Every March 23, World Meteorological Day is commemorated, an event promoted by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) since 1950. This edition adopts the theme “Watch Today, Protect Tomorrow” with the aim of highlighting the essential contribution of national meteorological and hydrological services to the security of society. Continuous observations form the backbone of resilience and underpin early warning systems capable of saving millions of lives. Accurate hydrological and climate data is becoming increasingly urgent in the face of exceeding the 1.5°C temperature increase limit set in the Paris Agreement.
Despite the need for global interconnectedness, huge geographical gaps persist in information collection. Filling this gap in vulnerable regions such as Africa or the Pacific would reduce forecast errors by 20% to 30%, as indicated by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
In a context marked by this gap, the leaders of the World Economic Forum classify extreme weather as the main global risk in the long term. According to the World Meteorological Organization’s “Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate and Water Risks,” hazards related to extreme weather events caused losses worth $4.3 trillion and led to nearly two million fatalities over the past half-century. The World Bank estimates that universal access to these prevention systems would prevent at least $13 billion in material losses and $22 billion in welfare losses each year. An alert with just 24 hours’ notice reduces damage from storms or heatwaves by up to 30%, as confirmed by the Global Centre on Adaptation.
In parallel, the latest WMO “State of the Climate” report confirms that 2025 was one of the three warmest years in recorded history. In fact, the last 11 years have been the warmest since records began. Record concentrations of greenhouse gases will lead to sustained warming for generations to come, a reality that requires strengthening the global observation network.
SPAIN IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE RISKS
In the European context, Spain is one of the most vulnerable territories to atmospheric alterations. The latest Climate Risk Assessment report by the European Environment Agency classifies southern Europe as a critical area for global warming due to the increase in extreme heat episodes and prolonged droughts. These alterations compromise water security, public health and the viability of strategic sectors such as tourism and agriculture.
The report warns of the danger of large and recurrent forest fires and the appearance of tropical diseases, such as dengue, linked to the increase in temperature. In outermost regions such as the Canary Islands, vulnerability is intensified by rising sea levels and marine heatwaves.
In this situation, constant weather observation is vital to anticipate impacts and design effective preventive responses. On this scientific basis, the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) promotes the generation of scientific knowledge and the deployment of nature-based solutions to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis on ecosystems and society.
The observation network is a strategic investment in security and resilience. Current meteorological intelligence makes it possible to monitor extreme events and sea level rise, acting as the first shield for the defense of communities. Only by integrating science into management will a prosperous and sustainable future be guaranteed.
