WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION

Their core work

WMO is the United Nations specialized agency for weather, climate, and water resources, headquartered in Geneva. In H2020, they serve as the institutional backbone for major climate science efforts — most notably managing EU support for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) across three successive funding rounds. Beyond IPCC coordination, they contribute to ocean observing systems, greenhouse gas monitoring networks, and climate services tailored for developing regions, particularly Southern Africa.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

WMO's early H2020 work (2015–2018) centered on greenhouse gas monitoring, atmospheric modelling, and foundational ocean observation infrastructure like the Argo float network. From 2019 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward blue economy applications, integrated ocean forecasting, and climate adaptation services — particularly for vulnerable regions in Africa. The IPCC support thread runs throughout as a constant, but the applied, service-oriented dimension of their work has clearly grown.

WMO is moving from pure climate science coordination toward operational climate services and ocean-economy applications — expect future projects to emphasize actionable climate information for specific sectors and regions.

How they like to work

WMO operates as both a consortium leader and a strategic participant, coordinating 4 of 11 projects (including their three largest by budget). With 209 unique partners across 31 countries, they function as a major network hub — their UN agency status makes them a natural convening point for large, multi-national consortia. They are not a repeat-partner organization; instead, they connect to a very wide range of institutions, acting as an institutional anchor that gives credibility and global reach to any consortium they join.

WMO has collaborated with 209 unique partners across 31 countries, reflecting their role as a UN agency that connects European research communities with global networks. Their partnerships span universities, national meteorological services, ocean research centres, and space agencies across virtually all of Europe and beyond.

What sets them apart

WMO is the only UN specialized agency in this dataset with deep H2020 involvement, giving any consortium instant global legitimacy and access to 193 member-state meteorological and hydrological services. They are the sole institutional channel for EU funding of IPCC operations, a role no other organization can fill. For consortium builders, having WMO on board signals policy relevance, global data access, and institutional weight that no university or research centre can replicate.

Highlights from their portfolio

• AR6
  EUR 5M single grant to coordinate EU support for the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report — WMO's largest project and a globally significant climate science effort.
• FOCUS-Africa
  WMO-coordinated project delivering tailored climate services to Southern Africa, demonstrating their expanding role in climate adaptation for developing regions.
• EuroSea
  Integrated European ocean observing and forecasting — connects WMO's meteorological mandate with marine economy applications including aquaculture and fisheries.