UN warns that half the world not prepared for disasters

Geneva - A new United Nations and World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) report warns half the countries globally are not protected by multi-hazard early warning systems.

The numbers are worse for developing countries on the front lines of climate change. Less than half of the least developed countries and only one-third of small island developing states have a multi-hazard early warning system.

The report analyses new data and shows that countries with limited early warning coverage have disaster mortality that is eight times higher than countries with substantial to comprehensive coverage.

The world is failing to invest in protecting the lives and livelihoods of those on the front line. Those who have done the least to cause the climate crisis are paying the highest price, UN secretary-general António Guterres says.

Extreme weather events will happen. But they do not need to become deadly disasters. Early warning systems are a proven means to reduce harm to people and damage to assets ahead of impending hazards, including storms, tsunamis, droughts, and heatwaves, to name a few.

Multi-hazard early warning systems address several hazards that may occur alone, simultaneously, or cascadingly.

Many systems only cover one type of hazard such as– like floods or cyclones. As climate change causes more frequent, extreme, and unpredictable weather events, investment in early warning systems that target multiple hazards is more urgent than ever.

This is because of the need to warn not only against the initial impact of disasters, but also second and third-order effects such as soil liquefaction following an earthquake or a landslide, and disease outbreaks following heavy rainfall.

Pakistan is dealing with its worst recorded climate disaster, with 1700 lives lost. Despite this carnage, the death toll would have been much higher if not for early warning systems.

The number of recorded disasters has increased by a factor of five, driven in part by human-induced climate change and more extreme weather.

The trend is expected to continue. Early warning systems are a proven and effective climate adaptation measure, that save lives and money.

The new report recommends investment in all elements of early warning systems, but particularly in risk knowledge to better plan early warning systems and in building the capacity of at-risk communities for early action.

It also recommends investing in enhanced data and better access to technology for stronger hazard monitoring, faster communication of warnings, and better tracking of progress.