The Air Force Meteorological Service is attending the “Conference of Parties” (COP), the United Nations climate change conference currently underway in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), for the first time with a side event titled “Education & Training in Meteorology and Climatology”.

On 9 December, at the “Italia” pavilion, Brigadier General Luca Baione, Head of the General Office for Military Aviation and Meteorology and Italy's permanent representative to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), will coordinate a presentation entitled “Education & Training in Meteorology and Climatology”. The aim is to showcase to the international community the educational, training and specialisation opportunities that the “Italian System” offers in the field of meteorology and climatology.

Alongside the Italian Air Force Meteorological Service, many other centres of excellence in training, specialisation and education will represent Italy, such as the CNR Institute of Bioeconomy in Florence, already certified by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as a Regional Training Centre; the University of L'Aquila, which presents a master's degree course developed and overseen in conjunction with “La Sapienza” University of Rome; the Centre for Environmental Remote Sensing and Predictive Modelling of Severe Events (Cetemps) of L'Aquila; the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa; and the Hydrology Satellite Application Facilities (H-SAF) consortium, the largest under EUMETESAT, led by the Air Force with essential participation from the Civil Protection Department, which provides the consortium's Project Manager. The educational offering – ranging from short courses for specific sector operator needs to master's degrees – covers all areas of interest, from traditional to space meteorology; from the use of tools for data observation and processing to aerometeorology; from atmospheric monitoring for the study of climate change to innovative study paths on the ethics of climate change.

The certificates issued at the end of the courses, conducted in English and French, comply with the protocols of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and are therefore intended for international participants.

In addition to providing the national meteorological service, the Air Force provides meteorological support for all the country's security and defence activities, for National Defence plans and for NATO plans, as well as for all international cooperation missions in which Italy is involved, ensuring a “weather and climate” service in the various areas of the world where national contingents are engaged.

Furthermore, the Air Force Meteorological Service contributes to the study of climate change through its atmospheric monitoring stations at Monte Cimone (MO) and Vigna di Valle (RM), which are globally recognised centres of excellence. Finally, it provides its indispensable contribution to the Antarctic Campaign, now in its 39th Expedition.