Speaker

Special expertise: climate change, disasters, water, change management/efficiency gains, UN Born 3 July 1961 at Helsinki Finland. • MSc (1988) and PhD (1993) in meteorology at Helsinki University physics department: physics, meteorology, physical chemistry, and international development • Military service in Naval Academy, reserve captain • Management training at Helsinki Univ. on Economics and University of Leonardo Davinci, Paris 1985-2002 Professor, head of research and scientist at Finnish Meteorological Institute in charge of global change, ozone, and air quality research. Co-operation with US & European leading scientists. Vice-chairman of the European Commission atmospheric science panel 1995-2002 Director General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute 2002-2005, 2007-2015, government research and weather and marine service institute with 750 employees. Besides strong research arm also consultancy projects in ~100 countries on weather services. WMO Director of Development and Regional Activities 2005-2007. • WMO Executive Council Member 2008-2015 • Delegate of IPCC and chair of national IPCC Committee 2008-15 • Chairman of the EUMETSAT Council 2010-2014 (European Satellite Organization) • Chairman of EUMETNET Council 2003-2005 (31 European meteorological institutes) WMO Secretary General 2016-19 and 2020-2023. Taalas has led historical reform processes to modernize the constituent bodies, secretariat, their working practices, WMO partnerships and our role as climate, disasters, and water science communicator: • Reduction of WMO technical commissions from eight to two to break weather, climate and water silos and to support Earth system and multihazard disaster approach. • Opening of the doors for private sector and wider engagement of science community • Less, shorter and more action oriented WMO meetings including Executive Council and Congress • Reform of the Secretariat and its working practices: reorganization of the Secretariat, opening of all D posts for external applicants, selection based on merits/competence, reduction of administrative posts, G/P ration from 40 % to 17 %, hiring of young P3/P4 female and male experts (saved resources) • Strengthening of the role of WMO as status of climate and disaster science-based communication. Annual status of climate, greenhouse gas and United in Science reports, also region-specific reports