The objective of the extraordinary session was for Members to review and discuss the advancement in the review of Technical Regulations, with regard to the Early Warnings for All initiative and the WMO Cataloguing of Hazardous Events. 78 Members with voting rights and valid credentials joined the session online.
During the meeting, Members discussed and approved the updated WMO Guidelines on the Cataloguing of Hazardous Events (WMO-CHE) and the accompanying WMO Event Types List (originally endorsed in Resolution 12 (EC-76) ).
The Guidelines implementation at the national level will lay the foundation for a better understanding of hazards, their impacts, and evolution over time, with scalability to the larger physical processes taking into account cascading and transboundary impacts. Moreover, it will support future activities to strengthen WIPPS centers in assisting Members with hazardous events cataloguing.
Discussions also addressed proposed amendments to the Technical Regulations ( WMO-No.49 ), introducing a new section on Early Warnings Services. These amendments aim to enhance the alignment of capacity-development activities, strengthen partner engagement and donor confidence in the Early Warnings for All initiative, and provide Members with a consistent framework for authoritative early warning services. SERCOM approved the proposed amendments and recommended their consideration by the WMO Congress .
