The 17th Congress of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) will take place in Geneva from 15 May to 12 June 2015. WMO is a specialized agency of the UN and is authoritative voice in the areas of meteorology and climatology. The Congress reunites all members in a general assembly every four years, and as such, is the supreme body of the WMO.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) in the areas of meteorology, climatology, and hydrology, and has its headquarter in Geneva. As one of the founding members, Switzerland has been part of WMO since its establishment in 1950. Nowadays, the organization counts 191 Member States and territories. As the leading federal office, MeteoSwiss is responsible for representing Switzerland within WMO.
The WMO Congress takes place every four years, reuniting all Member States. During this general assembly, the WMO strategy, budget and programs are discussed, as well as a Secretary-General is elected. Starting May 25th, the Member States will converge in Geneva, where for three weeks, they will debate and decide on the organization’s future in the context of the 17th WMO Congress. [Hyperlink WMO Press release]. The Federal Councillor Alain Berset will hold an inaugural speech.
The Swiss delegation will be headed by MeteoSwiss director Peter Binder, who is appointed State Secretary for the duration of the Congress. The delegation is composed of members of MeteoSwiss, of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN ), and of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).