March 23 is World Meteorological Day.

An international meteorological organization was established in 1873 with an aim of strengthening exchanges and cooperation between countries in the meteorological field including meteorological research and forecast and it was reorganized into the World Meteorological Organization on March 23 1950. It became a special agency of the United Nations in December 1951.

With meteorological research intensifying in the world and public interest in it increasing, the World Meteorological Organization set March 23 as World Meteorological Day. The world has commemorated the day since 1961.

When the day comes every year, the WMO set important problems that should be settled without delay in this field as a theme, especially, the meteorological problem that is closely associated with the socioeconomic life of humans and has arranged and conducted a variety of events and activities accordingly.

Today, much progress has been made in the world’s weather observation and forecast with the rapid development of science and technology and cooperative relations between countries have become closer.

But there are still lots of problems to solve in view of the meteorological effects on human existence and socioeconomic development. In particular, to prevent the negative effects of abnormal climatic conditions caused by global warming is arising as a pressing task.

Abnormal weather caused by global warming and the subsequent natural calamities are now inflicting heavy human and material damage in different countries of the world.

According to information available, the global average temperature in June last year was 16.66℃, hotter than all the previous same months. The global mean temperature for twelve months until July last year was 1.64℃ higher than in the pre-Industrial Revolution period, far exceeding the climate-related goal set by the Paris agreement on climate change.

The excessive use of fossil fuel emits large amounts of greenhouse gas, further accelerating the greenhouse effect of the world and accelerating climate change caused by global warming.

The reality clearly shows that the international community should strengthen international cooperation and bring about a substantial change in the work for coping with the urgent issue of global warming which constitutes the cause of abnormal climatic conditions.

The DPRK joined the World Meteorological Organization on May 27 1975 and is vigorously stepping up the work for ensuring the promptness, precision and scientific accuracy of weather forecast and minimizing damage from disastrous abnormal climate. Projects to further improve weather forecast and boost international cooperation in the field are being conducted.

Humankind will continue the efforts to further improve weather observation and forecast aimed at minimizing the effects of natural calamities and actively promoting socioeconomic development.