UN Agencies Call for Stronger Collaboration to Tackle Extreme Maritime Weather Amidst Climate Change

During the symposium’s opening, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez emphasized the critical link between enhancing maritime safety and advancing environmental regulations.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are hosting a symposium in London from 23-26 September to address the increasing challenges posed by extreme maritime weather. Bringing together experts from meteorology, oceanography (metocean), and the maritime sector, the event aims to strengthen cooperation in tackling the dual threats of climate change and maritime safety.

During the symposium’s opening, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez emphasized the critical link between enhancing maritime safety and advancing environmental regulations. "Everything we do to enhance maritime safety has a positive added value to the environmental regulations that we adopt and implement through the IMO," Dominguez stated.

WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett underscored the impact of climate change on maritime operations, citing rising sea levels affecting ports, intensifying cyclones that endanger seafarers, and diminishing Arctic Sea ice, which opens new yet risky sea routes. She stressed the importance of close collaboration between meteorological services and the maritime industry to tackle these challenges.

The symposium also highlighted the importance of maritime observations, forecasting, and early warning systems. Captain Radhika Menon, a 2016 IMO Bravery Award recipient, shared her experience rescuing fishers who nearly perished due to delayed weather warnings, reinforcing the critical role of accurate forecasting in saving lives.

Peter Thomson, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean, praised the symposium’s efforts to address ocean and climate issues, particularly within the context of the UN Decade of Ocean Science (2021-2030).

The symposium follows the first WMO-IMO gathering in 2019, which identified key areas for improvement, such as cross-community collaboration, data collection, and the dissemination of early warnings. This year’s event seeks to strengthen partnerships, improve communication, and enhance training for both seafarers and on-shore personnel to better prepare for and mitigate the impacts of extreme weather at sea.