World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
1. In the past year, has the governing body of your organization taken any decisions to advance sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and ensure that no one is left behind? If yes, please briefly mention these decisions taken by your governing body in 2024 and provide the respective symbols.
Supported the EW4All initiative. The Early Warnings for All initiative aims to ensure universal protection from hazardous hydrometeorological, climatological and related environmental events through life-saving early warning systems by the end of 2027. The initiative supports SDGs 3, 6, 7, 11, 13 15 and 17 that are vulnerable to extreme hydroclimate events. Multi-Hazard Early Warning System is an integrated system which allows people to know that hazardous weather or climate events are on their way, and informs how governments, communities and individuals can act to minimize impacts.
WMO through its governing body, the WMO Congress, which is the supreme body of World Meteorological Organization (WMO), held its 19th session in June 2023 and decided as one of top strategic priorities to include the implementation of the UN Early Warnings for All Initiative in resolution Cg-19 3.2(1)/1. Likewise, the Executive Council of WMO and the Regional Associations including the one in Africa have resolutions made in 2024 to support the initiative. The executive Council has EC 78 Resolution 3.1/1 on WMO Road Map for the Early Warnings for All Initiative and EC 78 Resolution 3.1/2 on Priority Activities contributing to the Early Warnings for All initiative. While the Regional Association for Africa has Decision 4.2/1 (RA I-19(I)) on Early Warnings for All in Africa.
2. During 2024, what actions have your entities taken to improve coordination among UN system entities across policy and normative activities as well as with ECOSOC subsidiary bodies with a view to increase impact and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda? Please provide any relevant links.
The Coordination Mechanism comprises of various UN Agencies such as UN OCHA, WFP, FAO, UNEP, IOC, among others. The WMO Coordination Mechanism (WCM) plays a key role in supporting weather, water, and climate information from the WMO Community to the humanitarian agencies, thereby enhancing preparedness and early response efforts. Through the Early Warning for All Initiative (EW4All), WCM supports crisis-prone and conflict-affected regions with timely expert weather advice. The purpose of the WCM is to enable access to authoritative weather, water and climate information and the provision of expert advice from WMO Members to the UN and other humanitarian agencies to advance Anticipatory Action and Crisis Support. The impact of WCM on anticipatory measures builds on the specific needs of the humanitarian sector coupled with authoritative information and advice from WMO Members.
3. In the past year, has your organization organized any intergovernmental mandated conferences, forums or events that contributed to the achievement of the SDGs, or has been in the process of planning and organizing any such mandated events to be held next year?
Event Name | Early Warnings for All Multi-Stakeholder Forum for Africa | Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction |
Event Dates | 21 Oct 2024 09:00 - 18:00 (CAT+02) |
Event Location (City, Country) | Windhoek, Namibia |
Relevant SDGs | 13 |
Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event’s mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) | Globally, Early Warnings for All (EW4All) Multi-Stakeholder Forums (MSF) are opportunities to review key accomplishments, share skills, experience, and expertise within the active network of Early Warning practitioners and institutions. The 1st Africa EW4All Multi-Stakeholder Forum was held on 21st October 2024, in Windhoek Namibia. The proceedings of the Africa EW4AlL MSF will feed into the Global EW4All MSF that will take place in June 2025 in Geneva, on the sidelines of the Global Platform for DRR. Recognizing the integral role of coordination and collaboration in ensuring inclusive, people-centered and end-to-end Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems, the Africa EW4All Multi-Stakeholder Forum brought together diverse actors and stakeholders from government institutions, UN and IGOs, and stakeholders from financial, academic, civil society, youth, persons with disabilities and the private sectors. The Forum focussed on four main themes of the Early Warning value chain: inclusivity through an all-of-society approach, technology and innovation, governance, policy and partnerships, and finance and resource mobilisation.
