Digital Reach

[

] 103

Promote principles and metadata standards to facilitate coop-

eration and effective use of collected scientific information and

data as appropriate to conduct scientific research.

Since the first weather networks came into effect in the 19th

century with the telegraph, ICT has played a key role in mete-

orology. Within the framework of the WMO’s World Weather

Watch programme,

the NMHSs of the 187 WMO members are

exchanging real-time data via the Global Telecommunication

System (GTS)

, which consists of dedicated links, data-commu-

nication networks and satellite-based systems. Weather, water

and climate know no borders, and effective services to users,

economic sectors and the public at large depend on these

exchanges of information. The Internet plays an increasing role

in information exchange, in particular with users, including

scientific and research sectors.

The GTS supports the international distribution of early warn-

ings for weather, climate and water-related natural disasters,

including tsunami warnings in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The GTS in the Indian Ocean is currently being upgraded and

expanded in order to collaborate with UNESCO’s

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission in the imple-

mentation of a tsunami early warning system in the Indian Ocean,

within the broader objective of achieving a multi-hazard early

warning system.

WMO has launched the development of a coordinated global

information infrastructure, the WMO Information System

(WIS)

, for the collection and sharing of weather, climate and

water information for all WMO and related international

programmes. WIS implementation will build upon the most

successful components of existing WMO information systems

in an evolutionary process. WIS will ensure the interoperabil-

ity of information systems between WMO programmes and

outside the WMO community. WIS is based on the use of inter-

national ICT industry standards, as well as modern data

communication services including the Internet. WIS is expected

to be a major component of the Global Earth Observation

System of Systems.

WMO strives to apply the most recent ICT, leading to the

most cost-effective implementation of ICT systems at the

NMHSs. The use of standards ensures a cost-effective imple-

mentation of information systems and greatly facilitates

sustainable implementation in developing countries. The Plan

of Action of the Geneva Phase of the WSIS includes the promo-

tion of principles and metadata standards to facilitate the

cooperation and effective use of scientific information and data

to conduct scientific research. WMO has long-standing expe-

rience in developing international recommended practices for

weather, climate and water operations along with research and

actively promotes the use of international standards. Moreover,

WMO is currently developing weather, climate and water meta-

data standards for geographic information in the framework

of ISO (ISO 19100 series) with a view to enabling the univer-

sal search, access and use of weather, climate and water

information.

Weather, water and climate know no borders and effective

services to users, economic sectors and the public at large

depend on the free exchange of relevant information. WMO is

strongly committed to the promotion, coordination and imple-

mentation of ICT for improving the production, exchange and

distribution of information and warnings on weather, climate

and water at global, regional and national levels. WMO is

pursuing actions towards the development of the next genera-

tion of its GTS, the WIS, in line with the outcomes of WSIS

and as an important contribution towards the achievement of

the Millennium Development Goals. The development of ICT,

and its sustainable implementation, have therefore a key role

to play in enabling and fostering access to weather, climate and

water information and services for the safety of life and prop-

erty and the sustainable development for the benefit of

humanity.

Avalanches and landslides 6%

Droughts and famines 9%

Earthquakes 8%

Extreme Temperatures 5%

Floods 37%

Forest/scrub fires 5%

Volcanic Eruptions 2%

Windstorms 28%

90 per cent of loss of life due to all natural disasters in the past 10 years has been due to weather, climate and water hazards