On the basis of climate data collected from all parts of the world, JMA is clarifying mechanisms of climate change and abnormal weather, and effects of global changes caused by increasing greenhouse gases and depletion of ozone layer induced by human activities, and is developing the numerical prediction models for climate change.
5 International Cooperation in Meteorological Services
The inherent characteristic of meteorology is that it requires international cooperation. The atmosphere is a single physical system, its motions encompass the globe and it interacts with the oceans, the cryosphere and the solid Earth.
Understanding the atmospheric processes and predicting changes in the atmosphere require suitable international arrangements for making compatible observations over the entire globe, and for frequent and prompt exchange of the resulting data. Thus, JMA participates in international cooperation activities to promote harmonious development of the world's meteorological services.
(1) Cooperation through the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO: Geneva)
WMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It was established in 1950, and as of November 1995, it has 176 states and 5 territories as members. The purpose of the Organization is to enhance the harmonious development of the world's meteorological services under the single spirit of international cooperation.
(2) Expert Service and Training
In cooperation with WMO or the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), JMA dispatches experts to National Meteorological Services of the developing countries. They assist the activities of National Meteorological Services in the fields of observations, telecommunications, and data processing. Furthermore, JMA receives trainees from developing countries to promote transfer of techniques and knowledge necessary for the enhancement of their meteorological services.
