Channel: Down To Earth

Category: Science & Technology

Tags: sustainable developmentenvironmentcsedown to earthsciencehealth mobilitycivil service preparationsupsccentre for science and environmentias coaching

Description: Global GHG emissions are set to rise by 14% this decade alone, in spite of warnings that we must reduce emissions by 45% in order to stop temperature rise beyond 1.5 degree celsius above pre-industrial levels. Since the reliance on fossil fuels is far from over, we must invest in adaptation measures that can predict storms, heatwaves, floods and droughts. This is why early warning systems are important, which is the thematic area of focus for World Meteorological Day 2022. Early warnings are an integrated system which allows people to know adverse hazardous weather is on its way, and informs how governments, communities and individuals can act to minimize the impending impacts. World Meteorological Day is celebrated to honor the formation of the World Meteorological Organization on 23rd March 1950. Even today, one in three people are not covered by early warning systems. A WMO report showed that between 1970 and 2019, more than 11,000 disasters linked to weather, climate and water related hazards took place. This is equal to one disaster per day and about 2 million deaths, more than 100 in a day. The number of disasters has increased five-fold in the past fifty years and the economic cost of it has skyrocketed, almost 202 USD per day. But the casualties have fallen by three times, largely attributing to better weather forecasts and better disaster management. Apart from community mobilization and more awareness , satellite technology has led to huge leaps in forecasting capabilities of experts. The aim is to understand what risks the foreseeable disasters could bring to an area that will be affected – which may differ if it is a city or rural area, polar, coastal or mountainous regions. The 2019 Global Commission on Adaptation flagship report ‘Adapt Now’ found that Early Warning Systems provide more than a tenfold return on investment – the greatest of any adaptation measure in the report. According to an ambitious new target by the UN, everyone should be covered by early warning systems within the next five years. WMO will present an action plan for this during the next conference in Egypt this November. Human caused climate change has already caused enough suffering, as detailed in the most recent IPCC report. If the WMO is able to give earlier earnings and disseminate information to the disaster management authorities in time, lives and livelihoods can be saved across the world. Predictions of how the weather will be are no longer enough. Impact based forecasts are the need of the hour where people need to know what a weather system is capable of doing. Governments can achieve a smooth response protocol with the help of meteorological services, especially in countries that are more vulnerable to climate disasters.