ABOUT WMO AT COP26
WMO supports the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and every year participates in sessions of the COP, along with its co-sponsored bodies such as the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) and World Climate Research Programme (WCRP).
This year, WMO will co-host the COP26 Science Pavilion with IPCC and the Met Office (UK), with support from the UK COP Presidency, MERI Foundations and others. The pavilion will provide a platform to explain the latest climate science and services to support COP26 negotiations and help secure ambitious climate action. The pavilion will host a number of side events throughout COP26 which will be available to watch online. The conference takes place under the Presidency of the Government of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland in partnership with Italy, from 31 October to 12 November 2021 in the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow, UK. The President-designate for the conference is Mr Alok Sharma, in the Cabinet Office of the UK Government.
Calendars
DAILY SESSIONS
- 06 NOV2021Atmospheric Deposition, the invisible threat – impacts on agriculture, ecosystem and oceansLocation: IPCC-WMO-UKMO Science Pavilion18.00 – 19.00 (GMT)
Wet and dry deposition of atmospheric pollutants can have detrimental impacts on sensitive ecosystems, rivers, lakes and oceans and can also reduce crop yields. The international community is developing tools to provide globally consistent maps of ozone, sulphur and nitrogen deposition for evaluating the risks to agriculture and ecosystems. The concept of global system, deposition impacts and implications for the ocean management will be presented.
- 03 NOV2021High Level Launch of the Climate Science Information for Climate Action InitiativeLocation: IPCC-WMO-UKMO Science Pavilion16.30 – 17.30 (GMT)
This high-level event will launch and showcase the climate science knowledge products (information platform, tools and guidance) developed under the Climate Science Information for Climate Action joint collaboration.
- 03 NOV2021Climate Science information for Climate Action (technical session)Location: IPCC-WMO-UKMO Science Pavilion08.00 – 09.00 (GMT)
The technical side event will provide participants the opportunity to learn about the applicability and use of various climate science knowledge products for sectoral adaptation planning and for developing climate finance proposals, from a range of international and national experts.
- 01 NOV2021The State of the Global Climate Observing System: GCOS Status Report 2021Location: IPCC-WMO-UKMO Science Pavilion11.00 – 12.30 (GMT)
- 03 NOV2021Creating the Systematic Observations Finance FacilityLocation: Nordic Pavillion18:15 – 19:00 (GMT)
Innovating finance for weather and climate observations
At this high-level event, WMO, UNEP, and UNDP will announce the creation of the Systematic Observations Finance Facility (SOFF) as a UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund.SOFF provides the foundations for an effective international response to climate change. It will fill critical data gaps from the most vulnerable countries that undermine efforts to build climate resilience across the globe.
The event will start with opening remarks from the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, will include live interventions from the Prime Ministers of beneficiary countries, Ministers and senior representative of funding partners as well as representatives of the Alliance for Hydromet Development. It will end with closing remarks by Selwin Hart, Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Climate Action and Assistant Secretary-General for the Climate Action Team.
- 11 NOV2021Air quality and health: lessons learned from COVIDLocation: IPCC-WMO-UKMO Science Pavilion16.30 – 17.30 (GMT)
The responses to the COVID-19 pandemic halted nearly all the industrial, business and transportation sectors worldwide, with immediate, unintended effects on different environmental reservoirs, including the atmosphere. Although the large body of scientific studies that emerged in the wake of the pandemic proved that good air quality is not far-fetched, it also highlighted the remaining challenges demonstrating that some results are elusive and conflicting. This side event discusses the strategies that have emerged from these studies and unmasks why reducing the emission of the burning of fossil fuels –as widely advocated– may curtail but not completely eradicate the exposure to air pollution and puts this in the context of the future health impacts considering connection between pollution and climate changes.
- 11 NOV2021Benefits of Integrated Urban ServicesLocation: IPCC-WMO-UKMO Science Pavilion18.00 – 19.00 (GMT)
Accelerating growth of urban populations has become a driving force of human development, especially in developing countries with expected urban population reaching 66% by 2050. Increasingly dense, complex and interdependent urban fabrics are rendering cities vulnerable. A single extreme event can lead to a widespread breakdown of a city’s infrastructure, often through cascading downstream or “domino” effect. Integrated Urban Services have multiple benefits for the cities. By combining weather, climate, environmental and hydrological forecasting, the decision makers receive more comprehensive information and optimize the investment in the underlying infrastructure.
- 04 NOV2021IG3IS and Carbon Budget- Observations-based approach to support efficient mitigation of greenhouse gas emissionsLocation: IPCC-WMO-UKMO Science Pavilion13.00 – 14.00 (GMT)
Long-term measurements of Earth’s atmosphere show rapidly rising concentrations of greenhouse gases linked to human activities. Existing observing networks provide information on greenhouse gas emissions at the global scale, but alone are not sufficient to target, quantify and manage greenhouse gas emissions where they occur and can be controlled. Atmospheric measurement-based emission estimates developed within the framework of the WMO Integrated Global Greenhouse Gas Information System support the diversity of user needs. Examples to be presented follow established international standards and cover scales from facility to urban to national.
