AI and Global Resilience Take Center Stage at WMO’s 75th Anniversary Council

With intensifying extreme weather events, rising climate volatility, and widening data inequalities, the WMO’s work has never been more critical.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has opened its annual Executive Council (EC) session with a bold vision for the future, highlighting the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to strengthen climate resilience, improve weather forecasting, and enhance early warning systems. The five-day high-level meeting comes as the organization marks its 75th anniversary, under the theme: "Science for Action."

WMO leaders and global representatives have gathered to assess progress on key initiatives, including the flagship Early Warnings for All (EW4All) program, while exploring how to enhance the WMO’s role in an era of escalating climate challenges and technological disruption.

A Turning Point for Global Weather and Climate Services

With intensifying extreme weather events, rising climate volatility, and widening data inequalities, the WMO’s work has never been more critical. EC members are expected to focus on:

• Expanding early warning systems to cover all vulnerable communities by 2027.

• Harnessing AI and advanced computing to improve accuracy and lead times for weather and climate forecasts.

• Modernizing operational systems, including greater integration of big data, satellites, and real-time analytics.

• Ensuring that WMO’s global science infrastructure remains inclusive and accessible, especially for least-developed countries.

“WMO must become more effective, more efficient, and far more responsive to the challenges facing humanity and the urgent needs of the people we serve,” said WMO President Abdulla Al Mandous in his opening address.

AI in Forecasting: A Game-Changer for Global Resilience

One of the most anticipated discussions of the EC session is the strategic integration of AI into meteorological forecasting. AI offers the potential to:

• Dramatically improve short- and long-range forecasts

• Detect complex weather patterns faster than traditional models

• Personalize weather warnings for communities at risk

• Bridge data gaps in remote or underserved regions

Participants will explore pilot initiatives and partnerships with tech companies and academic institutions to mainstream AI tools across national meteorological agencies, ensuring that AI innovation aligns with WMO’s core values of data openness, science-based action, and global equity.

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Early Warnings for All: Delivering Impact, Saving Lives

The Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative remains a top priority. Launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2022, EW4All aims to ensure that every person on Earth is protected by early warning systems within five years.

Progress has been made in dozens of countries, but many climate-vulnerable regions in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific still lack adequate coverage. The WMO Executive Council will evaluate gaps and mobilize further collaboration with humanitarian and development partners.

“There is no resilient development, no food security, no disaster risk reduction, no climate action — without the services, science, and infrastructure that we, collectively, provide,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

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Celebrating 75 Years of Global Meteorological Cooperation

Founded in 1950, the WMO has grown into a vital UN specialized agency that coordinates the global effort to monitor weather, water, and climate. Over the decades, it has become synonymous with open data sharing, operational trust, and collaborative science.

“WMO has always been a place where cooperation precedes crisis,” Secretary-General Saulo noted. “Where operational trust is not aspirational — it is daily practice.”

Instead of a backward-looking commemoration, the 75th anniversary underscores a forward-thinking approach, focusing on how the WMO’s core services—forecasting, risk analysis, and climate monitoring—can unlock even greater value in the face of emerging global threats.

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Challenges Ahead: Bridging the Data and Equity Divide

While the WMO leads the global effort in climate monitoring, challenges persist:

• Many small island nations and least-developed countries lack the funding and infrastructure to fully benefit from WMO services.

• Data silos and proprietary restrictions in the private sector complicate global early warning coordination.

• Climate misinformation and digital divides continue to erode public trust in science-based forecasts.

The Executive Council aims to strengthen multilateral commitments to weather equity, ensuring that no nation is left behind in the race to climate-proof development.

A Call to Action for the Next 75 Years

As the WMO begins its next chapter, the Executive Council session serves as a rallying cry for bold innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and inclusive global action. With AI on the horizon and an ambitious early warning target within reach, the world is watching to see whether this historic institution can adapt quickly enough to meet the demands of a changing planet.

“The world around us is shifting,” said Secretary-General Saulo. “And we must decide — together — how to evolve, preserving our core identity and coming out stronger on the other side.”