— Ch. 1 · Origins And Evolution —
World Meteorological Organization.
~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
The year 1873 marked the founding of the International Meteorological Organization. This group operated as a nongovernmental forum for exchanging weather data and research. Proposals to reform its status and structure culminated in the World Meteorological Convention of 1947. The convention formally established the World Meteorological Organization on that date. The treaty entered into force on the 23rd of March 1950. The following year, the WMO began operations as an intergovernmental organization within the United Nations System. It transitioned from a loose association to a specialized agency with binding authority over member states.
Governance Structure
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the WMO is governed by the World Meteorological Congress. This supreme body meets every four years to set policies and priorities. Each member state and territory sends a Permanent Representative when Congress convenes. The Congress elects the President and vice-presidents of the Organization. It also selects members of the Executive Council and appoints the Secretary-General. The Executive Council implements decisions made by the Congress. An eight-department Secretariat manages daily operations with a staff of 200. The Secretary-General can serve a maximum of two four-year terms. Abdulla Al Mandous of UAE currently leads the Executive Council.Global Membership Dynamics
As of August 2023, the WMO has a membership of 193 member states and territories. Eight United Nations member states are not members of WMO. These include Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and San Marino. Cook Islands and Niue are WMO Members but non-members of the United Nations. Vatican City and State of Palestine do not hold membership in either organization. Six Member Territories exist within the framework. They include Hong Kong, Macau, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, New Caledonia, and French Polynesia. Regional Association I covers Africa with 57 member states. Region II spans Asia with 33 member states and 2 member territories. Region III consists of South America with 13 member states. Region IV includes North America, Central America, and the Caribbean with 25 member states and 2 member territories. Region V covers the South-West Pacific with 23 member states and 2 member territories. Region VI encompasses Europe and Western Asia with 50 member states. Ten member states have membership in more than one region.Standardization Frameworks
The WMO maintains numerous code forms for representing meteorological data. Traditional codes like SYNOP, CLIMAT, and TEMP use character-based, position-based coding. Newer WMO code forms focus on portability, extensibility, and universality. These newer formats include BUFR and GRIB for gridded geo-positioned data. The agency promotes the standardization of meteorological observations globally. It mandates that the International System of Units should be used for evaluating meteorological elements. Degrees Celsius measure temperature while metres per second track wind speed. Hectopascals quantify atmospheric pressure. Millimetres record precipitation levels. The organization publishes an annual WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin to support these standards.Climate Science Reporting
The annually published WMO Statement on the status of the World Climate provides details of global temperatures. It tracks regional and national weather extremes alongside long-term climate change indicators. Data includes atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, sea level rise, and sea ice extent. The year 2016 was the hottest year on record according to the most recent report. In September 2020, the WMO published a high-level brief compilation of latest climate science information. This United in Science 2020 Report subdivided into seven chapters with key messages from multiple agencies. The statement serves as a critical tool for tracking global temperature records over time.Nobel Peace Recognition
In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change received the Nobel Peace Prize. This body was a joint creation of the WMO and the United Nations Environment Programme. The award recognized efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about anthropogenic climate change. It also honored work laying foundations for measures needed to counteract such change. The IPCC operates under the umbrella of both organizations to coordinate scientific assessment. This collaboration highlighted the importance of international cooperation in addressing environmental threats. The recognition brought significant attention to the data and reports produced by the WMO.Common questions
When was the World Meteorological Organization founded?
The World Meteorological Convention formally established the World Meteorological Organization on the 23rd of March 1950. The treaty entered into force on that date, and the organization began operations as an intergovernmental entity within the United Nations System in 1951.
Where is the headquarters of the World Meteorological Organization located?
The World Meteorological Organization maintains its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. This location serves as the base for the eight-department Secretariat which manages daily operations with a staff of 200.
How many member states does the World Meteorological Organization have as of August 2023?
As of August 2023, the World Meteorological Organization has a membership of 193 member states and territories. Eight United Nations member states are not members of WMO, including Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and San Marino.
What units does the World Meteorological Organization mandate for meteorological measurements?
The World Meteorological Organization mandates that the International System of Units should be used for evaluating meteorological elements globally. Degrees Celsius measure temperature while metres per second track wind speed, hectopascals quantify atmospheric pressure, and millimetres record precipitation levels.
Which organization received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 alongside the World Meteorological Organization?
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. This body was a joint creation of the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme to coordinate scientific assessment on anthropogenic climate change.