WMOD00399

• Title: WMO Training Workshop on Weather Modification for Meteorologists - Lecture Notes
• Date: 12/1/1979
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

OVERALL PEP PROGRAM, PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES,
THE SSP-] PROGRAM

Roland List

Department of Physics
University of Torouto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

1. INTRODUCTION

WMO has been concerned for many years aboHt a variety of aspects of weather modi-
fication. It approved a first Technical Note (No. 13) devoted to this field of Meteorology
"The AILU..Mc.iaf ContJwl 06 CloucU, and HycvwmeteoftJ.>" in 1955, and a completely revised
version, Technical Note No. 105 "Atr-UMcA-al ModiMc.ation 06 Cloud~ and Pftec.ip-Lttrtion" by
M. Neiburger in 1969. These reports represent concise treatments of the scientific aspects
of weather modification and helped to clear the way for a short official WMO statement on
"Pft~en:t State 06 Kvwwledge and POMible Pftac.tic.al Bene6itJ.> in Mme Field)., 06 weatheft
ModiMc.ation". This position paper has been extended and amplified in 1975 by giving deeper
physical insight into the reasoning which led to the state-of-the-art document. The purpose
of these statements is to inform the Members of WMO (the governmental meteorological serv-
ices) about weather modification in a manner that allows them to make their own judgement in
related matters. Of note is also the Report by J. Maybank 1977: "The Suenti6ic. Planning
and Oftganhation 06 Pftec.ipita:Uon Enhan(~emen:t Expetiment6, with Paft:tic.ufa!c A:t:tention to
Agftic.ul:tuftal Need~; Technical Note No. 154, WMO-No. 478.

The lack of sufficient .numbers of specialists in cloud physics and weather modifi-
cation as viewed from a world-wide need resulted in a recommendation of what constitutes a
proper curriculum for an 'Advanced Training and Specialization Program' in this field (List,
1975). Further, the concern for dissemfnation and discussion of scientific knowledge led
WMO to arrange the follO\d.ng specialized meetings: (1) First WMO/IAMAP Scientific Confer-
ence on Weather Modification, Tashkent, U.S.S.R., 1-7 October 1973; (2) WHO Technical Con-
ference on Typhoon Modification, Manila, Philippines, 15-18 October 1974; and (3) Second
wNO Scientific Conference on Weather Modification, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A., 2-6 August
1976. The Third WMO Scientific Conference on Weather Modification is planned for July 21-25,
1980, in Clermont-Ferrand.

A world-wide survey of weather modification activities in 1972/73 by WMO indicated
that experiments and operations are widespread and that most of the Members which were not
directly involved in such activities at that time were at least interested in the state of
weather modification and its application (see also Changnon, 1975). The value of this type
of survey has been recognized by the 7th WMO Congress in Geneva in 1975 when it accepted the
new Weather Modification Program which contains a periodically updated registry of all
weather modification projects around the globe.

Weather modification directly affects economics and ecology. While it is supposed
to be beneficial as a whole and in the average, there may, nevertheless, be parties which
could experience detrimental effects. Hence, legal considerations are quite relevant - also
from the international point of view. This led to two informal WMO/UNEP Meetings on Legal
Aspects of Weather Modification in Geneva, 17-21 November 1975, and 17-21 April 1978.