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Event Name | Regional Association I 19th Session (RA I-19 Phase I) |
Event Dates | 13-15 May 2024 |
Event Location (City, Country) | Online |
Relevant SDGs | SDGs 3, 6, 7, 11, 13 15 and 17 |
Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event’s mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) | Recognizing the vulnerability of African countries to extreme weather, water and climate impacts, Sessions of WMO emphasized the need to strengthen climate-related services across the continent. In addition, acknowledging the critical importance of water resources in Africa, the Session emphasized the need for sustainable water management practices. Resolutions and decisions were adopted to enhance the monitoring and assessment of hydrological systems, promote transboundary cooperation on water issues, and support capacity building in water resource management. Furthermore, improving Early Warning Systems due to disasters such as tropical cyclones, droughts, floods, forest fires, etc; the Sessions of WMO emphasized the importance of effective early warning systems and resolutions were adopted to strengthen the capacity for disaster risk reduction, improve forecasting accuracy, and enhance coordination among relevant stakeholders. The Session highlighted the importance of regional collaboration in addressing meteorological, climatological, and hydrological challenges in Africa. |
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4. In the past year, has your organization published or planned to publish any analytical work, guidance or reference materials, or toolkits to guide and support the implementation of SDGs at national, regional and global levels? Please select up to three to highlight, especially those that address interlinkages among the SDGs.
Resource Name | |
Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) | Touches on all SDGs, focuses on SDGs 2, 3, 6, 7, 13, 14, 17 |
Publishing entity/entities | WMO, FAO, WHO, UN Habitat, UNEP, Sustainable Energy for All, UNESCO-IOC, UNFCCC, GCF, IPCC, UN Water, UK Met Office, UNDP, UNITAR, UN Women, World Climate Research Programme, Global Carbon Project |
Target audience | Policy makers, general public, national meteorological and hydrological services |
Description (max 150 words) | The science is clear – the planet is far off track from reaching global climate goals and the impacts of extreme weather events and climate change are disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities. These impacts result in losses of lives and livelihoods, exacerbate poverty and inequality, amplify food and water insecurity, trigger economic instability and, ultimately, undermine sustainable development. However, the world is equipped with the science, technology and knowledge that is unprecedented in history. Weather-, climate- and water-related sciences, in particular, have undergone revolutionary advances over the past decades that have improved our ability to forecast hydrometeorological events with remarkable accuracy and project future changes in climate. United in Science: Sustainable Development Edition is a multi-agency report that highlights the crucial, yet often under-recognized and under-utilized, role weather-, climate- and water-related sciences play in achieving the SDGs. |
Language(s) | English, Korean, Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, Russian |
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Resource Name | |
Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) | Touches on all SDGs, focusses on SDGs 3, 6, 7, 11, 13 15 and 17 |
Publishing entity/entities | WMO, with contribution from UNECA, ACMAD, African Climate Policy Centre, AUC, AICCRA, Africa Development Bank, DWD, FAO, Indian Ocean Commission, LEGOS, AIMS, NBI, UNHCR, AAS and National Meteorological and Hydrological Sciences. |
Target audience | Policy makers, general public, national meteorological and hydrological services |
Description (max 150 words) | The State of the Climate in Africa 2023 is the result of a multi-agency effort, with contributions from African National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), WMO Regional Climate Centres (RCCs), specialized United Nations Agencies and International Organizations, the African Development Bank, the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA), and numerous experts and scientists. The reader will encounter in this report, a tapestry of knowledge, experiences, and insights that underscore the imperative of investing in meteorological services and early warning systems as a cornerstone of climate adaptation and resilience-building efforts. I invite readers to embark on this enlightening journey, acquainting themselves with the intrinsic links between weather, water and climate, and the collective imperative to safeguard Africa's sustainable future in the face of a changing climate.
