WMO: new global satellite strategy to monitor climate change

The World Meteorological Organization is developing a new vision for using dozens of satellites to monitor climate change and weather.

This strategy for an updated space-based Global Observing System will be discussed at a high-level WMO meeting, attended by the world’s space agencies, in New Orleans , USA, on 15-16 January. At least 16 geostationary and low-earth orbit satellites currently provide operational data on the planet’s climate and weather as part of the WMO Global Observing System (GOS). They are, complemented by numerous experimental satellites designed for scientific missions or instrument technology demonstration. A record number of 17 satellites are planned for launch this year to further strengthen the system’s work.

Satellites are a unique and essential component of global efforts to track severe weather and the changes to the Earth’s climate, providing a global picture of shifts in the climate system, the rising of ocean levels, impacts on land and alterations to the atmosphere, as well as assisting in disaster risk reduction.

WMO has long worked with the space agencies of various countries to use satellites for monitoring the Earth’s weather and climate. WMO, which is the United Nations’ authoritative voice on climate, weather and water, regularly updates its Global Observing System strategy to is ready to meets future needs.

The annual WMO Consultative Meetings on High-level Policy on Satellite Matters will be attended by top officials of space agencies contributing to global Earth observations on research and operational bases. The meeting has been organized, in part, for the agencies to discuss WMO’s new vision for its Global Observing System, setting priorities for the next generation of satellites needed to monitor weather and climate change and related applications. The meeting will also discuss a roadmap to transfer current experimental satellite missions into ongoing operational programmes.

“There is a major societal need to further develop the capacity of satellites to better monitor even more accurately climate change and weatherof ,” said WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud.

The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), co-sponsored by WMO and the United Nations Environment Programme, for its work on monitoring the man-made impacts on the Earth’s climate underscores the need for global, accurate and continuous observations.

The New Orleans meeting marks the new contribution of Brazil , which operates a satellite program monitoring the environment jointly with China. Brazil, has announced the first-ever release its space observations over South-America, Africa and China , which will be provided freely to WMO’s 188 Members.

The goal of the space-based component of the Global Observing System is to meet the observation needs of all WMO Programmes dealing with weather, climate, water, the atmosphere, and disaster prevention and mitigation, as well as WMO-supported initiatives such as the World Climate Research Programme, the Global Climate Observing System, Global Ocean Observing System, Globaland Global Terrestrial Observing System. It is a major component of the and the Global Earth Observation System of Systems.

WMO is the United Nations' authoritative voice on weather, climate and water

For more information please contact: Ms Carine Richard-Van Maele, Chief, Communications and Public Affairs, WMO. Tel: +41 (0)22 730 83 15

Mr Paul Garwood, Press Officer, Communications and Public Affairs, WMO. Tel: +41 (0)22 730 84 17.