The WMO Hydrology Action Plan presents in detail the activities needed to fulfil the eight long-term ambitions that should guide the development of WMO initiatives relevant to water up to 2030
WMO Executive Council Approves WMO Hydrology Action Plan
New Delhi (ABC Live
India): The WMO Vision and Strategy for Hydrology
and its associated WMO Hydrology Action Plan has been endorsed by Executive Council,
reflecting the need to improve water monitoring and management in the face of
growing challenges of water stress, water-related hazards and water quality.
Water resources are under stress and
increasing demand is adding further pressure, while climate change is
increasing variability in the water cycle, inducing a greater number of extreme
weather events, reducing the predictability of water availability and affecting
water quality. In turn, this cascade of consequences threatens sustainable
development, biodiversity and the enjoyment of the human right to water and
sanitation worldwide.
All around the world, billions of
people also feel the impacts of climate change through the water. The
frequency of water-related disasters is on the rise due to the increase in the intensity of natural events such as storms, heavy precipitation and dry spells.
Floods, droughts, landslides, glacier
lake outbursts and storm surges are impacting lives and infrastructure in
coastal zones and mountain tops, in arid plains and deserts, along river banks
and in floodplains. The poorest and least developed are the most vulnerable.
The WMO Hydrology Action Plan presents in detail
the activities needed to fulfil the eight long-term ambitions that should
guide the development of WMO initiatives
relevant to water up to 2030:
- No one is surprised by a flood;
- Everyone is prepared for drought;
- Hydro-climate and meteorological data support the food security agenda;
- High-quality data support science;
- Science provides a sound basis for operational hydrology;
- We have a thorough knowledge of the water resources of our world;
- Sustainable development is supported by information covering the full hydrological cycle;
- Water quality is known;
The WMO Hydrology Action Plan is the result of a
wide consultation with the hydrological community including two online rounds
which attracted more than 340 comments from experts worldwide.
A second EC resolution paves the way
for the extraordinary World Meteorological Congress in November 2021 to issue a
Water Declaration on the need to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable
Development Goal 6 on water and sanitation, and to support Members in designing
and implementing resilient systems that will help to mitigate climate change
impacts in water, food and energy nexus.
In this regard, WMO is spearheading
a Water and
Climate Coalition - a community of multi-sectoral actors,
guided by high-level leadership and focused on integrated water and climate
action.