“Early warning systems work,” he told the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Geneva. “They give farmers the power to protect their crops and livestock. Allow families to evacuate safely. And protect entire communities from devastation.”
“We know that disaster-related mortality is at least six times lower in countries with good early warning systems,” the UN chief said.
He added that just 24 hours’ notice before a hazardous event can reduce damage by up to 30 percent.
In 2022, Mr. Guterres launched the Early warnings for everyone initiative to ensure that “everyone, everywhere” is protected by a warning system by 2027.
Progress has been made: more than half of countries are now equipped with multi-risk early warning systems. The world’s least developed countries have almost doubled their capacity since official reporting began, “but we have a long way to go,” the UN chief acknowledged.
At a special meeting of the World Meteorological Congress earlier this week, countries endorsed an urgent call for action to close remaining monitoring gaps.
Extreme weather conditions worsen
WMO Director Celeste Saulo, who has called for increased adoption of early warning systems, warned that the impacts of climate change are accelerating as “more extreme weather destroys lives and livelihoods and erodes hard-won development gains.”
She spoke of a “profound opportunity to harness climate intelligence and technological advances to build a more resilient future for all.”
Weather, water and climate hazards have killed more than two million people over the past five decades, with developing countries responsible for 90 percent of deaths, according to the WMO.
Mr. Guterres stressed that for countries to “act at the speed and scale required,” increased funding will be essential.
Increased funding
“Reaching every community requires increased funding,” he said. “But too many developing countries are stuck with limited fiscal space, slowing growth, crushing debt burdens and growing systemic risks..”
He also called for action at the source of the climate crisis, to try to limit rapidly progressing global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures – even though we know this target will be exceeded in the coming years, he said.
“One thing is already clear: we will not be able to contain global warming below 1.5 degrees in the coming years“, warned Mr. Guterres. “Overshooting is now inevitable. Which means that we will have a period, more or less long, with a greater or lesser intensity, greater than 1.5 degrees in the years to come.
However, “we are not condemned to live with 1.5 degrees” if there is a global paradigm shift and countries take appropriate measures.
At the next UN climate change conference, where states are expected to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade, “we need to be much more ambitious”, he said. COP30 will take place from November 10 to 21 in Belén, Brazil.
“In Brazil, leaders must agree on a credible plan to mobilize $1.3 trillion per year by 2035 for developing countries to finance climate action,” insisted Mr. Guterres.
Developed countries should honor their pledge to double climate adaptation funding to $40 billion this year and the Loss and Damage Fund must attract “substantial contributions”, he said.
Mr. Guterres stressed the need to “fight disinformation, online harassment and greenwashing,” referring to the UN-backed Global Initiative on Climate Change Information Integrity.
“Scientists and researchers should never be afraid to tell the truth,” he said.
He expressed solidarity with the scientific community and said the “ideas, expertise and influence” of WMO, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this week, are now “needed more than ever.”
Publicado anteriormente en Almouwatin.
