IFMS meets for its sixth Global Meeting

The International Forum of Meteorological Societies (IFMS) is an organization aimed at fostering and encouraging communication and exchange of knowledge, ideas and resources among the world’s meteorological societies. The IFMS Global Meeting No. 6 was held in Boston on 14 and 16 January. It took place during the 100th AMS Annual Meeting which marked the end of the AMS’s Centennial Year. The Global Meeting was led by Harinder Ahluwalia (IFMS President) with the EMS represented by Bob Riddaway (EMS President).

At the Global Meeting there were presentations about the current status and proposals for the future development of the IFMS. It was reported that the IFMS has:

• Published the IFMS Value Statement.
• Upgraded its website.
• Worked towards supporting WMO’s “Global Campus”.
• Worked towards assisting member societies in creating a certification/accreditation process.
• Created an IFMS newsletter.
• Planned to support the Global Weather Enterprise (GWE).
• Established a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with WMO.
• Started work on developing guidelines for creating and incorporating a society.
• Planned to work with NMHSs to create regional meteorological societies.

However, progress has been limited by the lack of finance and volunteers to support the activities of the IFMS. At present there are two regional meteorological societies: EMS and FLISMET (Federation of Latin American and Iberian Meteorological Societies). The IFMS aims to support:

• Consolidating and strengthening of the African Meteorological Society.
• Establishing an Asian Meteorological Society and South Pacific Meteorological Society.

Consideration will be given to how the EMS can contribute to the achievement of these aims.

At the meeting the EMS President gave a presentation on the “Creation and sustainability of the European Meteorological Society”.

A report about the Global Meeting will be available via the IFMS website.

Bob Riddaway
EMS President