Better weather warnings could save 23,000 lives: UN

GENEVA: An estimated 23,000 lives a year could be saved through improving weather forecasts, early warning systems and climate information, the United Nations said on Thursday.

Investment in multi-hazard early warning programmes could create potential annual benefits worth at least $162 billion -- 10 times the cost, the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said in a report.

High-quality "hydromet" services -- weather, climate, hydrological and related environmental services -- are the foundation for effective climate change adaptation and resilience, the study said.

The first biennial Hydromet Gap Report, which looks at solutions for effective climate action and sustainable development, said only 40 percent of countries currently had effective warning systems.

Some countries lacked the most basic capacity in terms of equipment and skills, said the report, produced by the WMO in collaboration with other UN agencies and partners including the World Bank and the African, Asian and Islamic development banks.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for greater efforts this year on adjusting to climate change to help the vulnerable deal with the consequences of future weather and climate events.

"Our climate is rapidly changing. The past decade was the hottest on record. Global mean temperature is approximately 1.2 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial times," said WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas. "We are far off track from reducing global greenhouse gas emissions to avert the worst impacts of climate change and limit temperature rise to within 1.5C, in line with the Paris Agreement."

"Science-based, data-driven weather and climate services are the foundation for effective adaptation measures." The report said investment through reliable and accurate weather forecasts and early warning systems could avoid losses, and improve economic production in weather-sensitive sectors.