View source for International Bureau of Weights and Measures

{{short description|Intergovernmental measurement science and measurement standards setting organisation}}
{{Primary sources|date=July 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox organization
| name                     = International Bureau of Weights and Measures
| image                    = Metric seal.svg
| image_border             =
| size                     =
| alt                      =
| caption                  =
| map                      = Metre Convention Signatories.svg
| msize                    =
| malt                     =
| mcaption                 = [[Metre Convention]] signatories
| abbreviation             = BIPM (from French name)
| formation                = {{start date and age|1875|05|20|df=yes}}
| extinction               =
| type                     = [[Intergovernmental organization|Intergovernmental]]
| status                   =
| purpose                  =
| headquarters             =
| location                 = [[Saint-Cloud]], France
| coordinates              = {{coord|48|49|45.55|N|2|13|12.64|E|display=title,inline}}
| region_served            = Worldwide
| membership               = 64 member states<br>36 associate states (see [[Metre Convention#Membership|the list]])
| language                 = French and English
| leader_title             = Director
| leader_name              = Martin Milton
| main_organ               =
| parent_organization      =
| affiliations             =
| num_staff                =
| num_volunteers           =
| budget                   =
| website                  = {{URL|https://www.bipm.org/}}
| remarks                  =
}}
The '''International Bureau of Weights and Measures''' ({{langx|fr|Bureau International des Poids et Mesures}}, '''BIPM''') is an [[List of intergovernmental organizations|intergovernmental organisation]], through which its 59 member-states act on measurement standards in areas including [[chemistry]], [[ionising radiation]], physical [[metrology]], as well as the [[International System of Units]] (SI) and [[Coordinated Universal Time]] (UTC).<ref>{{cite web |title=Welcome |url=https://www.bipm.org/en/ |website=BIPM |access-date=4 March 2024}}</ref> It is based in [[Saint-Cloud]], near [[Paris]], [[France]]. The organisation has been referred to as '''IBWM''' (from its name in English) in older literature.{{refn|group=note|English translations by government agencies have used the initialism '''IBWM''' in documentation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=5 FAH-3 H-310 Organization acronyms |url=https://fam.state.gov/FAM/05FAH03/05FAH030310.html |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=Foreign Affairs Manual }}</ref>}}
==Structure==
The BIPM is overseen by the [[General Conference on Weights and Measures#CIPM|International Committee for Weights and Measures]] ({{langx|fr|Comité international des poids et mesures, CIPM}}), a committee of eighteen members that meet normally in two sessions per year,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bipm.org/en/committees/cipm/ |title=International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) |publisher=BIPM |access-date=9 April 2021}}</ref> which is in turn overseen by the [[General Conference on Weights and Measures]] ({{langx|fr|Conférence générale des poids et mesures, CGPM}}) that meets in Paris usually once every four years, consisting of delegates of the governments of the Member States<ref>{{Cite book|last=Pellet|first=Alain|title=Droit international public|publisher=LGDJ|year=2009|isbn=978-2-275-02390-8|pages=574}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Schermers|first1=Henry G.|authorlink1=Henry G. Schermers |last2=Blokker |first2=Niels M. |authorlink2=Niels Blokker |title=International Institutional Law|publisher=Brill|year=2018|isbn=978-90-04-38165-0|pages=302–303}}</ref> and observers from the Associates of the CGPM. These organs are also commonly referred to by their French initialisms.
