Meteorological Day Highlights Need for Continued Action against Climate Change

Today, 23 March 2018, marks the World Meteorological Day that commemorates the establishment of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

The World Meteorological Organisation was established in 1950 to replace the International Meteorological Organisation (IMO) created in 1873. The WMO Convention, which established the organisation, entered into force on 23 March 1950, and in 1960 it was decided to establish an annual World Meteorological Day on 23 March to commemorate the entry into force of the convention.

For the year 2018, the WMO Executive Council has decided that the theme of this day will be "Weather-ready, climate-smart".

Since weather forecasts require observations of our environment conducted at any time and around the world, the ASTA meteorological service maintains and operates a network of about thirty automatic stations covering the entire Grand Duchy. These stations provide the public and farmers with precise and localised information, particularly on precipitation, temperature and humidity, sunshine, wind speed, etc. The data collected also makes it possible to provide farmers with specific information. They are, among other things, informed of the most opportune moment to sow or harvest and alerted about potential dangers such as the arrival of pests or diseases.

Agriculture is one of the most sensitive areas facing the climate. Droughts, which are slow-onset climatic phenomena, but also extreme precipitation phenomena, such as hail, can have a significant impact on the quantity and quality of harvests.

Despite global efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, climate change is predicted to continue and adaptation of agricultural practices is needed. The services that the ASTA Meteorological Service offers today already make it possible to adapt the sowing and harvesting periods according to the weather conditions. Nevertheless, the use of varieties or crops better adapted to these expected climatic conditions should be considered. Similarly, an extension of the current service to diseases not yet present in Luxembourg today may be necessary.

In order to make the sector climate-proof, the Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Consumer Protection has participated in the development of the new National Action Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change, under the supervision of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure (MDDI). In addition, the ASTA Meteorological Service, in collaboration with MDDI, also represents Luxembourg at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).