The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Convention on Wetlands have signed a new cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening the protection of wetland ecosystems that help safeguard communities from natural hazards and play a key role in the global water cycle.
WMO secretary-general Celeste Saulo and Musonda Mumba, secretary general of the Convention on Wetlands, signed the memorandum of understanding on January 19.
Under the agreement, WMO’s expertise in Earth system monitoring, data exchange, science and research will support efforts to preserve wetlands as critical ecosystems. In turn, the Convention on Wetlands will contribute its expertise to help inform tailored products and tools for policymakers and other stakeholders.
“Environment protection benefits substantially from our services, starting by better understanding the interconnections between water, climate and ecosystems: our collaboration will help enhance this critical development,” said Saulo.
Dr Mumba said the partnership will strengthen decision-making around wetland protection: “Protecting wetlands depends on making the right decisions at the right time, and that starts with strong data. Our partnership will help connect Earth observation, weather and climate information to practical action on the ground, so countries can plan better and protect these ecosystems more effectively. It is exactly what this year’s World Meteorological Day theme, ‘Observing Today, Protecting Tomorrow’, calls for.”
The partnership will focus on strengthening understanding of the interconnections between wetlands, hydrology and climate, including the role of wetlands in the hydrological cycle and the impacts of climate and hydrological variability on wetland conditions.
It will also support scaling up the use of Earth observation and emerging technologies for wetland inventory data, indicators and reporting, as well as enhancing synergies across international agendas on sustainable development, climate action and disaster risk reduction.
The organizations said collaboration will also align with global initiatives such as Early Warnings for All, reinforcing the role of wetlands in resilience-building and climate adaptation efforts.
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