More on Climate Services

Enabling the development, application, delivery, and uptake of tailored climate information to facilitate decision-making for a sustainable future.
 

Scope

WMO is committed to making climate services accessible, actionable, and impactful across critical sectors such as agriculture, water resources, health, disaster risk reduction, and energy. Through the Standing Committee on Climate Services (SC-CLI), WMO assists National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in producing high-quality climate services that inform policymaking and bolster climate risk management. 

WMO also sets and promotes best practices in climate data communication, outreach, and stewardship. This includes defining standards for quality control, data homogenization, and archiving to support reliable climate applications and informed decision-making. 

At the core of WMO’s strategy is the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), which is structured around five key components: 

  • User Engagement through User Interface Platforms – Engage end users to ensure climate services meet practical, sector-specific needs and inform decision-making.
  • Climate Services Information System – Oversees the generation and distribution of climate information for past, current, and future periods through a tiered system spanning global to regional to national levels, ensuring data integrity and consistency. WMO leads the development of this system, facilitates data sharing, and collaborates with partners to support Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) and Climate Forums.
  • Observation and Monitoring – Provides continuous collection of critical climate and weather data, forming the backbone of climate services.
  • Research, Modelling, and Prediction – Drives advancements in scientific methods and predictive models to enhance forecast accuracy and support proactive climate risk management.
  • Capacity Development – Builds skills, technology, and infrastructure to deliver effective climate services, emphasizing support for regions most impacted by climate change.

WMO supplements these pillars with ongoing technical support, fostering global collaboration and innovation to amplify the reach and effectiveness of climate services. In addition, the development and delivery of climate services at country level is supported by National Frameworks for Climate Services (NFCSs). NFCSs are multi-stakeholder user interface platforms aimed at improving co-production, tailoring, delivery and use of science-based climate predictions and services. By providing climate services that help assess climate vulnerabilities, identify adaptation options, improve the understanding of climate and its impacts, and enhance planning and implementing capacity of climate-sensitive sectors, NFCSs complement National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).

Objectives 

The Climate Services initiative provides scientific and technical leadership for the effective implementation of the GFCS, boosting its visibility and coordination. The goal is to enhance NMHSs' ability to create and deliver user-centric, authoritative climate services. This includes developing standards and recommended practices for climate data and service provision. SC-CLI aims to strengthen the climate services value chain encompassing all GFCS pillars and promote the use of actionable, science-based climate information to manage risks and opportunities related to climate variability and change. 

Structure 

The Standing Committee on Climate Services (SC-CLI) was established in 2020 under WMO’s Commission for Weather, Climate, Hydrological, Marine, and Related Environmental Services and Applications (SERCOM). SC-CLI consists of 15 leading experts representing all six WMO regional associations (RA I (Africa), RA II (Asia), RA III (South America), RA IV (North America, Central America, and the Caribbean), RA V (South-West Pacific), RA VI (Europe)). SC-CLI comprises various subsidiary bodies, including expert teams and task teams that focus on specific areas such as:

  • Climate Services Information System for Decision Support
  • Monitoring and Communicating Climate Variability and Change
  • Climate Data Development and Stewardship
  • Capacity Development for Climate Services
  • Integrated Health Services 

These subsidiary bodies generally include around 12 core experts from around the world and ensure the delivery of targeted outputs. SC-CLI coordinates with other WMO bodies as needed to foster collaboration and prevent duplication of efforts. Its work is supported by the Secretariat of the Climate Services Division.