ITU and WMO urge protection of radio spectrum for weather forecasting

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have issued an urgent appeal to governments and regulators to protect radio-frequency spectrum essential for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and water management.

During an expert seminar in Geneva, officials warned that increasing demand from wireless communications and satellite services is raising the risk of harmful interference. Such interference can disrupt the detection of extremely weak naturally occurring signals used by satellite sensors, weather radar, and lightning detection networks.

ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin stated that preventing interference is a matter of public safety, noting that interference-free spectrum ensures accurate forecasts and timely emergency alerts. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasized that the radio-frequency spectrum is a finite natural resource that must be protected to maintain reliable climate data and early warning systems.