World Meteorological Day is the United Nations annual event, celebrated every year on 23 March to remember the establishment of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on 23rd March 1920.
This year WMO celebrates its 70th anniversary. Every year this organisation announces a theme for the World Meteorological Day which is celebrated by all the countries. World Meteorological Day also highlights the contributions of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services made for the safety and well-being of the society.
Fresh water is vital for life. On average, a human being cannot survive more than three days without it. Water is essential to produce food, virtually all goods and services and for the environment.
The world now faces increasing challenges posed by water stress, floods and droughts and lack of access to clean supplies. There is an urgent need to improve forecasting, monitoring and management of water supplies and to tackle the problem of too much, too little or too polluted water.
Water use has been increasing worldwide by about 1% per year since the 1980s because of growing populations, more water-intensive patterns of consumption, rainfall variability and pollution. This trend is expected to continue, accounting for an increase of 20% to 30% above the current level according to the World Water Development Report 2019.
World Meteorological Day and World Water Day 2020 therefore share the theme, Climate and Water. This focuses on managing climate and water in a more coordinated and sustainable manner because they are inextricably linked. Both lie at the heart of global goals on sustainable development, climate change and disaster risk reduction.
Hand in hand with UN Water and other key United Nations partners, WMO will work towards enhanced implementation and acceleration of Sustainable Development Goal 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation.
Water is one of the most precious commodities of the 21st century. National Meteorological and Hydrological Services will be central to efforts to “count every drop because every drop counts”.