3 April 2018
World Meteorological Day 2018: ‘Weather-ready, Climate-smart’
Photo by IISD/ENB | Angeles Estrada Vigil
story highlights

Speaking at the World Meteorological Day 2018 ceremony, WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas noted that being “weather-ready, climate-smart and water-wise” is increasingly important as long-term climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme events, and causing sea level rise and ocean acidification.

The WMO and National Meteorological Services inform decisions on both climate change mitigation and adaptation, and help with services related to daily weather forecasts and long-term climate predictions, as well as early warning systems and other DRR measures that boost community resilience.

23 March 2018: Informed planning for day-to-day weather and hazards such as floods, as well as for naturally occurring climate variability and long-term climate change was the underlying message of World Meteorological Day 2018, held under the theme, ‘Weather-ready, climate-smart.’

The Day’s theme aimed to underscore the central role of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in decision making related to questions such as whether to evacuate in the event of a major storm, when to plant and harvest crops, and how to plan urban infrastructure and water management decades in advance.

Urbanization and the spread of megacities mean that more and more people are exposed and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, according to WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.

The World Meteorological Day 2018 ceremony took place on 23 March in Geneva, Switzerland. Speaking at the event, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Petteri Taalas noted that being “weather-ready, climate-smart and water-wise” is increasingly important as long-term climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme events, and causing sea level rise and ocean acidification. Urbanization and the spread of megacities also mean that more and more people are exposed and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, he said.

The WMO and National Meteorological Services help inform decisions on both climate change mitigation and adaptation, and help with services related to daily weather forecasts and long-term climate predictions, as well as early warning systems and other disaster risk reduction (DRR) measures that boost community resilience. In addition, National Hydrological Services help increase understanding of the water cycle and support the management of fresh water resources for agriculture, industry, energy and human consumption. All of these services aim to empower stakeholders to better manage risks related to weather, climate and water.

The WMO and NMHSs are supporting the SDGs, the Sendai Framework for DRR and the Paris Agreement on climate change. The UN World Meteorological Day is held annually on 23 March to mark the coming into force on 23 March 1950 of the Convention establishing the WMO. [World Meteorological Day 2018 Website] [WMO Press Release]


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