World Meteorological Day 2009 will be celebrated across the world including Pakistan with the theme "Weather, climate and the air we breathe" on March 23. The met departments across the world celebrate the day through organising different symposiums, conferences and exhibitions to highlight the achievements of meteorological departments.
Many countries issue postage stamps reflecting the events theme or mark a countrys meteorology achievements. Director General Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Qamaruz Zaman Chaudhry told APP that the World Meteorological Day is celebrated every year with an aim to provide information for better understanding of climatic variability and change and assist in understanding the impact of meteorology on environment and surroundings.
Like every year, Pakistan Meteorological Department, Karachi Campus, will hold an exhibition displaying huge variety of meteorological instruments as part of met day celebrations, he informed. Elaborating the objectives of PMD, he said the department is working to improve weather and climate observations and reconstruct past climate periods.
It is also focussing to refine climate modelling in order to reduce the uncertainties inherent in long-term climate prediction. Climate models must be further developed to better simulate regional impacts of climate change as well as changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, he observed. Another objective of PMD is to ensure that advances in climate science benefit all people and contribute to sustainable development. Met day is celebrated to make the people aware of the ways to implement climatic application to address environmental concerns.
Each year, on March 23, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), its 188 Members and the world-wide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day around a chosen theme. This Day commemorates the entry into force, on that date in 1950, of the WMO Convention creating the Organisation. Subsequently, in 1951, WMO was designated a specialised agency of the United Nations System.