United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week 2025
The 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80), held under the banner “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights”, marked a critical opportunity for global leaders to renew their commitment to multilateralism, sustainable development and climate action. Among the voices leading this call was Professor Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), who brought science-driven solutions to the forefront of high-level discussions throughout the week.
Held from 22–26 September, the United Nations High-Level Week featured a series of “Solutions Dialogues” as part of the United Nations Climate Summit 2025. The high-level Dialogues were held to help tackle urgent global challenges, including climate change, extreme heat and industrial decarbonization. They aimed to galvanize political will, institutional momentum and bring forward innovative solutions to safeguard lives, livelihoods and ecosystems.
The Dialogue on Early Warning Systems and Extreme Heat Solutions on 22 September was jointly organized by WMO with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reductions (UNDRR), International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Government of Brazil and the United Nations Climate Action Team. It convened governments, civil society, youth leaders, Indigenous representatives, the private sector and philanthropic organizations to identify impactful solutions and align them with upcoming political processes. The goal being to accelerate efforts to safeguard communities against climate risks.
Secretary-General Saulo opened the event with a strong call for scaled up financing for early warning systems and for the integration of early warning systems and whole-of-government approaches to heat solutions. She highlighted the need to integrate early warning systems into all Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and called for strengthened cross-sector collaboration to reach the last mile and ensure no one is left behind.
Professor Saulo also participated in the High-Level Consultative Dialogue on Water Investments, where she shared key findings from WMO’s State of Global Water Resources report and underscored the Organization’s commitment to bridging science and finance in support of water security and resilience. She emphasized WMO’s strong relationship with the Group of Twenty (G20) and reaffirmed its commitment to support evidence-based decision-making through science.
In a notable engagement during the Climate Leaders Reception, Secretary-General Saulo met with Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, to discuss the growing role of artificial intelligence in tackling climate change. The conversation highlighted the importance of technological innovation in climate monitoring and risk reduction.
The Secretary-General’s address at the International Drought Resilience Alliance Ministerial Meeting highlighted WMO’s co-leadership of the Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP), a global initiative of over 45 partner organizations dedicated to enhancing drought preparedness and resilience.
Throughout the week, the WMO delegation engaged in strategic meetings with United Nations agencies, national ministries, and philanthropic organizations, reinforcing the indispensable role of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and climate resilience.
As climate risks grow more complex and urgent, WMO’s participation at the UNGA80 underscored one message loud and clear: science-based solutions, early warning systems, and global cooperation are essential tools to safeguard people and the planet.
