Info notes

Media advisory

For use of the information media. Not an official record

Extraordinary session of the World Meteorological Congress

An extraordinary session of the World Meteorological Congress will take place from 29 to 31 October at the International Conference Centre of Geneva. The agenda will focus on decisions on the implementation plan and governance model for the Global Framework on Climate Services (GFCS), which was endorsed by the regular World Meteorological Congress in May 2011.

The World Meteorological Organization is spearheading this UN-wide initiative to improve and increase climate services needed to cope with natural variability of our climate and human induced climate change which is leading to more extreme weather conditions like drought, heat-waves and floods.

The GFCS is a global partnership of governments and organizations that produce and use climate information and services. It seeks to enable the producers and users of information to join forces to improve the quality and quantity of climate services worldwide, particularly in developing countries.

The extraordinary session will be opened at 0930 Central European Time 29 October by WMO President David Grimes.

Atlas of Health and Climate

World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr Margaret Chan will be one of the guest speakers at the introductory session. As the global climate changes, hazards to human health are increasing. WHO and WMO have joined together to publish The Atlas of Health and Climate which illustrates some of the most pressing current and emerging problems and identifies solutions.

Dr Chan will join WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud in launching the Atlas of Health and Climate.

Following the opening session, Dr Chan and Mr Jarraud will hold a press conference in Room 4 of the CICG at 1100 am (exact time to be confirmed).

Mr Jarraud will also address the introductory session in his capacity as current chair of UN-Water. There will be video addresses from the directors of other U.N. agencies which are actively involved in developing the GFCS.

A Dialogue for Climate Services Users and Providers 26-27 October

One of the pillars of the GFCS is a platform to bring providers and users of climate services together to ensure that the scientific information provided by meteorologists and climate experts is understandable and useful to users.

WMO has therefore convened a special “Dialogue for Climate Services Users and Providers” 26-27 October which will be attended by senior representatives of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and regional organizations, as well as users of climate services from the agricultural, health, humanitarian and engineering sectors.

Both the extraordinary session of the World Meteorological Congress and the Dialogue for Climate Services Users and Providers are open to the media.

UN accredited journalists can access the CICG and press conference with UN acccreditation. Other journalists are requested to send name and media affiliation to WMO’s Department of Communications and Public Affairs, at cpa@wmo.int using the form.

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

For more information please contact:

Michael Williams: Chief, Communications and Public Affairs, +41-22-730-8315, +41-79-406-4730 (cell)

Or

Clare Nullis: Media Officer, Tel 41-22-730 8478. Cell 41-79-3574802

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