A Commitment for the Years Ahead

By WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo

Over the last decades, the continuing intensification and increasing frequency of extreme weather events have revealed the accuracy of the projected impacts of climate change in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emission scenarios. Climate change will further exacerbate weather-, climate- and water-related disaster risks in the future. Equipping each and every state and region to carry out effective, tailored-to-context strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation that promote sustainable development and reduce disaster risks is a priority for all United Nations agencies as well as for many in the public and private sector. It is the clear mandate of WMO to take a lead in this area and together with those who share this common goal much can be achieved: sustainable development for all.

WMO is well-placed to take on this leadership. Over its long history, the Organization has developed and refined the tools for international cooperation and continuous improvement of meteorological, climate, operational hydrology and environmental services. Additionally, WMO has recently launched several flagship initiatives to deliver elements crucial for the task ahead – key among them delivering on the United Nations promise that there will be Early Warnings for All by 2027. These include: 

• The Global Basic Observing System (GBON), the WMO Unified Data Policy and the Systematic Observations and Financing Facility (SOFF), which pave the way for a radical overhaul of the collection and international exchange of Earth system observation data – the Earth’s atmosphere, land, water and cryosphere – that underpin weather, climate and water services and products
• The Centre of Excellence for Disaster and Climate Resilience established by WMO and United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) to align efforts in support of those most at risk in a changing climate
• The Water and Climate Coalition, which brings together stakeholder and actors to address interlinked water and climate challenges
• The Global Greenhouse Gas Watch, which aims to support national climate mitigation actions.

WMO will use the tools at its disposal to equip Members with capacities, according to their needs and resources, to deliver not only on Early Warnings for All but also on global agendas agreed in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). Over the next four years, ambitious, in-depth work will be required to achieve the Organization’s goals. 

WMO will focus on four areas:

• Consolidating the role of the Organization as a fundamental actor in defining climate action
• Intensifying WMO support to regions and Members, especially the developing, least developed and small-island developing states and territories, so that they are all well-positioned to be key players in national, regional and global climate agendas
• Improving and increasing interactions with partners and decision-makers in the fields of weather, climate and water
• Leading by example to renew the sense of belonging and motivation to work together to contribute to the greater good and equity that are hallmarks of WMO. The healthy, transparent, inclusive and tolerant institution that will result will be more agile and effective in responding to social and scientific challenges.

Climate action

The Sustainable Development Goals define inequality in face of climate change as one of the most critical challenges of our time. Bold, effective adaptation and mitigation strategies, based on scientific knowledge, are urgently needed. It is essential that these transition strategies leave no one behind and be adaptable to the on-the-ground realities of every nation. WMO is the international coordination mechanism for the foundational scientific knowledge required to develop these strategies. 

The scientific evidence suggests that climate change will continue to intensify and increase the frequency of extreme events. Mitigation and adaptation planning and strategies offer opportunities to diminish potential related economic, social and ecosystem impacts. In this scenario, early warning systems are the central axis in disaster risk reduction. Improved access to Earth system data and information and weather and climate forecasts at all scales is essential not only for the provision of such warnings but also to boost national productivity and economic output by avoiding risks and turning potential threats into opportunities. 

WMO will act in four priorities areas over the next years to support sustainable development for all through climate action:

• Strengthen early warning systems and the provision of meteorological, climate, environmental and hydrological services to meet the priorities of Members and flagship initiatives such as Early Warning for All, GBON and SOFF, GGGW, and many more
• Implement mechanisms to guarantee access to and exchange of Earth system data and information and to promote related innovation, research and development
• Enhance the knowledge and information generated by WMO Global Producing Centres for Long-Range Forecasting and by National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) to provide a firm foundation for climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, to bolster sustainable economic development and to protect life and property, while ensuring that contributions are recognized and supported by governments and international organizations
• Consolidate the role of the WMO and NMHSs as central to the achieving the goals of high-level international agreements such as the SDGs, the Sendai Framework and the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This means supporting the participation of NMHSs in defining National Determined Contributions, in national adaptation planning and in the development of voluntary progress reports.

