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The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, is a specialized agency of the United Nations and serves as the UN system's authoritative voice on the state and behavior of the Earth's atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces, and the resulting distribution of water resources. WMO coordinates a vast global observation network, drawing on more than 10,000 surface weather stations, 1,000 upper-air stations, 7,000 ships, 1,000 drifting buoys, 3,000 commercial aircraft, and 30 meteorological satellites contributing to weather and climate observations worldwide. The organization highlights the significant economic value of meteorological advances, noting that a five-day weather forecast today is as reliable as a three-day forecast was two decades ago, generating billions of dollars in value for the global economy. WMO maintains dedicated offices supporting its mission, including a UN Affairs Office working with strategic partners to elevate the role of the meteorological and hydrological community in addressing global challenges such as climate change, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable development, and an EU Affairs Office in Brussels operated jointly with EUMETNET, EUMETSAT, and ECMWF. The organization also hosts the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Secretariat and various scientific and technical programs covering climate data monitoring, marine services, and aircraft-based atmospheric observation initiatives such as the WMO-IATA Collaborative AMDAR Programme.

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