In order to regularly obtain reliable hydrometeorological information for the effective development of the economy, ensuring public safety and defense capabilities of the Commonwealth of Independent States Member States, and in accordance with one of the first intergovernmental documents within the Commonwealth – the Agreement on Interaction in the Field of Hydrometeorology of February 8, 1992 – the Interstate Council for Hydrometeorology of the Commonwealth of Independent States was established.
The Council is a sectoral cooperation body, reports to the CIS Heads of Government Council, and carries out its activities in interaction with the CIS Executive Committee, other Commonwealth bodies, where necessary with secretariats of other international organizations, as well as with state authorities of the CIS Member States.
The Council comprises heads of hydrometeorological services of the states that are parties to the Agreement.
The main tasks and functions of the Council are:
- defining priority areas of cooperation and facilitating a coordinated policy in the field of hydrometeorology among the states parties to the Agreement;
- preparing recommendations for harmonizing national legislation, organizing the development and coordination of science-based norms and standards in the field of hydrometeorology among the states parties to the Agreement;
- coordinating issues related to the collection, dissemination and regular exchange of hydrometeorological information, including during natural disasters;
- harmonizing hydrometeorological observation methodologies;
- developing and facilitating the implementation of interstate projects and programs in the field of hydrometeorology and natural environment monitoring, as well as participating in the development of interstate projects and programs in the field of environmental protection, natural resource management and environmental safety;
- facilitating the creation of an interstate system for comprehensive natural environment monitoring across the states parties to the Agreement;
- implementing coordinated scientific and technical activities, organizing coordinated fundamental and applied research of common interest (developing long-term weather forecasts and methods for active influence on meteorological processes, studying climate change and ozone layer depletion, etc.);
- coordinating, where necessary, the actions of the states parties to the Agreement within the framework of international cooperation in the field of hydrometeorology;
- facilitating personnel training and professional development of specialists, organizing exchange of work experience in the field of hydrometeorology and natural environment monitoring.
Since its establishment, the Council has proven its high relevance and effectiveness. Serving as coordinator and organizer of joint activities among the CIS member states in the field of hydrometeorology, the Council has ensured the implementation of operational, production and research work in the interests of numerous consumers, including the population, various industries, agriculture, transport, energy, defense needs, etc.
Furthermore, the CIS Interstate Council for Hydrometeorology has created the foundations for further mutually beneficial cooperation among the national hydrometeorological services of the participating states within the CIS.
Thus, given the tasks facing the Council, the main efforts will be directed toward further developing cooperation among the National hydrometeorological services of the CIS member states in the areas of:
- ensuring the preparation of draft documents that can make a significant contribution to expanding and strengthening cooperation in the field of hydrometeorology;
- harmonizing regulatory legal documents on hydrometeorological activities;
- improving and developing weather forecasts with various lead times, including hazardous hydrometeorological phenomena;
- developing early warning systems to reduce the risk of hazardous hydrometeorological phenomena;
- creating a unified information space for providing enhanced meteorological support;
- monitoring environmental pollution;
- further developing cooperation with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO);
- participation of the Council member states in the WMO Integrated Global Observing System project;
- conducting joint research work;
- expanding cooperation in the training of hydrometeorological specialists, as well as specialists in the field of active influence on hydrometeorological processes;
- enhancing competencies in implementing modern formats of aviation meteorological information and telecommunication protocols for ICAO international data exchange;
- implementing the WMO Information System 2.0 within the national hydrometeorological services of the CIS member states.
Read more about the activities of the CIS Interstate Council for Hydrometeorology via the link (in Russian).