Raising the bar for climate service quality: Climateurope2
WMO has made its latest contribution to the climateurope2 project through Deliverable 2.4, which highlights the vital role of WMO’s Quality Management System (QMS) in ensuring climate services' precision, reliability, and timeliness.
WMO guidelines and technical publications such as WMO-Nos 1221, 1238, 8, and 49 provide a strong foundation for interoperability and quality assurance, yet challenges remain. Complex protocols and limited expertise in ISO/WMO standards often hinder full compliance.
To address these gaps, adopting FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and tools like WIGOS and WIS2.0 for tracking data provenance can enhance transparency and reproducibility. Success stories from Serbia, Croatia, and CARPATCLIM- Climate of the Carpathian Region project demonstrate how rigorous standardization, expert training, and enhanced governance amplify the impact of climate services. Key recommendations include:
- Training and Professional Development: Provide ongoing training and capacity development for staff to stay updated with WMO guidelines, emerging technologies, and scientific advancements. This should include technical and operational training in data analysis, meteorological modeling, and IT systems.
- Adoption of Best Practices: Regularly update processes to reflect best practices identified through WMO guidelines, international standards (such as ISO), and the experiences of other meteorological organizations.
- Engagement with Users and Stakeholders: Regularly engage with national meteorological and hydrological services (NMHSs), government agencies, researchers, and the private sector to gather insights and collaborate on continuous improvement initiatives.
- Regional and International Collaboration: Participate in regional and international collaboration efforts led by WMO, such as regional associations and specialized centers, to stay updated on global best practices and emerging challenges.
Climateurope2 is a four-and-a-half year Horizon Europe initiative dedicated to delivering equitable, quality-assured climate services that support effective adaptation and mitigation strategies across sectors. Building on the success of its predecessor, the project emphasizes standardizing climate services, fostering stakeholder collaboration, and boosting service adoption. Led by the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Climateurope2 champions standardization, metadata clarity, and certification to ensure that climate services remain reliable, transparent, and accessible in Europe and beyond. For more information visit climateurope2.eu.