Geneva: The power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve the accuracy, accessibility, and reach of weather forecasts and early warnings has been recognized by the World Meteorological Organisation, which will seek to ensure that all countries can benefit from its life-saving potential. An Extraordinary World Meteorological Congress issued a call to the public, private, and academic sectors to collaborate on the development of AI and machine learning (ML) technologies to protect communities and economies from hazards like extreme heat and rainfall. It also paved the way for AI/ML to be anchored in WMO’s global observation, data processing, and forecasting backbone.
According to Emirates News Agency, the resolutions were part of a wider package of measures approved by the Extraordinary Congress to accelerate progress towards WMO’s top overriding priority – to ensure universal coverage of early warning systems through the achievement of Early Warnings for All by the end of 2027. ‘Early warnings are not an abstraction. They give farmers the power to protect their crops and livestock. Enable families to evacuate safely. And protect entire communities from devastation,’ UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres told the Extraordinary Congress on 22 October in a ceremony which was one of the highlights of WMO’s 75th anniversary activities.
Guterres emphasized that disaster-related mortality is significantly lower in countries with robust early-warning systems. He noted that just 24 hours’ notice before a hazardous event can reduce damage by up to 30 percent. Early-warning systems are effective, and they are finally receiving the attention and investment they deserve. The UN Secretary-General launched the Early Warnings for All initiative in 2022 with the goal of ensuring universal coverage by the end of 2027.
