World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Headquarter, Members and Functions

Context: The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) released the Air Quality and Climate Bulletin.

World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is significant in the context of the UPSC IAS Exams and is covered in the General Studies Paper 2—particularly the International Relations and Groupings portion. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), its members, roles, and publications will all be covered in this article.

Key Highlights of WMO’s Air Quality and Climate Bulletin

• 5 Pollution: One of the leading global health threats, causing millions of premature deaths annually.
  • Levels have declined in North America, Europe, and East Asia due to stringent regulations.
  • Remain alarmingly high in South Asia and high-latitude regions, aggravated by wildfires and industrial emissions.
• Shipping Emissions (MARPOL VI Regulations): Restrictions on sulfur content in marine fuels improved air quality and reduced health risks.
  • However, cutting sulfate aerosols slightly reduced their cooling effect, thereby intensifying global warming.
• Air Quality–Climate Interactions: Certain pollutants, like ground-level ozone, act as warming agents.
  • Climate change, in turn, affects air pollution via altered chemical reactions, natural emissions, and changes in human activity.
• Aerosols: Black carbon and other dark aerosols absorb sunlight, contributing to warming.
  • Sulfates and other reflective aerosols deflect solar radiation, creating a temporary cooling effect.

Winter Fog in North India (Indo-Gangetic Plain)

Causes

• 5 particles from vehicles, industries, and stubble burning act as fog condensation nuclei (FCN).
• Temperature inversions trap these pollutants, prolonging the duration of fog episodes.
• Urbanisation, brick kilns, and ammonium emissions further intensify the fog problem.

Consequences

• Transport disruptions (road, rail, air).
• Health impacts such as asthma, respiratory illnesses, and long-term exposure risks.
• Fog water often contains toxic compounds, raising environmental and health concerns.

World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)

The International Meteorological Organisation (IMO), from which the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) evolved, was a multilateral organisation founded in 1950. WMO is in charge of fostering global collaboration in fields including oceanography, atmospheric chemistry, hydrology, and geophysics that deal with these topics. It was created to facilitate the exchange of research and weather data.

World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for coordinating global efforts in meteorology, climatology, hydrology, and related fields.

• Established in 1950. (HQ – Geneva, Switzerland)
• Members: 193 (India is a founding member of WMO)
• The World Meteorological Congress is the supreme body of the WMO.
• It plays a crucial role in providing reliable weather forecasts, climate data, and early warning systems for natural disasters.
• The World Meteorological Day is observed on March 23.

Establishment of World Meteorological Organisation

The WMO became the United Nations’ specialised organisation for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology, and associated geophysical science on March 23, 1950, when the WMO Convention was ratified.

World Meteorological Organisation Headquarters

Geneva, Switzerland, is home to the organisation’s headquarters. The Executive Council executes its decision, and the six regional associations are in charge of coordinating meteorological, hydrological, and all related activities within the bounds of their particular objectives.

WMO Members

With 193 member states and 6 member territories, the World Meteorological Organisation promotes the “free and unrestricted” exchange of data, information, and research between its members’ hydrological and meteorological institutions.

Governance Structure of the World Meteorological Organisation

• The World Meteorological Organisation, which is made up of representatives from each member, is its highest authority. It meets at least every four years to create regulations and set general policy.
• An annual meeting of the 36-member Executive Council is held to enact policy.
• The Secretariat serves as the organisation’s administrative hub and is led by a secretary-general who is chosen by the congress for a four-year term.
• Addressing issues specific to their regions are six regional associations and eight technical commissions.

World Meteorological Organisation: Publication/Reports

An annual report on the state of the global climate is published by the World Meteorological Organisation. The precise information regarding temperature at the local, national, and international levels, as well as information on extreme weather events, will be helpfully provided by this WMO report.

• Information on the long-term indicators of climate change is also available in the World Meteorological Organisation’s yearly report. The increase in sea levels, the amount of sea ice, and the quantity of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are some of these indicators.
• Below are a few of the reports that the WMO has released.
  1. Status of World Climate
  2. Greenhouse Gas Bulletin.

Functions of World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)

Functions of the World Meteorological Organisation can be stated as:

• Coordinating national meteorological and hydrological service operations in the participating nations. These actions are crucial because they offer the population in need access to basic climate, weather, and water services anytime they need them.
• Assuring the publication of meteorology and hydrology statistics and observations. This information is then used in a variety of other areas, including as agriculture, water management, shipping, aviation, etc.
• The WMO supports research and development in meteorology and hydrology. This is advantageous for lowering various weather-related effects and climate-related dangers. By establishing a dependable and consistent prediction, this can be accomplished. Early warning systems on storms like cyclones and tornadoes, as well as other extreme phenomena like flooding and droughts, require a solid forecast.
• Another duty of the WMO is to forecast locust swarms and the movement of different contaminants. The health of people is endangered by pollutants like harmful nuclear materials and volcanic ash. Various health risks can be prevented if their transit is discovered quickly.

Major Programmes of the World Meteorological Organisation

• World Weather Watch: A network of satellites and telecommunications that connects locations on land and at sea and uses them to track weather
• World Climate Programme: It keeps track of climate change, such as global warming.
• Atmospheric Research and Environment Programme: intended to encourage the study of topics like ozone depletion.

Sharing is caring!