Eoin Moran at WMO Congress 2023. Image: WMO
Moran said he joins the World Meteorological Organization at ‘a serious juncture’ for world climate.
Eoin Moran, director of Met Éireann, has been elected as second vice-president of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the UN’s authoritative voice on all things weather and climate. This follows a vote at the 19th World Meteorological Congress in Geneva yesterday (1 June).
Moran has been a permanent representative of Ireland at the WMO since 2016, when he took charge of Met Éireann. He will now begin a four-year term as second vice-president at the UN agency responsible for international cooperation in meteorology and other related sciences.
Last year, Moran was elected as chair of Europe’s meteorological satellite agency, EUMETSAT, for a two-year term. He is also chair of the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts policy advisory committee and a member of Ireland’s Climate Change Advisory Council.
Eoin MORAN, Director of Met Éireann @MetEireann has been elected 2nd Vice-President of WMO at #MeteoWorld.
He is currently Chair of the @eumetsat Council and the Chair of the @ECMWF Policy Advisory Committee (PAC). pic.twitter.com/GMxeYHUgFd— World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) June 1, 2023
“It is a significant honour for Ireland to hold such a senior role within the United Nations system and for the director of Met Éireann to take up such a position,” said Minister Darragh O’Brien, TD. “Assuming this role during this climate emergency enhances the State’s continued influence, relevance and presence on the world stage and demonstrates recognition of Ireland’s leadership in coordinating a critical scientific response to this global crisis.”
Moran will be working along first vice-president Daouda Konate of Cote d’Ivoire and third vice-president Mrutyunjay Mohapatra of India. Meanwhile, the WMO will be led by Celeste Saulo of Argentina, the first woman secretary-general of the organisation, and Dr Abdulla Al Mandous of the UAE, who takes over as president.
Moran said his appointment comes at “a serious juncture” for the world’s climate, where leadership by the WMO is needed “now more than ever before” in its 150-year history.
“I am delighted to have been chosen for this role in WMO and honoured by this opportunity to contribute to the development of global capability where all communities, especially the most vulnerable, are resilient to the impact of extreme weather, climate, floods and drought.”
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