Message from the IFMS President

Dr. Harinder Ahluwalia, IFMS President

Welcome to the IFMS website. One of the major objectives of IFMS is to create the Global Weather Enterprise (GWE) because we believe that working collaboratively will strengthen the GWE and enable us to handle problems caused by Climate Change more effectively. Using today's modern communication channels, the GWE will create collaboration between the world’s Meteorological Societies, and other important organizations working in Meteorology and related sciences, e.g. the WMO, World Bank, Hydromet Industry, R&D Institutes and.

IFMS unites the World’s National Hydro-Meteorological Societies (NMSocs) in the same manner as WMO unites the National Meteorological and Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs). IFMS helps strengthen societies through collaboration and also helps build capacity in developing countries by leveraging the strength of developed societies. In addition, through an MOU between WMO and IFMS, IFMS connects all NMSocs with WMO.

IFMS is ready to cooperate with WMO to achieve scientific progress and with the World Bank, and WMO for infrastructure development in the least developed and developing countries. We plan to collaborate with WMO, Comet/UCAR, ECMWF, and other organizations for education & training activities in support of capacity building. In support of this effort, we also organize Webinars, the frequency of which will increase with time.

One of the major contributions of IFMS to the GWE is the creation of the African Meteorological Society (AfMS) to strengthen capacity in Africa. Africa is not responsible for Climate Change. However, it is liable to suffer its consequences the most, because of insufficient infrastructure and knowledge base - we are trying to help strengthen both. In this mission, along with the African residents, we have also involved the African Diaspora and Friends of Africa (those who are not African but want to help Africa).

Our next target is to create the Asian Meteorological Society (AsMS), and we are hoping that the powerful countries of Asia (Japan, South Korea, China, and India) will strongly support our mission. In addition to helping their own growth, AsMS will also assist the 12 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) of Asia that need assistance to build capacity against Climate Change. Moreover, more Regional Meteorological Societies will provide more opportunities for collaboration.

Being a volunteer-based organization, we are always looking for volunteers. Kindly offer your services to help IFMS in building capacity by sending an email to the following address: [email protected].

IFMS needs finances to fulfill its mission. We request all societies and their members to donate money, as per their capability, to IFMS through their National Meteorological Societies. We also request WMO, the World Bank, the Aid Agencies of affluent countries, and philanthropic organizations to make a financial contribution to the effort of IFMS which, for the most part, will be used to create capacity around the world to fight Climate Change.

The next big event is the First Scientific Conference of the AfMS which will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on April 27-30, 2025. We look forward to seeing you all at that Conference.

Sincerely,
Dr. Harinder Ahluwalia