Overview
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations established in 1950. It builds on international cooperation in meteorology dating back to the nineteenth century. WMO’s core purpose is to coordinate global collaboration on weather, climate, hydrology and related environmental sciences.The organisation operates as an intergovernmental body, supporting member states and territories in monitoring, understanding and responding to environmental and climate-related risks. Its work underpins public safety, economic planning and long-term climate resilience.
Mission and focus areas
WMO’s mission is to enable worldwide cooperation in the observation, analysis and exchange of meteorological, climatological and hydrological data. It focuses on strengthening climate science, early warning systems, and climate services that support risk-informed decision-making.Key focus areas include climate monitoring, extreme weather and disaster risk reduction, water resource management, and climate adaptation. While not a finance-focused body, WMO provides foundational data and scientific assessments that inform climate risk analysis, transition planning, and sustainability-related financial disclosures.
Structure and governance
WMO is governed by the World Meteorological Congress, which sets strategic direction and meets periodically. An Executive Council oversees implementation between Congress sessions. Day-to-day operations are led by the Secretary-General and a professional Secretariat.The organisation works through regional associations and technical commissions that address specialised scientific and operational areas. This structure allows WMO to coordinate global standards while remaining responsive to regional and national needs.
Programs and offerings
WMO produces authoritative global reports, including assessments of the state of the global climate and climate indicators. It develops international technical standards for meteorological and hydrological observations, ensuring data comparability and reliability across countries.The organisation leads and supports major initiatives such as early warning systems, climate services frameworks and capacity-building programmes. These resources are widely used by governments, researchers, insurers and financial institutions to assess climate risks, support resilience planning and inform sustainability strategies.
WMO mission
WMO facilitates worldwide cooperation on monitoring and predicting changes in weather, climate, water and other environmental conditions through the exchange of data, information and services, standardization, application, research and training.
