Socio-economic benefits of weather, climate and water services

Purpose of the SEB Website

What is this site for?

The SEB website serves as a resource for tools and case studies associated with socioeconomic aspects of weather, climate and water. It also provides the possibility of users to contact the authors/developers, for support to conduct their own case study or to develop their own tool. 

Who is this site intended for?

This site is intended for any government, emergency service or weather agency around the world that wants examples and support for socioeconomic issues of weather and climate.

What can you do with this site?

A user can browse tools and case studies that other agencies around the world have produced to hopefully obtain useful information for their own projects and tasks.

What is a decision-support system?

Any knowledge based system that supports decision-making activities. This site is a decision support system.

Why is this decision-support system important?

Governments need to respond to population growth, to reduce poverty, increase water and food security, improve health and ensure safety. Nations aim towards reducing and mitigating natural disasters, improving and sustaining health, adapting to climate change, improving the management of energy and water resources, managing and protecting ecosystems and developing sustainable agriculture.

Decision-support tools for various social and economic sectors have been developed and are operational. The tools have demonstrated the benefits that society can gain from weather, climate and water services. These tools and case studies are availed here as examples for those who need information or assistance in developing their own decision-support tools.

What is the origin of this decision-support system?

In order to increase the utility of weather, climate and water knowledge for social and economic benefit, WMO established the "WMO Forum: Social and Economic Applications and Benefits of Weather, Climate, and Water Services". Also known as "WMO Forum", the group includes professionals from NMHSs and various socio-economic sectors. Its purpose is to advise on strategies that could be adopted to advance knowledge in socio-economic benefits of weather, climate and water. The WMO Forum is guided in its activities by the Madrid Action Plan, which was developed during the conference on "Secure and Sustainable Living; Social and Economic Benefits of Weather, Climate and Water Services”, held in Madrid Spain in March 2007.