Background
The World Meteorological Organization celebrates 75 years as a specialized agency of the United Nations in 2025, turning science into action for the global good. The enactment of the WMO Convention on 23 March 1950 created an organization that would become the UN system’s authoritative voice on weather, climate, and water.
Since its establishment, WMO has coordinated and leveraged the work of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and partners around the world. It has set – and constantly raised – standards for high-quality, authoritative information and services to support decision-making in all sectors of the economy and society.
WMO has pioneered Earth System science to save lives and livelihoods and support sustainable development and socio-economic well-being. The cumulative benefits of this translates into many billions of dollars and millions of lives saved.
Throughout this anniversary year, WMO will highlight success stories and underline the need for continuing investment and commitment in the face of mounting global challenges and opportunities.
Key areas include:
- Weather forecasts and early warnings - Early warnings must work for everyone, everywhere to protect countries and communities from disasters that cripple economies and devastate lives and dreams.
- Climate and environmental insights and services power socio-economic development and safeguard capital and infrastructure investments. They inform climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience.
- Water resource monitoring and management is increasingly important in an era of amplified demand and growing pressure on fresh water supplies.
All life depends on a healthy planet, but the interwoven systems of the atmosphere, oceans, watercourses, land, ice cover and biosphere, which form the natural environment, are threatened by human activities. In the years ahead, WMO’s scientific leadership and coordination will therefore be more important than ever to address the growing impacts of extreme weather and climate change.
WMO will also leverage opportunities from technological advances such as big data, cloud computing, space technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to build climate-smart societies. This will require commitment, resources and know-how from public, private and research sectors.
As we celebrate the achievements of the past 75 years, we aspire to a world in which future generations can both survive and thrive on our planet. Join us on our journey!