Support to Members 

Regional and on-the-ground support will aim to reduce inequality and development gaps from 2024 to 2027. The goal will be to ensure that innovation and resources reach all Members, particularly countries with a relatively lower degree of development and SIDSs. This will require a redoubling of commitments to transparency and to the mobilization of financial resources, but much more effort will be required. 

WMO will actively involve Members in the design and implementation of its actions to ensure that these align with their specific national challenges and needs. The role of WMO Regional Offices and the flow of information from those Offices to Headquarter will be strengthened to ensure that Members receive support from a Secretariat that is familiar with their needs and knowledgeable about the realities and challenges on-the-ground. Activities, courses and training will focus on honing technical skills in NMHS to guarantee the bridging of observational gaps and the implementation data exchange, processing, timely forecasting and early warning systems by all WMO Members. Strengthened regional interactions and strategic alliances – such as south-south collaboration – will ensure a coordinated, efficient use of resources and investments. 

Value will be placed on multilingualism as a mechanism to democratize access to and exchange of knowledge and to increase the efficient use of resources within the Organization.

Secretary-General Celeste Saulo and her executive team: Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett (left) and Assistant Secretary-General Thomas Asare (right)

Cooperation with strategic partners 

The flagship initiatives and priority agenda of WMO require international, global-scale cooperation and local level implementation. WMO will achieve more with less in the next four years through strategic partnerships that strengthen and support its efforts and contribute to achieving common goals. The potential partners are many: United Nations and development agencies, governments, civil society, the scientific community and the private sector. Through strategic partnerships, WMO will promote equity and inclusion. 

WMO will focus on four action areas to enhance its cooperation and partnership network:

• The implementation of financial mechanisms that have more accessible processes and consider national capacities – especially of developing countries, least developed and small-island developing states – and the long-term sustainability of the investments
• The inclusion of the scientific and education sectors as pillars for strengthening NMHSs and national development efforts
• The promotion of public-private cooperation to sustainably enhance and increase the basic infrastructure of the NMHSs
• The development of inter-institutional agendas to enhance the capacities of the WMO and its strategic partners. 

Institutional strengthening

The WMO Reform approved by the World Meteorological Congress in 2019 (Cg-18) aimed to strengthen the governance and the participation of Members in the Organization’s activities. The reform placed strong focus on implementing an Earth system approach – a comprehensive approach to monitoring the atmosphere, water, land and cryosphere systems and to developing related services. It also aimed to coordinated climate activities, including the enhancement of climate monitoring infrastructure and the seamless provision of climate services, and to make concerted effort to translate science into services for society. It further prioritized the mobilization and administration of resources, the guaranteeing of transparency, and capitalizing on the opportunities offered by scientific-technical cooperation between Members.

The WMO Performance Assessment Report 2020–2022 shows that the reform brought immediate improvements. Overall figures for the Services Commission show that 121 Members participate in its activities, while 119 Members are active in Infrastructure Commission, an over 60% improvement in Member participation for both. However, only 26 Members are active in the Research Board. Gender statistics also show room for improvement, overall an average of 33% of delegates at Congress and Executive Council are female. Despite the reform and the new WMO Gender Policy, there has been no real change in the number of women participating in the WMO governing bodies. 

Over the next four years, WMO aims to turn these figures around by making sure that Members have a prominent role in deciding the direction of the Organization, in establishing its priorities and in identifying lines of work, as well as by ensuring a diverse and inclusive Secretariat. WMO will establish transparent monitoring and accountability mechanisms that allow Members, and other voluntary contributors, to have full trust in the management and administration of their contributions. 

Management will earn the trust and respect of staff through consistent, clear, unbiased decision-making and effective communication. The Organization’s human capital will be empowered through a work environment that is respectful, recognizes and rewards participation and is geographically, culturally and gender balanced. The Organization will also aim for carbon neutrality and assist and encourage NMHSs to adopt similar practices, according to their possibilities. 

Values and leadership 

WMO requires innovative, transparent, inclusive and representative leadership that is aware of and respectful of the idiosyncrasy and diversity of its Members. My leadership style – open dialogue and horizontal work, with the flexibility to adapt – will bring about the changes needed to face the challenges ahead. I am excited and motivated to put my years of experience and knowledge at the service of each and every WMO Member.