With climate-related disasters displacing more people than conflict, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday unveiled the details of his plan to ensure everyone is protected by early warning systems within the next five years.
The Executive Action Plan for the Early Warnings for All initiative, calls for initial new targeted investments of $ 3.1 billion between 2023 and 2027, equivalent to a cost of just 50 cents per person per year, according to the UN.
Mr. Guterres announced the plan at the COP27 climate change conference, underway in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, during a meeting of government and UN leaders, financing agencies, ‘Big Tech’ companies and the private sector.
He told them that people who have barely even contributed to the climate crisis are the most at risk and the least protected.
“Vulnerable communities in climate hotspots are being blindsided by cascading climate disasters without any means of prior alert,” he said.
“People in Africa, South Asia, South and Central America, and the inhabitants of small island states are 15 times more likely to die from climate disasters. These disasters displace three times more people than war. And the situation is getting worse.” Even though early warning systems save lives, vulnerable communities “have no way of knowing that hazardous weather is on its way”, Mr. Guterres continued.
“Countries with limited early warning coverage have disaster mortality eight times higher than countries with high coverage. The Action Plan launched today sets out the way forward to right this wrong, and protect lives and livelihoods.”
The UN chief had first announced the early warnings target back in March.
The plan will address key gaps in understanding disaster risk, monitoring and forecasting, rapid communication, and preparedness and response.
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