The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) have jointly called on governments, regulators, and meteorologists to protect access to radio frequency spectrum essential for weather forecasts, early warnings, climate monitoring, and water management. This appeal was made with the release of a new joint handbook, "The Use of Radio Spectrum for Meteorology: Weather, Climate, Water and Related Environmental Applications". The handbook provides updated guidance on the use and protection of radio frequencies supporting critical meteorological systems.
The ITU and WMO emphasize that these critical meteorological systems enable observations of the atmosphere, oceans, and land, and the transmission of data that supports life-saving early warnings, reliable weather forecasting, and long-term climate monitoring. The systems rely on specific radio frequency bands, determined by the physical properties of the atmosphere, which enable observations that no other frequencies can provide. The protection of these bands is crucial for the accuracy and availability of essential environmental data.
ITU Secretary-General, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, stressed that preventing harmful radio interference is a matter of public safety and can save lives. She noted that interference-free spectrum keeps weather forecasts accurate, emergency alerts and warnings timely, and climate data reliable, allowing communities to prepare, respond, and build resilience. The ITU and WMO are working together to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the radio frequency spectrum for meteorological use.
WMO Secretary-General, Celeste Saulo, highlighted that the radio-frequency spectrum is a finite natural resource. She emphasized that meteorology relies on specific bands, determined not by choice, but by the physical properties of the atmosphere itself. These bands must be protected to ensure that forecasts and early warnings, on which every country depends, remain accurate and reliable.
The joint handbook was formally released at the opening of the Global ITU-WMO Seminar on Spectrum Use for Meteorology. The seminar aims to bring together experts from governments, regulators, and meteorological organizations to discuss the challenges and opportunities in protecting the radio frequency spectrum for meteorological use. The ITU and WMO are working together to promote the importance of spectrum protection for meteorological services.
The ITU and WMO have long recognized the importance of radio frequency spectrum for meteorological services. They have been working together to ensure that the spectrum is protected from harmful interference and that it continues to support critical meteorological systems. The release of the joint handbook is a significant step in this effort, providing updated guidance and recommendations for the use and protection of radio frequencies.
The protection of the radio frequency spectrum for meteorological use is crucial for supporting life-saving early warnings, reliable weather forecasting, and long-term climate monitoring. The ITU and WMO will continue to work together to promote the importance of spectrum protection and to ensure that the spectrum continues to support critical meteorological systems.
Key points
- ITU and WMO call for protection of radio frequency spectrum for weather forecasts, early warnings, and climate monitoring.
- Radio frequency spectrum is a finite natural resource that must be protected for meteorological use.
- Protection of spectrum is crucial for accuracy and availability of essential environmental data.