==History==
The BIPM was created on 20 May 1875, following the signing of the [[Metre Convention]], a [[treaty]] among 17 Member States ({{as of|2018|November|df=14|lc=on|since=}} there are now 59 members).<ref name="bipm-history">{{cite web
| url=https://www.bipm.org/en/measurement-units/history-si/
| title=Brief history of the SI
| publisher=BIPM
| access-date=14 May 2020}}</ref>{{Fv|date=April 2024}}
It is based at the [[Pavillon de Breteuil]] in [[Saint-Cloud]], France, a {{cvt|4.35|ha|adj=on}} site (originally {{cvt|2.52|ha|disp=or}})<ref name="BIPM1975">{{cite book
| url = https://archive.org/details/internationalbur420page
| pages = [https://archive.org/details/internationalbur420page/page/26 26]–27
| title = The International Bureau of Weights and Measures 1875–1975: NBS Special Publication 420
| date = 20 May 1975
| editor1-last = Page
| editor1-first = Chester H
| editor2-last = Vigoureux
| editor2-first = Paul
| publisher = National Bureau of Standards
| location = [[Washington, D.C.]]}}</ref> granted to the Bureau by the [[French Third Republic|French Government]] in 1876. Since 1969 the site has been considered international territory, and the BIPM has all the rights and privileges accorded to an intergovernmental organisation.<ref name="bipm-status">{{cite web
| url=https://www.bipm.org/en/about-us/pavillon-de-breteuil/#section9
| title=History of the Pavillon de Breteuil
| publisher=BIPM
| access-date=14 May 2020}}</ref> This status was further clarified by the French decree No 70-820 of 9 September 1970.<ref name="BIPM1975" />
Several significant changes to the BIPM have been made throughout its history during the meetings overseen by the CGPM. An example of this would be how in the 12th general council meeting (held in 1964), the BIPM's budget was increased from $300,000 to $600,000 per year.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Astin |first=A. V. |date=1964-02-28 |title=Weights and Measures |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.143.3609.974 |journal=Science |language=en |volume=143 |issue=3609 |pages=974–976 |doi=10.1126/science.143.3609.974 |pmid=17743934 |bibcode=1964Sci...143..974A |issn=0036-8075}}</ref> A historic moment for the BIPM occurred during the 26th CGPM in 2018. At this council, it was decided that world standard for the units of kilograms, seconds, amperes, Kelvins, moles, candelas, and meters would be redefined to reflect constants in nature. This is the first time this has happened since the creation of the BIPM. These changes were made official on [[World Metrology Day]] in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reed |first=EMAP: Emily Li, Graham Strzelecki, Maddie Rouse, and Andrew |date=2022-02-01 |title=26th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) |url=https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/0d1098e65daa4089a56b8dd1a7656199 |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=ArcGIS StoryMaps |language=en-us}}</ref>
Beginning in 1970, the BIPM began publishing the SI Brochure, a document detailing an up-to-date version of the [[International System of Units]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Wallard |first=Andrew J. |date=March 2006 |title=The International System of Units (SI brochure (EN)): 8th edition, 2006 |url=http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2018/ph241/carlton1/docs/si-8-mar06.pdf}}</ref> As of November 2024, the most recent version of the SI Brochure was the 9th edition published in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-20 |title=The International System of Units (SI) |url=https://peterburbery.com/the-international-system-of-units-si/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Peter C. Burbery website |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Function==
The BIPM has the mandate to provide the basis for a single, coherent system of measurements throughout the world, traceable to the [[International System of Units|International System of Units (SI)]]. This task takes many forms, from direct dissemination of units to coordination through international comparisons of national measurement standards (as in electricity and ionising radiation).{{Cn|date=April 2024}}
Following consultation, a draft version of the BIPM Work Programme is presented at each meeting of the General Conference for consideration with the BIPM budget. The final programme of work is determined by the CIPM in accordance with the budget agreed to by the CGPM.{{Cn|date=April 2024}}
Currently, the BIPM's main work includes:<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bipm.org/en/bipm/|title=BIPM: Our work programme|publisher=BIPM|access-date=14 May 2020|archive-date=30 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530232329/https://www.bipm.org/en/bipm/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oecd.org/governance/regulatory-policy/international-regulatory-cooperation-and-international-organisations-the-case-of-the-international-bureau-of-weights-and-measures.pdf#page=30 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.oecd.org/governance/regulatory-policy/international-regulatory-cooperation-and-international-organisations-the-case-of-the-international-bureau-of-weights-and-measures.pdf#page=30 |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |title=The Case of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM)|last=Cai |first=Juan (Ada) |date= |website=oecd.org |publisher=[[OECD]] |access-date=April 9, 2021}}</ref>
* Making brochures that define the [[International System of Units]].
