NEW YORK, MARCH 23 – On World Meteorological Day, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced that the UN will spearhead new action to ensure every person on Earth is protected by early warning systems within five years.
The Secretary-General asked the WMO (World Meteorological Organization) to lead this effort and to present an action plan at the next UN climate conference that will take place at the end of this year, in Sharm-el-Sheikh, in Egypt.
Weather, climate and water extremes are becoming more frequent and intense in many parts of the world as a result of climate change. Forecasts of what the weather will BE are no longer enough. Impact-based forecasts that inform the public of what the weather will DO are vital to save lives and livelihoods. Yet today, one-third of the world’s people, mainly in least developed countries and small island developing states, are still not covered by early warning systems. The Secretary-General said that this is unacceptable, particularly when climate impacts are getting worse. “Early action and early warnings save lives”, said Guterres. (@OnuItalia)