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Language(s) | English and French |
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Resource Name | Developing the Climate Science Information for Climate Action (WMO-No. 1287) |
Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) | Relevant to all SDGs, specifically SDG 13 – Climate Action |
Publishing entity/entities | WMO, GCF |
Target audience | Those who are committed to better coordinating, designing and applying climate investments to best support developing countries such as GCF Direct Access Entities (DAEs) and National Designated Authorities (NDAs); National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs); UNFCCC, NAPs and NDCs National Focal Points; Sector specialists; National Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) focal points; Multilateral organizations; Community on adaptation practices. |
Description (max 150 words) | The purpose of the publication and associated resources is to provide the international community with access to new climate information, tools, and guidance to develop the scientific basis for climate action decisions, particularly for climate adaptation and resilience projects. Providing these products can help countries identify and select the most effective climate actions to overcome the various challenges of climate change. In doing so, the guidance can contribute to country-level decision-making and the mobilization of climate finance. The tools help to identify how climate-related projects have co-benefits that contribute to sustainable development, disaster risk reduction and other national priorities under the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) or National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) processes. When acted upon, weather-, climate- and water-related sciences can underpin climate action and help to safeguard economic and human development in support of achieving all the SDGs. |
Language(s) | English, French and Spanish |
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5. The United Nations has defined six key transitions, or transformative entry points, that can have catalytic and multiplier effects across the SDGs and which have been guiding the UN development system work since the 2023 SDG Summit. In the past year, how has your organization contributed to these transformative actions and how various actors are being rallied behind them to mobilize further leadership and investment to bring progress to scale? Please provide any relevant links.
1. Food systems
Supporting National Metrological and Hydrological Services to provide climate information services and early warning services for agricultural production to Enhancing agricultural productivity and food security.
2. Energy access and affordability
Setting standards for measurement for comparability across countries and supporting provide equipment for monitoring, measurements, and evaluation.
3. Digital connectivity
WMO contributes via support to innovation and digital transformation to National Metrological and Hydrological Services, digitalization of data, and Support to access global higher resolution model forecast through WIPPS, implementation of Common Alerting Protocol Standard, Content Management System, and training on climate communication through various media.
4. Education
WMO contributes via offering scholarships to Met staff for short-, medium-, and long-term training programmes and builds capacity across Africa.
5. Jobs and social protection
WMO supports livelihoods security through climate information services delivery.
6. Climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution
WMO contributes through policy and legislative reform for monitoring biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate action. WMO also supports GHGs inventories, contributing to the NDCs to support climate mitigation and adaptation and contributes to Contributing to NBSAP, (National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan)
6. Please provide strategies (policies, guidance, plan) and/or collective actions taken to implement the 2024 Ministerial Declaration of the Economic and Social Council and the high-level political forum on sustainable development convened under the auspices of the Council. Please note any challenges foreseen and provide any relevant links.
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7. What collective efforts is your entity undertaking to support countries in accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in the areas of Goal 3 (Good health and well-being), Goal 5 (Gender equality), Goal 8 (Decent work and economic growth), Goal 14 (Life below water) and Goal 17 (Partnerships), which will go under in-depth review at the HLPF in 2025? Please note any achievements, challenges and gaps and provide any relevant links.
Goal 3 (Good health and well-being),
WMO is strengthening the nexus between Climate and health and training focal persons in the sector and supporting development of tools that corelate weather and health for purposes of modelling behavior of communicable diseases with the changing climate.
Goal 17 (Partnerships),
WMO brings together partnerships in raising resources for various support including EWS and through Africa Ministerial Conference.
Initiative/Partnership Name | Climate Promise 2025 |
Partners (please list all partners) | UN System-wide effort led by UNDP with contributions from all UN System Agencies |
Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) | All SDGs, more specifically SDG 13 – Climate Action |
Member States benefiting from it | WMO is currently supporting Mozambique and plans to increase the support to additional countries. |
Description (max 150 words) | Current NDCs are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement targets, with projected emission reductions falling short of the necessary 43% cut by 2030. This underscores the critical importance of NDCs 3.0 in bridging the ambition gap and steering global efforts toward climate resilience. NDCs 3.0 represent a pivotal opportunity for countries to enhance their climate commitments, integrate them with sustainable development goals, and collectively work toward limiting global warming to 1.5°C. WMO is partnering with the UN System and UNFCCC to deliver science-based, resilient, and equitable NDCs, providing climate expertise, data, and tools and supporting NMHSs in connecting with governments and the UN system, enhancing visibility and influence. Grounding NDCs in robust climate data and science and integrating high-quality climate services into policy formulation and implementation, ensures alignment with the 1.5°C goal and promotes resilience and transparency. Ambitious climate action is essential to achieve not only SDG 13 but all SDGs, which are greatly impacted by climate change. |
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