* Scientific and technical activities carried out in its four departments: chemistry, ionising radiation, physical metrology, and time
* Liaison and coordination work, including providing the secretariat for the CIPM Consultative Committees and some of their Working Groups and for the CIPM MRA, and providing institutional liaison with the other bodies supporting the international quality infrastructure and other international bodies
* Capacity building and knowledge transfer programs to increase the effectiveness within the worldwide metrology community of those Member State and Associates with emerging metrology systems
* A resource centre providing a database and publications for international metrology
The BIPM is one of the twelve member organisations of the International Network on Quality Infrastructure (INetQI), which promotes and implements QI activities in [[metrology]], accreditation, standardisation and conformity assessment.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.inetqi.net/|title=International Network on Quality Infrastructure |publisher=INetQI|access-date=9 April 2021}}</ref>
The BIPM has an important role in maintaining accurate worldwide time of day. It combines, analyses, and averages the official atomic time standards of member nations around the world to create a single, official [[Coordinated Universal Time]] (UTC).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bipm.org/en/bipm/tai/|title=Time Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)|publisher=BIPM|access-date=14 May 2020|archive-date=29 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529163918/https://www.bipm.org/en/bipm/tai/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Directors ==
[[File:BIPM courtyard.jpg|thumb|260px|[[Pavillon de Breteuil]] in [[Saint-Cloud]], France]]
Since its establishment, the directors of the BIPM have been:<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.bipm.org/en/bipm/director/former-directors.html
| title = Directors of the BIPM since 1875
| year = 2018
| publisher = Bureau International des Poids et Mesures
| access-date = 14 May 2020
| archive-date = 27 March 2015
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150327140813/https://www.bipm.org/en/bipm/director/former-directors.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| newspaper = QMT News
| url = http://www.qmtmag.com/display_eds.cfm?edno=5190245
| title = NPL Fellow, Dr Martin Milton, is new Director at foundation of world's measurement system
| publisher = Quality Manufacturing Today
| date = August 2012
| access-date = 14 May 2020
|url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529050600/http://www.qmtmag.com/display_eds.cfm?edno=5190245 |archive-date= May 29, 2020 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" border="5" style="text-align:center"
! Name !! Country !! Mandate !! Notes
|-
| Gilbert Govi || Italy || 1875–1877 ||
|-
| J. Pernet || Switzerland || 1877–1879 || Acting director
|-
| [[Ole Jacob Broch]] || Norway || 1879–1889 ||
|-
| [[Justin-Mirande René Benoit|J.-René Benoît]]|| France || 1889–1915 ||
|-
| [[Charles Édouard Guillaume]] || Switzerland || 1915–1936 ||
|-
| [[Albert Pérard]] || France || 1936–1951 ||
|-
| Charles Volet || Switzerland || 1951–1961 ||
|-
| Jean Terrien || France || 1962–1977 ||
|-
| Pierre Giacomo || France || 1978–1988 ||
|-
| [[Terence Quinn|Terry J. Quinn]] || United Kingdom || 1988–2003 || Honorary director
|-
| Andrew J. Wallard || United Kingdom || 2004–2010 || Honorary director
|-
| Michael Kühne || Germany || 2011–2012 ||
|-
| Martin J. T. Milton || United Kingdom || 2013–present ||
|-
|}
==See also==
* [[History of the metre]]
* [[Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements]]
* [[International Organization for Standardization]]
* ''[[Metrologia]]''
* [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]]
* [[Seconds pendulum]]
* [[World Metrology Day]]
* [[Versailles project on advanced materials and standards]]
== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=note}}
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|International Bureau of Weights and Measures}}
* {{Official website|https://www.bipm.org/}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:International Bureau Of Weights And Measures}}
[[Category:Intergovernmental organizations established by treaty]]
[[Category:Metric system]]
[[Category:Metrology organizations]]
[[Category:Organizations based in Paris]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1875]]
[[Category:Standards organizations in France]]