Resource information
This paper reviews the status of weather
and climate services in Europe and Central Asia
(ECA).Worldwide, the accuracy and value of weather and
climate services are rising, bringing great economic
benefits. However, many National Meteorological and
Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in Europe and Central Asia are
in decline. As a result, these potential gains are often
missed. Much more could be done to mitigate weather
disasters, support the productivity of smallholding and
commercial agriculture, conserve energy, and promote safe
aviation and transport by road and rail. Although NMHS
capacity deficiencies are serious, they could be
significantly remedied by relatively modest but sustained
investments. Economic assessments indicate substantial
benefit-to-cost ratios for such initiatives. A strategy for
NMHS service improvement requires assessment of national
climate, user needs, NMHS status and provision of services,
and the economic benefits of an upgrade to weather and
climate services. recommendations for agency modernization
should include (a) a prioritized plan for improving data
delivery to national users, (b) identification of the
highest-priority infrastructure investments, and (c) a
reasonable phasing plan for overall modernization.
