Tag: WMO

WMO report highlights growing shortfalls and stress in global water resources

Stuart Mitchell

The year 2023 marked the driest year for global rivers in over three decades, according to a new report coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which signaled critical changes in water availability in an era of growing demand.  The last five consecutive years have recorded widespread below-normal conditions for river flows, with reservoir inflows following a similar pattern. This reduces the amount of water available for communities, agriculture and ecosystems, further stressing global water supplies, according to the State of Global Water Resources report. Glaciers suffered the largest mass…

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FIS and WMO partnership highlights the harmful effects of climate change on winter sports and tourism

Stuart Mitchell

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have announced a new partnership to raise awareness of the fact that winter sports and tourism face a bleak future because of climate change. Key messages It is the first time that the UN’s World Meteorological Organization partners with an international sports federation. WMO and its National Meteorological and Hydrological Services will provide data and expertise in joint initiatives to raise awareness and promote concrete change. A new Memorandum of Understanding commits the organizations to work together…

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Vicious circle of climate change, wildfires and air pollution has major impacts

Stuart Mitchell

The WMO Air Quality and Climate Bulletin includes a special focus on wildfires. It also looks at global and regional concentrations of particulate matter pollution and its harmful effects on crops in 2023.  The WMO bulletin was released for Clean Air for Blue Skies Day on 7 September. This year’s theme is Invest in Clean Air Now.  Ambient air pollution causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths annually and wreaks a high economic and environmental cost. The bulletin, the fourth in an annual series, explores the intricate relationship between air quality and climate. …

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El Niño and climate change impacts slam Latin America and Caribbean in 2023

Stuart Mitchell

A double-whammy of El Niño and long-term climate change hit Latin America and the Caribbean in 2023, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Drought, heat, wildfires, extreme  rainfall and a record-breaking hurricane had major impacts on health, food and energy security and economic development. Key messages Warmest year on record Drought, heatwaves, rainfall and floods undermine economic development Sea level rise threatens coastal areas and glacier retreat accelerates LAC region lags in providing weather and climate services Integrated climate and health strategies making progress   The…

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WMO confirms that 2023 smashes global temperature record

Stuart Mitchell

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has officially confirmed that 2023 is the warmest year on record, by a huge margin. The annual average global temperature approached 1.5° Celsius above pre-industrial levels – symbolic because the Paris Agreement on climate change aims to limit the long-term temperature increase (averaged over decades rather than an individual year like 2023) to no more than 1.5° Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Six leading international datasets used for monitoring global temperatures and consolidated by WMO show that the annual average global temperature was 1.45 ± 0.12…

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