BELHYDROMET

Today, March 24, the scientific and practical conference "Observing Today, Protecting Tomorrow" was held at the headquarters of Belhydromet, timed to coincide with World Meteorological Day.

The event brought together leading specialists in the field of hydrometeorology, climatologists, hydrologists, and representatives of related scientific disciplines. The program covered a wide range of topics, from the application of machine learning methods in weather forecasting and the study of intense convective processes to the assessment of climate change, hydrological risks, and adaptation strategies.

Opening the conference, Siarhei Khilman, Head of Belhydromet, warmly congratulated his colleagues on the recent professional holiday. He also shared the progress made by Belhydromet specialists in modernizing the observation network and improving forecast information to ensure hydrometeorological safety for citizens, while emphasizing the importance of holding such events.

“The theme of our scientific and practical conference is "Observing Today, Protecting Tomorrow." This is not merely a slogan proposed by the World Meteorological Organization. It is a profound principle to be embraced: by observing today, we are not only making forecasts, we are protecting the future, the generations to come, and our planet.

Belhydromet continuously works to improve forecast information, tailoring its content to the specific needs of users and ensuring it is accessible and comprehensible.

However, it is worth noting that only collective efforts will allow us to effectively respond to the challenges posed by climate change. Our scientific and practical conference is a unique opportunity to listen to one another, see the bigger picture, and identify where our efforts can intersect and contribute to a shared outcome. Our meeting is a step toward uniting knowledge and experience.”

The conference was particularly enriched by the participation of international specialists, which served as a clear testament to the demand for professional, multifaceted dialogue, including on the Belarusian platform. Among the foreign participants was Aleksandr Sprygin, a representative of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Research and Production Association “Typhoon” (Russian Federation), who personally visited Belhydromet and delivered a presentation on the study of intense convective processes over the East European Plain. Colleagues from the Federal State Budgetary Institutions “State Hydrological Institute”, Scientific Research Center of Space Hydrometeorology “Planeta”, “All-Russian Research Institute of Hydrometeorological Information – World Data Center”, and “Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory” joined the event online, with their presentations becoming an integral part of the conference’s robust scientific agenda.

The conference’s broad geographic reach was further enhanced by specialists from the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Republic of Armenia, who presented their reports online.

Participation by representatives of Belarusian institutions, such as the Belarusian State University, the Republican Center for Control and Response to Emergency Situations of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and the Institute of Nature Management of the National Academy of Sciences, was no less significant, underscoring the interagency nature of the issues discussed.

Upon conclusion of the event, all speakers were awarded participation certificates.

In the context of global climate change, with extreme phenomena becoming increasingly intense, it is precisely the collaborative efforts of scientists, forecasters, hydrologists, and climatologists that serve as the primary tool for safeguarding the future. The outcomes of the conference “Observing Today, Protecting Tomorrow” allow us to confidently affirm: weather knows no borders, but it has a steadfast alliance of those who study it.