Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen their collaboration on AI applications for weather, climate and disaster resilience. The agreement was signed at the AI for Good Global Summit, in the presence of German-UN Ambassador Antje Leendertse.
The MOU was signed by Fraunhofer HHI Executive Director Thomas Wiegand and WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, formalising a partnership that builds on several years of joint work between the two organisations.
Speaking at the signing, Wiegand reflected on the roots of the collaboration, recalling Fraunhofer HHI's work with WMO over the past six years as partners in the UN Global Initiative on Resilience to Natural Hazards through AI Solutions and its focus group predecessor. "We at the institute are really happy to work together with WMO on actionable results that make sure the effects of natural hazards can be mitigated”
Saulo emphasised the potential of AI to strengthen disaster resilience. “This partnership between our two organisations will allow us to harness the power of cutting edge technologies to benefit society”.
Ambassador Leendertse, who has supported the relationship between the two organisations, offered her congratulations to both parties: "I wish you all the best and look forward to witnessing the successes of this cooperation."
The agreement provides a framework for continued cooperation between Fraunhofer HHI and WMO on the use of AI across the observation and early-warning chain, with the aim of strengthening the resilience of communities to natural hazards.
The collaboration was already visible in practice on the first day of the summit, when Fraunhofer HHI and WMO, together with other UN and academic partners, launched a new Drought Prediction AI Challenge during a morning workshop on disaster resilience and standards.
Read about the challenge.