WMO Commits to Improving Early Warning Services in Region

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has emphasised its commitment to supporting the improvement of early warning services in countries, while acknowledging the challenges faced by Central America and the Caribbean in that area.

Speaking at the WMO Regional Conference (Regional Association IV), at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston on February 7, Secretary General of the WMO, Professor Petteri Taalas, said that the “challenges in the Caribbean islands and Central America are very much on our minds here in Geneva, and we are very much aware of the vulnerability of your countries”.

He added that to this end, the WMO will be financing system improvements in least-developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS), through the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF).

“One of the most important things from our side is, of course, Early Warning Services for All, which is also very relevant for you in Region IV and especially the Caribbean region,” Professor Taalas said.

“We have already decided to finance 26 countries this year to improve their basic observing systems. We are investing in six countries and LDCs – the Caribbean islands, Pacific Islands and also African countries,” he continued.

The WMO Regional Association IV Conference is taking place from February 6 to 9 under the theme ‘Increasing weather, water and climate resilience in North America, Central America and the Caribbean’.

Through the ongoing Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) initiative, the WMO is undertaking manpower capacity-building, investing in information technology infrastructure, so that the weather service capability of member states is improved.

The WMO has also set a target of 100 per cent coverage in early warning service in the next four years.

“We [are to] select 20 countries which we will finance this year, and the plan is that we will finance 20 countries each year so that we would reach this 100 per cent coverage of proper early warning services by the end of 2027,” the WMO Secretary General said.

The process will engage the governments of beneficiary countries, key financial institutions such as the World Bank, Green Climate Fund and regional development banks as well as the private sector.

Professor Taalas added that the WMO is looking at climate modelling for future weather predictions to improve forecasts, as climate change continues to have effects on weather systems, drought and rainfall.