WMO Secretary-General's Statement on the occasion of World Meteorological Day 2026

Dear Members, Colleagues, Friends,

Happy World Meteorological Day.

There are many UN International Days. So why does this one matter?

It’s because today we celebrate the WMO community and its role in saving lives and serving society.

Let’s take a closer look.

One of the most frequently asked questions is What’s the weather going to be?

People take it for granted that we can find the answer on their mobile phones and televisions.

Behind each forecast are millions of observations which are processed in the unique international network coordinated by WMO.

WMO’s global observing system underpins decisions worth billions.

• From aviation routing to flood protection
• From energy planning to health management
• From crop planting to infrastructure investment.

It generates forecasts and early warnings that save many thousands of lives.

So I am delighted that the theme of this year’s World Meteorological Day is "Observing Today, Protecting Tomorrow".

Because when we observe today, we don’t just predict the weather, we protect tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s people. Tomorrow’s planet.

And that is why the young people of today are so important: because they are the guardians of the future.

We need your energy, your innovation, your skills.

Colleagues and Friends,

We live in an era of great technological advances.

But we must level the playing field and ensure that nobody is left behind.

We must close the gaps in data and observations.

And we must remember that Artificial Intelligence depends on human intelligence.

On this World Meteorological Day, I would therefore like to pay tribute to the many thousands of humans in the WMO community.

• The observers in remote and lonely locations.
• The meteorologists who release weather balloons twice a day, every day.
• The hydrologists who monitor rivers at dawn.
• The forecasters who stay awake through the night.
• The oceanographers who brave the waves.
• The engineers who repair stations after a storm.
• The satellite technicians who maintain our eyes in the sky.
• The climatologists who help us understand the past and prepare for the future.
• The computer processors who crunch and share the data.

We are more than just weather forecasters.

Together, we provide a global public service for the global public good.

Together, we are observing today and protecting tomorrow.

I thank you all.

And, once again I wish you a Happy World Meteorological Day.