Regulation

ITU, WMO urge govts to protect spectrum for weather and climate systems

ITU, WMO urge govts to protect spectrum for weather and climate systems

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned governments, regulators, and meteorologists on Monday to safeguard radio frequency spectrum essential for weather forecasts, early warnings, climate monitoring and water management.

The advisory comes alongside the release of a new joint handbook from both organisations with updated guidance on using and protecting frequencies used for critical meteorological systems that enable observations of the atmosphere, oceans, and land, and the transmission of data that supports life-saving early warnings, reliable weather forecasting, and long-term climate monitoring.

The handbook reflects concerns that the race by various industry and government sectors to acquire as much spectrum for wireless communications, satellite services, and environmental data for themselves as they can.

The ITU and WMO warned that radio frequency interference can degrade the accuracy and availability of vital data needed for early warning systems, weather forecasting, and climate monitoring. That in turn can affect the ability of governments and communities to prepare for and respond to environmental hazards.

Some satellite sensors measure very weak naturally occurring signals at specific frequencies, making protection from harmful interference particularly important. Weather radar, lightning location systems, aircraft and marine observations, hydrological monitoring systems, and other platforms also rely on these frequency bands to collect and exchange data.

“Preventing harmful radio interference is a matter of public safety and can save lives," said ITU secretary-general Doreen Bogdan-Martin in a joint statement. “Interference-free spectrum keeps weather forecasts accurate, emergency alerts and warnings timely, and climate data reliable – so communities can prepare, respond and build resilience."

“The radio-frequency spectrum is a finite natural resource. Meteorology relies on specific bands, determined not by choice, but by the physical properties of the atmosphere itself,” added WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. “They enable observations that no other frequencies can provide. These bands must be protected.”

The ITU-WMO handbook was formally released on Monday on the first day of the Global ITU-WMO Seminar on Spectrum Use for Meteorology, where experts plan to review recent and upcoming international spectrum decisions relevant to meteorological and Earth observation services, including outcomes of the latest ITU World Radiocommunication Conferences.



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