The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Executive Council has approved a detailed road map to speed up and scale up efforts to ensure that life-saving early warnings cover everyone on the planet.
The WMO Executive Council approved a detailed road map to scale up the Early Warnings for All Initiative which outlines the vision and actions to enhance the delivery and use of multi-hazard early warning systems. It covers the period from 2024-2027 with detailed dates, deliverables and defined responsibilities. This is in line with the target date set by United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres.
‘Strong early warning systems require stronger political and policy support from the international community and governments, in addition to significant investment in infrastructure, technology, and training. We must all champion the EW4All Initiative globally, advocating for increased investment and political will’, said Abdulla Al Mandous, President of the WMO.
‘People’s lives and people’s safety are our
top priority. Every single forecast that is issued has a human dimension. Every life we save has a human face, a family, a future’, said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.
‘It makes economic sense. Early warning systems provide a ninefold return on investment. They are the low-hanging fruit of climate adaptation. If we don’t invest, the cost of inaction will be much higher than the cost of action,’ she said.
Early warning systems have helped decrease the number of deaths and have reduced losses and damages resulting from hazardous weather, water, or climate events. They provide a nearly tenfold return on investment.
But major gaps still exist, especially in small island developing states and least developed countries. Some 70% of all deaths from climate-related disasters have occurred in the 46 poorest countries over the past 50 years.
The road map seeks to leverage the entire WMO network and enhance the capabilities of its the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) to protect lives a
nd livelihoods. WMO Members have already endorsed the structure underpinning the priority activities, with defined roles and responsibilities.
The road map defines priority hazards, including flash floods and riverine floods; tropical cyclones and extra-tropical storms, heatwaves, cold waves, thunderstorms, drought, coastal inundation, storm surge and cryosphere-related hazards such as glacial lake outflows. It also cites environmental hazards like wildfires, sand and dust storms, tsunamis, landslides and volcanic activity. The challenges are huge, but the benefits even bigger.
The WMO Executive Council also adopted an implementation plan for a Global Greenhouse Gas Watch and scaled-up action on the cryosphere. A Youth Action Plan was adopted to foster youth engagement in the hydrometeorological community, aligning with the UN Youth Strategy.
Source: Emirates News Agency