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climate-related natural disasters compared with the
10-year average fatalities of 1995-2004
6. NMHSs are continuously monitoring the environment
through observations of the Earth system and predict-
ing changes in this system. They provide governments
with timely and precise warnings of most potential
natural hazards and contribute essential environmen-
tal information and services for urban planning,
sustainable energy development, access to freshwater,
and food production
7. Cooperation between various organizations is essential
to provide governments with these services.
Partnerships between NMHSs and academia, govern-
ment departments, international and non-governmental
organizations, and where appropriate and possible, the
private sector, help society make better decisions based
on more complete and accurate weather, water and
climate information. These partnerships provide better
data coverage and information processing, higher reso-
lution models, and more precise and useful specialized
products for societal benefits, including opportunities
to provide better support to governments and other
decision makers regarding safety, economy and secu-
rity. NMHSs are encouraging these partnerships by
adopting open and unrestricted data policies which
make their information easy to access in real time, in
useful forms, and at low cost.
Future requirements
8. In the year 2000, through the internationally-agreed
development goals, including those contained within
the Millennium Declaration, the international commu-
nity set forth specific targets to be reached by 2015.
To ensure that these goals are met, it is essential that
governments take advantage of the myriad advances
in science and technology provided by NMHSs and
their partners, that include the provision of multi-
hazard warnings and related services, 24 hours a day,
seven days a week for 365 days a year, which when
properly applied can provide societies with the under-
pinning information to reduce and mitigate natural
disasters. International cooperation is essential, both
between countries and within the larger United
Nations framework
9. Access to good communication ensures that infor-
mation is available wherever it is needed.
Governments must recognize the importance of
continuous monitoring of the environment and the
ability of their NMHSs to provide timely and accu-
rate information to support critical decisions.
Governments should sustain the NMHSs and their
modernization and development
10. It is essential that societies be prepared to act appro-
priately in response to warnings. Education and training
is paramount for improvement of preparedness. Early
warning systems for natural hazards work only if
governments and their public know how to respond.
Information must be easy to understand and use
11. Climate change requires societies to understand and
assess impacts and to develop the necessary adapta-
tion strategies. By providing fundamental knowledge of
the climate system and predictions based on climate
models, NMHSs can help societies transform
12. To be completely effective, NMHSs and their interna-
tional network, coordinated through the WMO, must
be recognized as critical partners in societies’ goal to
reduce poverty and increase the prosperity of the
world’s citizens.