World Meteorological Organization

World Meteorological Organization, WMO - was established in 1950 and became a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1951. WMO was created to promote an efficient exchange of a worldwide meteorological observation system and standardization of meteorological data, to further cooperation between meteorological and hydrological services, to support the development of national meteorological services in less developed countries, and to encourage research and training in meteorology and related fields. 

WMO operates various scientific and technical programmes on a range of issues, including climate, the atmosphere, applied meteorology, the environment and water resources. 

The WMO programme: World Weather Watch System combines data processing and coordinates observation and communication systems from a worldwide network of stations operated by members.   

Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) is a network of stations monitoring the critical atmospheric parameters and providing scientific data needed to understand and ultimately predict environmental changes on both regional and global scales.  

The World Meteorological Congress represented by delegates from all member states is the supreme body of Organization.  

The Executive Council conducts all activities of the Organization in accordance with the decisions of the Congress. 

The six regional associations - Africa, Asia, Europe, North and Middle America, South America, Western Pacific - coordinate the decisions of the Congress within their respective regions. 

The eight technical commissions are  composed of experts for the study of specific areas of competence. 

The Secretariat, headed by the Secretary-General, is the administrative, documentation and information center.  

The WMO is headquartered in Geneva with regional offices around the world.