World Meteorological Organization

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently met to explore HydroSOS for Drought Resilience and Climate Action, in a session jointly hosted by the WMO Regional Office for Europe and the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and Central Asia.

The exchange focused on connecting scientific capabilities with development priorities, highlighting strong synergies in hydrological monitoring, drought early warning, and resilience planning, and paving the way for enhanced collaboration in support of countries’ climate and development objectives.

Harnessing Water Data for Action

At the core of WMO’s contribution lies its Hydrological Status and Outlook System (HydroSOS), which provides standardized assessments of current water conditions and forecasts of future trends such as drought, floods and water availability. HydroSOS is already helping countries plan for water allocation, agriculture and reservoir management, and its potential to support National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) was strongly recognized by UNDP.

Equally critical is the WMO Hydrological Observing System (WHOS), which harmonizes scattered hydrological datasets from multiple national and global providers. By converting data into interoperable formats, WHOS makes information easier to access and use in models and planning. This has particular value for transboundary basins and regions where multiple agencies share responsibility for water resources.

Tackling Drought Risks Together

The dialogue also underscored the importance of addressing drought in an integrated manner. WMO’s Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP), run with the Global Water Partnership and partners such as FAO, UNCCD and UNDP, supports countries in developing drought monitoring, preparedness and response policies. With drought resilience increasingly linked to food security, energy supply, and peacebuilding, UNDP highlighted opportunities to complement IDMP with its initiatives, including the Peace Forest Initiative.

UNDP emphasized the need to link drought early warning with conflict early warning, ensuring that data translates into resilience and peace outcomes for communities on the frontlines of climate change. Energy and hydropower were also identified as emerging risk areas where climate-induced shifts in water flow could destabilize livelihoods and economies.

This aligns with WMO’s role in the global Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, and with UNDP’s expanding portfolio of Green Climate Fund-supported early warning projects in the region. Participants agreed that combining these streams of work could strengthen national systems while enhancing donor engagement.

To carry this momentum forward, WMO and UNDP agreed to meet again after COP 30 (November 2025) for the follow-up discussions to refine actions.

The exchange made clear that WMO’s technical systems and UNDP’s implementation capacity are highly complementary. WMO brings science, standards and operational tools, while UNDP offers policy entry points, field presence and financing leverage. By combining these strengths, the two organizations aim to help countries in the region move from data to decisions, and from warnings to resilience.