EMS highlights the vital role of weather and climate observations

The importance of sustained, high-quality weather and climate observations has been firmly in the spotlight at the EMS Annual Meeting 2026 in Utrecht and through EMS participation in a major new international initiative on the future of systematic observations.

At the EMS Annual Meeting, Markus Repnik, Director of the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) Secretariat, was presented with the EMS Silver Medal 2026 in recognition of his outstanding leadership and impact on the European meteorological community through the creation of SOFF. His work has helped strengthen sustaining the global surface-based observations that underpin modern weather prediction, climate services and early warnings.#

As part of the Opening Plenary programme, Markus delivered the Silver Medal Lecture, “Innovating ways to support developing countries in closing their basic weather and climate data gaps”, highlighting the need for innovative and sustainable approaches to financing the observations on which weather and climate services worldwide depend.

This theme continued later in the week, with EMS President Liz Bentley and EMS Council member Jean-Noël Thépaut participating virtually in the Global State of Systematic Weather and Climate Observation Inception Workshop, held by WMO in Geneva on 10–11 September. The initiative is building a coalition of partners across the public and private sectors, spanning science, policy, finance and industry. Its ambition is to co-create a leading global reference report demonstrating the foundational value of systematic weather and climate observations and examining how these essential observing systems can be sustainably financed.

The inception workshop provided an important opportunity for partners to exchange perspectives and shape both the initiative and its first report. Long-term, high-quality observational data are also fundamental to scientific progress, enabling researchers to understand how our weather and climate are changing, test and improve models, and develop the knowledge needed to address emerging risks.

For EMS, engagement in this work reinforces a central message from this year’s Annual Meeting: robust observations are the foundation of better forecasts, effective early warnings and informed climate action, and sustained investment in them is a global priority.