Andrea Celeste Saulo, the first woman to lead United Nations’ climate agency

The World Meteorological Organization last week elected an Argentine, Professor Andrea Celeste Saulo, the first woman to steer the organisation amid its critical global role in battling the growing climate crisis.

Saulo, 59, will begin in her role early in January 2024 after gaining a comfortable vote at the UN climate summit at the agency's congress in Geneva.

The WMO, the specialised agency of the UN that promotes international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology and geophysics, said in a statement Saulo had been chosen by the organisation’s 193 members as part of the World Meteorological Congress at the UN in Geneva.

Saulo saw off stiff competition from three senior figures within the organisation - Russian-Swiss deputy secretary-general Elena Manaenkova, Chinese assistant secretary-general Zhang Wenjian alongside second vice president Albert Martis of Curacao.

Saulo is the current WMO Vice President and, since 2014, has also been director of Argentina's National Meteorological Service.

She will succeed outgoing secretary-general Petteri Taalas of Finland, who is set to complete his two-year mandate at the end of this year.

Why WMO matters

The WMO's role in climate action has become an increasingly important issue, while Argentine Saulo is expected to help the organisation in addressing the global problem.

Following her election, she underscored the challenges posed by "global threats" of inequality and climate change.

She said the WMO must bolster “the meteorological and hydrological services to protect populations and their economies, providing timely and effective services and early warning systems”.

She added she aims to drive the organisation towards "a scenario in which the voice of all members is heard equally, prioritising those most vulnerable and in which the actions it undertakes are aligned with the needs and particularities of each one of them.”

Following her successful vote, many in her home country were quick to pay tribute.

Argentina's President Alberto Fernández was among many to congratulate her in a tweet. The Peronist leader paid tribute to Argentina's scientific expertise and to Paulo's victory as the first woman who would go on to oversee the agency. He also highlighted the WMO's "key" role in the fight against the climate crisis.

Other prominent officials, such as Argentina's Foreign Ministry, also congratulated her, attributing the remarks to Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero and insisting "for Argentina, the candidacy is strategic, important and relevant in the history of our country".

Saulo is also a professor at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) and a researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET)

In 1996, Saulo gained her PhD in Meteorological Science from the University of Buenos Aires.

Her association with the WMO began in June 2015 after being chosen as a member of the WMO Executive Council. Almost three years later, she was elected second vice president of the organisation.

The WMO’s work involves international cooperation in monitoring greenhouse gases, glaciers melting, temperatures, sea levels and other climate crisis indicators, harnessing satellites and numerous weather stations.

During the recent meeting, the organisation also emphasised focusing on the cryosphere – the frozen world amid the increasing impact of melting sea ice, glaciers and permafrost, contributing to increased sea levels.