WCC-3 will establish an international framework to guide the development of climate services which will link science-based climate predictions and information with climate-risk management and adaptation to climate variability and change throughout the world..
Over the decades, WMO has enhanced capacities in meteorology, hydrology and related geosciences to provide services that enable humankind to cope with climate conditions. The enormous amount of data gathered and archived by WMO, together with its global data-processing and telecommunication systems, is a resource that can help significantly to develop climate services and products. These include accurate climate predictions and maps of, and return periods for, potential risks and opportunities concerning renewable energy sources, urban management and disease outbreaks.
Global, regional and national climate prediction centres have the skills to produce useful climate predictions and information. These skills, however, vary from region to region and country to country. The capacities of developing countries and Least Developed Countries need to be strengthened to enable them to produce accurate and useful products and services.
Climate provides societies with opportunities, as well as risks. The needs of different societies have to be well understood and integrated in the generation of products and services. Climate monitoring and prediction must be improved and appropriate policies developed. These requirements cannot be achieved by individual countries alone. The world is served by one climate system that redistributes heat, energy and other atmospheric and oceanic constituents; worldwide cooperation is therefore indispensable.
Adequate monitoring of the climate system enables timely detection of transboundary hazardous climate systems. The world must come together to improve climate prediction and information services that will significantly contribute to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Bali Action Plan and the Hyogo Framework Action on disaster risk reduction.
WCC-3 will build on our resulting improved understanding of the climate system and advances in the science of climate prediction and information that can contribute to enhancing the well-being of society. It will focus on establishing services that enable decision-makers to better manage the climate opportunities and risks associated with extreme climate conditions and allow communities to improve their ability to adapt to long-term climate change.
WCC-3 will establish an international framework to develop climate services which will bridge the gap between the assessment reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the services required to adapt to climate variability and change at regional and sectoral levels.
WCC-3 is also expected to provide direction to address climate-related risks, such as droughts, floods, extreme cold, heatwaves, famine and outbreaks of certain diseases, which, as well as threatening lives and livelihoods, affect health and the availability of essential needs such as food, water and energy.
