President Klaus Iohannis and Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Petteri Taalas met on the sidelines of the Climate Implementation Summit of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) taking place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Agerpres reports.

According to the Presidential Administration, the talks focused on topics related to the COP27 agenda, with an emphasis on the role of research and meteorological services in addressing climate change. The particularly important role of scientific research and innovation for an orderly ecological transition was also highlighted.

President Iohannis and the WMO Secretary-General agreed on the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change by implementing public policies based on quality data and science. To this effect, communication between decision-makers and the scientific community engaged in the study of climate change must be improved, the Presidential Administration states.

The head of state mentioned Romania’s contribution to the generation of essential meteorological and climate data for mitigating and adjusting to climate change at international level, pointing out that the National Meteorological Administration is very active in the structures of the World Meteorological Organization, and that meteorological data has an impact on the citizens’ everyday life and well-being.

In this context, President Iohannis specified that starting in 2023, Romania will host the Regional Agrometeorological Center for the WMO Europe Region, with implications for international food security, endangered by climate change.

„Through the data it will provide, the Center will be essential in the national and international adjustment of food production systems to climate change. The Center will also contribute to increasing food security in Romania, Europe and countries outside Europe,” the Presidential Administration states.

Agerpres