V. P. Meleshko, the Doctor of Science (Physics and Mathematics), the Honored Science Worker of the Russian Federation, was born in Mariupol on October 29, 1934. Since 1957, he has worked in the Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory.

His area of specialization includes the study of climate and its change by the methods of physical and mathematical modeling, the assessment of climate change effects on different economic sectors, and the development of methods of long-range weather forecasting using the hydrodynamic models of atmosphere and ocean. Scientific journals published 145 papers with the results of his researches.

In 1969–1974 and 1981–1986, he worked in Switzerland (Geneva) in the WMO United Group of International Research Program Planning (Global Atmospheric Research Program and World Climate Research Programme). He was occupied with the coordination of scientific research in the framework of mentioned programs. Having come back from Switzerland, he worked in the Main Geophysical Observatory as a deputy director (in 1994–2007, as a director).

V. P. Meleshko took part in numerous international activities being a member of different working groups, committees, and councils that are closely associated with the activity in the World Climate Research Programme. During many years (1989–2011), he took part as a leading author in the preparation of three reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He participated as an expert-reviewer in the preparation of the fourth report published in September 2007. The activity of this panel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.

In 2006–2008, he headed the team for the preparation of the Roshydromet First Assessment Report on Climate Change and Its Consequences in the Russian Federation (Vol. 1). He took part in the preparation of the Roshydromet Second Assessment Report on Climate Change. He was a member of the editorial board of Climate Dynamics international journal for many years.

At present, he is a chief scientific officer, the head of the Division for Dynamic Meteorology of the Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory, and the vice-president of the Supervisory Board of Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center in Saint-Petersburg.