World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

WMO in brief
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is the UN system's voice on the state and behaviour of the Earth's atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces and the resulting distribution of water resources.
Since 24 January 2007, WMO has a membership of 188 Member States . Established in 1950, WMO became a section of the United Nations for meteorology (weather and climate), hydrology (water science) and related geophysical sciences.
As weather, climate and the water cycle know no political borders, international cooperation at a global scale is essential for the development of meteorology and hydrology as well as to share the benefits from their application. WMO provides the framework for such international cooperation.
Since its establishment, WMO has played an important and powerful role in contributing to the safety and well-being of humanity. Under WMO leadership, national organisations contribute to the protection of life and possessions against natural disasters, safeguard the environment and improve the economic and social well-being of all sectors of society such as food security, water resources and transport.
WMO supports cooperation for networks concerning meteorological observations, as well as the exchange, processing and standardization of related data. It also transfers information to public weather services, and discusses agriculture, aviation, shipping, the environment, water issues and the easing of the impacts of natural disasters.

For further information, please see WMO’s homepage:
http://www.wmo.int/pages/index_en.html