WMO Launches Climate Services Dashboard to Support Global Climate Action and Resilience

New tool tracks global climate service capacities, identifies gaps, and drives data-driven planning for effective climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.

In a rapidly changing climate, the need for climate services that utilize scientific knowledge to foster mitigation, adaptation, and resilience has never been greater. To meet this demand, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has launched the Climate Services Dashboard, an innovative platform designed to enhance global climate service capacities and support data-driven decision-making in climate action.

The interactive dashboard provides a comprehensive tool for decision-makers, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), and development partners. It tracks crucial data regarding climate policy integration, climate service capacities, and investment trends. This tool ensures that climate services play a complementary role in supporting national climate action plans and sustainability goals, particularly in sectors like agriculture, health, energy, and disaster risk reduction.

Key Features of the Climate Services Dashboard

The Climate Services Dashboard is equipped with several key features to support comprehensive climate action:

• Climate Policy Insights: It tracks how climate services are integrated into national climate policies, such as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
• Climate Service Capacities: The platform evaluates the capabilities of WMO Members to deliver essential climate services, ensuring that climate action across sectors is adequately supported.
• Investment Trends: The dashboard monitors the flow of funding towards climate service projects, helping stakeholders understand financial commitments and investment needs.
• Country-Specific Pages: These pages provide detailed, localized information on national priorities, capacities, and funding trends.

Addressing Gaps in Climate Service Capacities

According to WMO's 2024 State of Climate Services Report, there has been notable progress in the provision of climate services for decision-making, but significant gaps remain. One of the most concerning statistics from the report is that only 14% of WMO Members are equipped to provide advanced climate services as of 2024.

In particular, Africa remains highly vulnerable, with 15% of the continent’s NMHSs providing climate services at less than basic levels. While the majority of WMO Members offer climate services in sectors like agriculture and water management, many still lack the ability to provide tailored climate projections and sector-specific products, limiting their capacity to support effective climate adaptation and resilience.

Investments in climate services have focused heavily on Asia and Africa, regions with the greatest vulnerability to climate impacts. Despite this, funding continues to fall short of what is needed to adequately address the growing climate challenges.

Applications and Real-World Impact of Climate Services

Climate services involve the provision of climate data, information, and knowledge to assist decision-making across various sectors. Effective climate services require engagement between the service provider and recipient to co-produce services tailored to specific needs. These services are pivotal in helping governments, businesses, and communities make informed decisions to mitigate climate risks.

Examples of how climate services can support decision-making include:

• Planning vaccination programs based on the anticipated impacts of seasonal rainfall.
• Selecting drought-resistant crops based on forecasted temperature and rainfall patterns.
• Assessing wind and solar resources to plan renewable energy projects.
• Ensuring the resilience of school schedules and infrastructure in response to extreme weather events like heatwaves or flooding.
• Identifying how sea-level rise may affect coastal communities and infrastructure, guiding investments in adaptation measures.

Case Study: Mozambique

The WMO Climate Services Dashboard has proven to be a valuable tool for countries like Mozambique, where the platform’s baseline assessments help guide national climate planning. Mozambique’s National Meteorological and Hydrological Service (NMHS) uses the dashboard to evaluate its climate services landscape, identifying ongoing projects, funding sources, and capacity gaps.

Through this comprehensive evaluation, Mozambique has identified key areas for improvement, such as limited observation networks and a lack of tailored climate products for specific sectors. This information allows the country to prioritize strategic interventions in its NDC 3.0 (the third iteration of its Nationally Determined Contributions), ensuring that climate services effectively support both adaptation and mitigation efforts.

By integrating these climate services into national strategies, Mozambique aims to strengthen its climate resilience and align its development goals with global climate action commitments.

Moving Forward: Strengthening Global Climate Resilience

The Climate Services Dashboard serves as a crucial tool for countries to track and enhance their climate service capabilities. With ongoing global challenges and rising climate impacts, the dashboard will play an essential role in filling critical service gaps, directing investments, and ensuring that climate action is effective, inclusive, and responsive to local needs. By using this tool, governments and development partners can align their resources, strategies, and policies to tackle the climate crisis head-on, ensuring a sustainable and resilient future for all.