The World Meteorological Organization is advancing the implementation of the regional Quality Management Systems (QMS) training for the provision of climate services, targeting National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of the Regional Association for South America (RA III).
A 4-hour virtual training is being delivered weekly from May to September 2026, bringing together high-level specialists from nine countries across South America to strengthen institutional and technical capacities for the implementation of internationally recognized quality management systems within climate service operations.
The training is being funded through the ENANDES and ENANDES+ projects, which seek to strengthen climate resilience in South America through the generation, dissemination, and application of scientific knowledge. Further, the training promotes regional peer-to-peer cooperation under the framework of South-South Cooperation through NUREX, the regional expertise hub. Both phases are implemented by WMO, with ENANDES+ funded by the regional hub of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC/COSUDE).
In the first session, participants were organized into two working groups. This structure will ensure a collaborative and regionally tailored learning environment, facilitating peer-to-peer exchange, technical cooperation, and the sharing of operational experiences and best practices among NMHSs across the region.
Throughout the course, participants will address both the conceptual foundations and the operational implementation of QMS for climate services, including institutional diagnostics, process mapping, documentation frameworks, and continuous improvement planning.
The implementation of this training reflects the strong commitment of South American countries to continuously improve their meteorological and hydrological services while reinforcing regional cooperation to address the growing challenges associated with climate variability and climate change.
By the end of the training, participating institutions are expected to have acquired practical tools and methodologies to initiate or consolidate the implementation of Quality Management Systems within their organizations, ultimately contributing to more efficient, reliable, and user-centred climate services for society.
Further, the training contributes to the broader efforts of WMO to strengthen the quality, consistency, and reliability of climate services worldwide by promoting harmonized standards aligned with international best practices. Enhanced quality management frameworks are expected to support more informed decision-making across critical sectors such as agriculture, water resources management, disaster risk reduction, and public health.
