Other meanings of World Meteorological Organization
United Nations
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations for meteorology, operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences. Established in 1950, it succeeded the non-governmental International Meteorological Organization (IMO) and became a UN agency in 1951. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the WMO coordinates global efforts to monitor weather, climate, water, and the environment, facilitating the free exchange of data and promoting standardization. It plays a central role in the World Weather Watch, the Global Atmosphere Watch, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which it co-founded with the UN Environment Programme.
The WMO traces its roots to the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), founded in 1873 as a non-governmental body of national meteorological services. After World War II, the need for a formal intergovernmental body grew, leading to the adoption of the WMO Convention in 1947, which entered into force on 23 March 1950. The WMO became a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1951, absorbing the IMO's functions. Its early decades focused on standardizing observations and establishing the World Weather Watch (WWW) in 1963, a global system for collecting and disseminating meteorological data. Over time, the WMO expanded into climate monitoring, hydrology, and atmospheric composition, reflecting the growing scientific and policy relevance of these fields.
The WMO's primary mission is to coordinate global meteorological and hydrological cooperation. Its flagship program, the World Weather Watch, integrates satellites, ground stations, and telecommunications to provide real-time weather data to all members. The Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) monitors atmospheric composition, including greenhouse gases and ozone, supporting research on climate change and air quality. The WMO also oversees the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), which advances understanding of climate variability and change. In hydrology, the WMO promotes sustainable water resource management through the Hydrology and Water Resources Programme. Additionally, the WMO operates the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS), which harmonizes observing networks across multiple domains.
The WMO is governed by the World Meteorological Congress, which meets every four years to set policy and elect the Executive Council. The Secretariat, headed by the Secretary-General, implements decisions and manages daily operations. Membership includes 193 Member States and Territories, each represented by its national meteorological or hydrological service. The WMO's structure includes six regional associations (Africa, Asia, South America, North and Central America, South-West Pacific, and Europe) and eight technical commissions covering areas such as basic systems, instruments, and services. The organization works closely with other UN bodies, including the UN Environment Programme and the International Civil Aviation Organization, to address cross-cutting issues like aviation weather and climate adaptation.
Beyond its headline programs, the WMO has several niche but significant roles. It maintains the World Weather Records, a century-long dataset used for climate normals. The WMO also coordinates the Global Data-processing and Forecasting System, which underpins numerical weather prediction. A lesser-known initiative is the Severe Weather Forecasting Programme, which aids developing countries in issuing early warnings. The WMO's Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology sets standards for aviation weather services, crucial for flight safety. The organization also publishes the annual State of the Global Climate report, a key reference for policymakers. Notably, the WMO's World Meteorological Day, celebrated on 23 March, marks the entry into force of its convention, but few know that the date was chosen to honor the IMO's legacy.
The WMO's 1950 founding convention was a landmark in international scientific cooperation, setting the stage for modern global weather and climate services.
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