- 03 NOV2021Living with climate change; how systemizing predictions of water conditions helps us adapt to a changing climateLocation: IPCC-WMO-UKMO Science Pavilion18.00 – 19.00 GMT
This event provides an overview of the World Meteorological Organization’s Hydrological Status and Outlook System (HydroSOS): A system for monitoring and predicting global freshwater hydrological conditions. HydroSOS provides a platform for assessing the current hydrological availability and providing outlooks under changing climate. Water status and outlook systems are key components of evidence-based decision-making regarding climate change adaptation. The event will feature an outline of the HydroSOS concept, progress in the project so far which includes the technical developments done during the pilot phase, and a presentation on the challenges and opportunities associated with global implementation.
- 08 NOV20212021 State of Climate Services: WaterLocation: IPCC-WMO-UKMO Science Pavilion14.30 – 16.00 GMT
The event presents findings from the GFCS “2021 State of Climate Services: Water” report and explores the progress made by WMO Members in using climate services to address water-related challenges through real-world examples.
- 02 NOV2021Water and Climate Coalition Leaders – “Committing to an Integrated Global Water and Climate Agenda”Location: IPCC-WMO-UKMO Science Pavilion11.00 – 12.00 (GMT)
WMO Secretary General Petteri Taalas and UN-Water Chair Gilbert Houngbo invited water and climate leaders to set and pursue an integrated global water and climate agenda in support of sustainable development and national mitigation and adaptation actions.
- 04 NOV2021Addressing climate impacts and resiliency of the energy infrastructureLocation: IPCC-WMO-UKMO Science Pavilion08.00 – 09.00 (GMT)
- 10 NOV2021Launch of the report of the State of the Climate in South-West Pacific 2020Location: IPCC-WMO-UKMO Science Pavilion15.30 – 17.00 (GMT)
The launch event of the State of the Climate in the South-West Pacific in 2020 report will bring together
international and regional scientific organizations and operational offices, policy- and decision-makers,
development partners, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and climate negotiators. The
stakeholders will reflect on the need for urgent climate action in the South-West Pacific and play a pivotal role in
the coordination and implementation of weather, water and climate-related strategic frameworks in the South-
West Pacific. They will work to ensure effective and coherent development and delivery of adequate, sciencebased
and sector-specific weather, water, and climate services for socio-economic development. - 12 NOV2021Managing Interconnected Power Grids for Carbon Neutral ElectricityLocation: IPCC-WMO-UKMO Science Pavilion11.30 – 12.30 (GMT)
EVENT CALENDAR
Note that all the events show Glasgow time
MEDIA
NEWS & UPDATES
- Know. Predict. Warn. Act
It is vital to scale up woefully inadequate adaptation funding for countries on the front-line of climate change. The tools and know-how are there – now we need the political will and financial clout to make this possible, according to speakers at a high-level UN-wide event at COP26 on 8 November.
- Action on early warnings is hailed as a success story at COP26
Countries contributing to the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Initiative have announced commitments for new investments of US$ 20 million for early warnings systems in Africa, and additional financing for the Caribbean region. The initiative has been widely lauded as a success story in terms of building resilience to extreme weather and saving lives and livelihoods.
- Youth take centre stage at COP26
Young climate leaders came together with negotiators, officials and ministers from across the world at COP26 on 5 November, demanding that their voices be heardYouth at COP26 and translated into the action needed to prevent catastrophic climate change in our lifetimes.
- COP26: 10 New Insights in Climate Science and Global Carbon Budget
The 10 New Insights in Climate Science, a synthesis of the most robust climate-related research findings available today, has been released by the WMO co-sponsored World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), Future Earth and the Earth League.
- Climate Science Information for Climate Action
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have joined together to provide the international community with new climate information and tools on the latest climate science data. This can be used to inform decisions on climate change investments, particularly for adaptation.
- Water and Climate Coalition Leaders: we need urgent, integrated action
Climate change is exacerbating both water scarcity and water-related hazards, as rising temperatures disrupt precipitation patterns and the entire water cycle. Currently, 3.6 billion people face inadequate access to water at least a month per year and this is expected to increase to more than 5 billion by 2050.
- State of Climate in 2021: Extreme events and major impacts
Record atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and associated accumulated heat have propelled the planet into uncharted territory, with far-reaching repercussions for current and future generations, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
- WMO Activities at COP26
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is supporting the United Nations Climate Change conference (COP26) with scientific information about the state of the climate and greenhouse gas concentrations. During COP26 it will also launch major initiatives to support climate change adaptation.
- WMO endorses Water Declaration, including the Water and Climate Coalition
Extraordinary Congress approves vision and action plan for hydrology
Hydrological dataThe Extraordinary World Meteorological Congress has endorsed a Water Declaration, including the Water and Climate Coalition, to accelerate implementation of SDG 6, and approved a new vision and strategy for hydrology and an associated plan of action.
SOCIAL MEDIA FEED
RESOURCES
INITIATIVES
Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF)
The Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) will support countries to generate and exchange basic observational data critical for improved weather forecasts and climate services. It will provide technical and financial assistance in new ways – applying internationally agreed metrics – the requirements of the Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) – to guide investments, using data exchange as a measure of success, and creating local benefits while delivering on a global public good. The SOFF will contribute to strengthen climate adaptation and resilience across the globe, benefitting in particular the most vulnerable.
Water and Climate Coalition
Climate change threatens us all and water is the primary vehicle through which we feel the impacts of climate change. To effectively address both water and climate challenges, we must bring climate change and water to the same table – into the same conversation: Tackling them as one. The Water and Climate Coalition is a community of multi-sectoral actors, guided by high-level leadership and focused on water action, intent on making this happen.
PARTNERS







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