EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
• REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
• TECHNICAL COMMISSIONS

Secretariat Headquarters Geneva Regional
Offices Asia and South-West Pacific (Geneva),
Africa (Burundi), The Americas
(Paraguay) Sub-regional Offices Kenya/Nigeria
(RA I), Costa Rica (RA IV), Samoa (RA V),
Geneva(RA VI)
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Organizational Structure of WMO
CONGRESS
Executive Council
Regional Associations
Technical Commissions
Working Groups Rapporteurs
Working Groups Rapporteurs
Other Bodies JSC-WCRP , IPCC JSTC-GCOS
Working Groups Panel of Experts
Secretary-General Secretariat
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Congress

• The supreme body of the Organization
• The general assembly of delegates representing
  Members
• Meets every four years
• Officers
• - President of WMO
• - Three Vice-Presidents of WMO
• - Presidents of Regional Associations

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Congress - Functions

• Review of WMO Programmes
• Approval of Programmes and Budget for next
  financial period
• Amendment of Convention and General Regulations
  
• Election of President and Vice-Presidents,
  other members of the Executive Council
• Appointment of the Secretary-General
• Other policy-related matters

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Executive Council

• The executive body of the Organization
• Responsible for the co-ordination of the
  programmes of the Organization
• Composed of 37 members who are Permanent
  Representatives of Members with WMO and who are
  Directors of National Meteorological or
  Hydrometeorological Services
• Meets annually

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Executive Council Functions

•         Implement the decisions by Congress or
  those reached by correspondence
• Administer the finances of the
  Organization
• Examine the programme and budge (biennial)
• Consider action taken on resolutions and
  recommendations
•        Provide advice on WMO activities
•        Study and make recommendations
•         Prepare agenda for Congress
•         Report on its activities to Congress

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Regional Associations
Regional Associations are established by
Congress, and are composed of the Members of the
Organization, the networks of which lie in or
extend into specific geographical areas named
Regions to

• Promote co-operation between Members on matters
  affecting the work of NMHSs
• Encourage the development of meteorological,
  hydrological and related disciplines
• Promote the decisions of Congress and the
  Executive Council in their respective regions
• Meet normally once every four years

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Regional Associations
R.A. VI Europe (49 Members)
R.A. IV North America, Central America And the
Caribbean (25 Members)
R.A. II Asia (35 Members)
R.A. I Africa (56 Members)
R.A. V South-West Pacific (22 Members)
R.A.III South America (13 Members)
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Technical Commissions
Technical Commissions are established by Congress
and are composed of technical experts designated
by Members of the Organization to

• Study and review advances in science and
  technology
• Develop technical regulations, guides and
  manuals
• Carry out matters relating to the planning,
  implementation and evaluation of the scientific
  and technical activities of the Organization
• Provide a forum for resolution of relevant
  scientific and technical issues
• Promote training and transfer of technology
• Keep Members informed and constituent bodies
  advised
• Meet once every four years

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Technical Commissions

• Basic Commissions
• Commission for Basic Systems (CBS)
• Commission for Instruments and Methods of
  Observations (CIMO)
• Commission for Hydrology (CHy)
• Commission for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS)
• Applications Commissions
• Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology (CAeM)
• Commission for Agricultural Meteorology (CAgM)
• Joint WMO/IOC technical Commission for
  Oceanography and Marine
  Meteorology (JCOMM)
• Commission for Climatology (CCl)

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WMO Programmes
World Weather Watch Programme
WMO Space Programme Natural Disaster Prevention
and Mitigation Programme
Atmospheric Research and Environment Programme
Hydrology and Water Resources Programme
Applications of Meteorology Programme
World Climate Programme
Education and Training Programme Technical
Cooperation Programme Regional Programme
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Collaboration with other Organizations

• Foster close co-operation between WMO and
  other Organizations so as to facilitate the
  effective attainment of the objectives set forth
  in their respective conventions
• Consult each other regularly on matters of
  common interest
• Keep each other informed on programmes of work,
  projected activities and publications in which
  there may be mutual interest
• Permit the participation of each organization
  in those sessions and meetings of the other
  organization which relates to items of common
  interest
• Agreements / Working Arrangements with over 40
  Organizations (regional and global)
• Memorandum of Understanding with a number of
  other Organizations

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Some Major Achievements

• Improvement in the range and accuracy of
  weather forecasts, early warnings and seasonal
  prediction (El Niño)
• Mitigation of natural disasters (collaboration
  with ISDR)
• Climate issues and climate prediction
• (Climate Agenda, UNFCCC, UNCCD,etc.)
• Protection of environment such as Ozone
  monitoring and assessment (Vienna
  Convention)
• Assessment and management of water resources
• Support to World Summits (UNCED, WSSD)

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Role of NMHSs (Basic)

• Observing and understanding weather, climate
  and water resources as well as in providing
  meteorological, hydrological and related services
  in support of national needs such as
• Protection of life and property
• Safeguarding the environment
• Contributing to national security and
  sustainable development
• Promotion of endogenous capacity building
• Meeting international and regional commitments
  including support to WMOs Programmes and
  activities
• Contributing to international and regional
  cooperation

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Long-term Planning
WMO uses an integrated planning and monitoring
system that operates on three different
overlapping time scales

• Long-term plans (for eight years, revised every
  four years) which set out the main objectives
  which the Organization and its Members seek to
  attain and the overall policies, strategies and
  priorities for achieving them
• Medium-term plans (for four years, the
  beginning being coincident with that of each
  revised Long-term Plan), corresponding to the
  financial period of the Organization, and
  providing the detailed budget for the first four
  years of the Long-term Plan
• Short-term plans (for two years) which are in
  very specific terms and correspond with the
  biennial budget

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WMOs High Priority Actions

• Improved protection of life and property
  including safety on land, at sea and in the air
• Enhanced quality of life
• Sustainable economic growth
• Assessment and management of water resources
• Protection of the environment
• Enhanced WMOs effectiveness
• Contribution to sustainable development

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Challenges and Future Perspectives

• Contribute to the advancement and application
  of atmospheric and hydrological sciences and new
  technologies
• Assist Members in strengthening NMHSs to meet
  national, regional and global needs
• Ensure coordination in meteorology and
  operational hydrology at the international level
  and support similar efforts by NMHSs at the
  national level
• Contribute to addressing socio-economic
  sustainable development challenges

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WMO VISION
To provide world leadership in expertise and
international cooperation in weather, climate,
hydrology and water resources, and related
environmental issues, and thereby to contribute
to the safety and well being of people throughout
the world and to the economic benefit of all
nations  
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WMO IS THE ORIGINAL NETWORKERTHERE IS NO
DOUBT THAT THE ROLE OF WMO WILL BE EVEN MORE
IMPORTANT IN FUTURE. Kofi
Annan Secretary-General United
Nations

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