The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has unveiled a new initiative to safeguard the critical public backbone of weather forecasting which underpins trillions of dollars in economic value and supports global security.
The WMO Weather, Climate and Water Intelligence Commons ("WMO Commons") was introduced at an Investors Forum bringing together the public and private sectors, development and private banks, philanthropists and humanitarian agencies. It will be formally launched in 2026.
"The WMO Commons is not a fund in the traditional sense. It is an investment in continuity and confidence - pooling public, philanthropic, and private resources to ensure that data flows freely, systems remain interoperable, and innovation reaches those who need it most," said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.
"Today, climate extremes are accelerating faster than our capacity to manage them. In 2024 alone, global weather-related losses reached 318 billion dollars - half of it uninsured. But with every dollar invested in early warnings and climate intelligence, we save up to fifteen. The logic is simple: resilience pays," Celeste Saulo told the forum in Geneva .
"WMO's mission is not charity - it is risk management at planetary scale. It is the foundation upon which sustainable finance, resilient supply chains, and stable societies depend," she said.
