From urban meteorology and air quality research
to urban integrated weather, environment
and climate services

 

The accelerating growth of urban populations, especially in developing countries, has become a driving force of human development. Crowded cities are centers of creativity and economic progress but, from polluted air to flooding and other climate impacts, they also face major weather, climate and environment-related challenges. Increasingly dense, complex and interdependent urban systems leave cities vulnerable:  through a domino effect, a single extreme event can lead to a broad breakdown of a city’s infrastructure.  The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recognizes that the rapid urbanization will require new types of services making best use of science and technology and considers this problem as one of the main priorities. Such Integrated Urban Weather, Environment and Climate Services should assist cities in facing hazards such as storm surge, flooding, heat waves, and air pollution episodes, especially in changing climates. The aim is to build urban services that meet the special needs of cities through a combination of dense observation networks, high-resolution forecasts, multi-hazard early warning systems, and climate services for reducing emissions and building resilient and thriving sustainable cities that promote the Sustainable Development Goals. A number of recent international studies have been initiated to explore these issues. The paper provides a brief overview of recent WMO and collaborators research programs and activities in urban hydrometeorology, climate and air pollution, describes the novel concept of the urban integrated weather, climate and environment related services, and highlighted research needs for their realisation.

 

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