Twelve international development organizations, spearheaded by WMO and the World Bank, launched the Alliance for Hydromet Development on 10 December at the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Members will work together to collectively ramp up action that strengthens the capacity of developing countries to deliver high-quality weather forecasts, early warning systems, and climate services. Known for short as “hydromet” services, these underpin resilient development by protecting lives, property and livelihoods.
Their work will specifically serve to:
- Improve systematic observations for better data by strengthening country capacity for sustained operation of observational systems and seeking innovative ways to finance developing country observations.
- Enhance support for better adaptation, mitigation and resilience by strengthening country capacity for science-based mitigation and adaptation planning.
- Strengthen early warning systems for improved disaster risk management by developing multi-hazard national warning systems, comprised of better risk information, forecasting capabilities, warning dissemination and anticipatory response.
- Boost investments for better effectiveness and sustainability by fostering programmatic approaches that go beyond individual projects, including systematically strengthening the WMO integrated global, regional and national operational hydromet system.
The founding members of the Alliance for Hydromet Development are the Adaptation Fund, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Global Environment Facility, Green Climate Fund, Islamic Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, World Bank, World Food Programme and WMO.
The Alliance is open for membership to all public international development, humanitarian and financial institutions providing assistance to strengthen developing countries’ hydromet capacity.
More information is available at: www.wmo.int/alliance
