The World Meteorological Organisation’s (WMO) Regional Association for Asia has lent its support to the UN proposal to assure Early Warnings for All in the most disaster-prone region of the world, which is home to more than half of the world’s population.
A high-level declaration with strong recommendations to advance the four main Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) pillars on risk knowledge and management, observations and forecasting, dissemination and communication, and preparedness and response was released by ministers, heads of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services from 24 countries, and important regional partners.
According to the declaration, early warning systems are a proven effective, and feasible tool for climate adaptation measures that save lives and are shown to provide nearly a tenfold return on investment.
The declaration highlights the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report on Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability, which recognises early warning systems, climate services and disaster risk management activities as key cross-cutting adaptation options.
Read Also: Analysts say Chinese coal boom threatens 1.5C emission goal
It says warning systems deliver multiple socioeconomic benefits to society and are key in shaping weather- and climate resilience which underpins the attainment of many Sustainable Development Goals.
President of WMO Regional Association for Asia, Dr Abdulla Ahmed Al Mandous, said: “Climate change impacts are wreaking an ever-increasing human, financial and environmental toll, worsening food security and poverty and holding back sustainable development in Asia.”
Al Mandous said the one-day high-level event on the “United Nation’s Early Warnings for All initiative” will give us a great opportunity to brief our key policy and decision-makers on the high payoff of investments in weather and climate services and solutions in terms of lives saved, property protected, and economic gains achieved.”
WMO and the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction are co-leading the Early Warnings for All initiative to ensure that everyone on Earth is protected by early warnings in the next five years.
Story was adapted from Enviro News
