World Metrology Day

World Metrology Day is an annual celebration of the signing of the Metric Convention on 20 May 1875 by representatives of seventeen countries. The Convention established a framework for global cooperation in the science of measurement and its industrial, commercial and societal applications. The original goal of the Metric Convention - worldwide uniformity of measurement - remains as important today as it was in 1875. Since then, the Convention has been the foundation of a globally coherent system of measurement, the basis for scientific discovery and innovation, industrial production and international trade, as well as for improving the quality of life and protecting the global environment.

The importance of this system, and of measurement in general, is recalled by the theme of this year's World Metrology Day; it deals with measurement, supporting the global food system. The topic was chosen because of the growing challenges of climate change and the global distribution of food in a world with an ever-growing population.

Food sufficiency is one of the basic conditions of life and therefore ensuring access to safe and affordable food is a major challenge for governments around the world as well as for farmers and food producers. In 2021, food trade was worth USD 22 trillion and accounted for approximately 20% of all world trade.

It is widely recognised that the depletion of natural resources and the impact of climate change pose major challenges to the global food system, with the goal of achieving a world without hunger and with universal access to clean water. This goal has been included among the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. The theme of World Metrology Day 2023 is then a reminder of the importance of working at all levels of metrology.

The theme of World Metrology Day is also the subject of two articles in No 2/2023 of Metrology Journal (Only Czech version here).

You can find more information here.