When climate change triggers extreme climatalogical events, meteorologists stress that climate can serve as a kind of resource and should be developed to relieve the current global energy shortage.

About 120 experts from across the world convened in Beijing on Tuesday at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Technical Conference on "Climate as a Resource."

With the rapid growth of the world population, people need more natural resources and climate changes has posed impact on every aspect of their life, including the supply of food, energy, fresh water and various public services, said Mr. Jarraud, secretary-general of the WMO.

"To respond appropriately to these challenges, substantial effort is required in mobilizing each nation's natural resources optimally and efficiently," he said.

"In this respect, climate is among the biggest of these resources and one to be constantly explored for meeting the growing demands of societies, within the context of the achievement of sustainable development," he said.

"Climate as a resource is renewable and clean and thus it's important to develop wind and solar energy effectively amid the current global energy shortage," said Qin Dahe, head of the China Meteorological Administration.

Meanwhile, climate as a resource is closely related with people's daily life, including urban planning and construction, tourism and traffic industries, Qin said.

An international conference on renewable resources adopted a declaration in 2004. A total of 154 participating countries and regions agreed to improve the capacities to utilize renewable resources like wind and solar energy.

The WMO conference was hosted by the China Meteorological Administration. The discussion topics include climate and water, climate and food production and climate applications and decision-making.

(Xinhua News Agency November 2, 2005)