18/1/2008
Updated UN Strategy to Monitor Climate Change with Dozens of Satellites

The United Nations meteorological agency presented an updated strategy for tracking severe weather and changes to the Earth’s climate with dozens of new satellites at a meeting of top international space agency officials this week in New Orleans.

“There is a major societal need to further develop the capacity of satellites to monitor even more accurately climate and weather,” UN World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Secretary-General Michel Jarraud said.

At least 16 geostationary and low-earth orbit satellites currently provide operational data on the planet’s climate and weather as part of the WMO Global Observing System (GOS). They are complemented by numerous experimental satellites designed for scientific missions or instrument technology demonstration. A record number of 17 satellites are planned for launch this year to further strengthen the system’s work.

The satellites provide a global picture of shifts in the climate system, the rising of ocean levels, impacts on land and alterations to the atmosphere, as well as assisting in disaster risk reduction. WMO has long worked with the space agencies of various countries to use satellites for monitoring the Earth’s weather and climate.