Climate-related disasters have inflicted economic losses exceeding $4.3 trillion and claimed over two million lives worldwide between 1970 and 2021, according to a report by the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Released on World Meteorological Day, the report highlights the escalating financial and human toll of extreme weather events.
WMO Secretary-General Prof. Celeste Saulo noted that while improved early warning systems have helped reduce casualties, economic costs continue to rise. “We are better at saving lives than ever before,” she said, “but climate-related disasters are growing more intense and frequent.”
The report warns that 2024 is set to become the first full year where global temperatures surpass 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, a threshold scientists say could accelerate climate disruptions. The past decade has been the hottest on record, marked by increasing heatwaves, stronger storms, and severe flooding.
This year’s World Meteorological Day theme, “Closing the Early Warnings Gap Together,” underscores the importance of improving climate alert systems. WMO reported that 108 countries now have multi-hazard early warning systems, more than doubling the 52 recorded in 2015. However, the agency stressed that global cooperation and increased investment are crucial for these warnings to translate into action.
“The time to act is now,” WMO stated, urging nations to expand technology, share resources, and enhance disaster preparedness. The UN’s ‘Early Warnings for All’ initiative aims to ensure every person worldwide is protected by an alert system by 2027, but achieving this goal requires urgent funding and policy support.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for stronger political commitment, greater technological assistance, and increased climate financing. “We need high-level political support, technological advancements, and expanded financial resources,” he said, emphasizing the role of multilateral development banks in funding resilience efforts.
The report paints a stark picture of the accelerating climate crisis. Global temperatures have broken records, with 2024 expected to be the hottest year in history. Carbon dioxide levels have reached their highest in 800,000 years, Arctic and Antarctic ice extents have hit record lows, and the rate of sea-level rise has doubled since satellite monitoring began.
Although the transition from La Niña to El Niño contributed to recent temperature surges, the report highlights that rising greenhouse gas emissions remain the primary cause of climate change. Without immediate action, scientists warn that extreme weather events will intensify, endangering lives, economies, and ecosystems worldwide.
Source: DAWN
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
