THE WORLD Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN). It is the UN voice on the state and behavior of the Earth's atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces, and the resulting distribution of water resources. The WMO has a membership of 188 member states and territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization, which was founded in 1873. Established in 1950, WMO became the specialized agency of the United Nations in 1951 for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology, and related geophysical sciences. It is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

The WMO seeks to provide the framework for an international cooperation regarding climate matters. The organization points out that weather, climate, and the water cycle know no national ...