This archive report was first published on 13 July 2021.
Published on July 13, 2021, a report by the Alliance for Hydromet Development highlights the importance of investing in weather forecasts, early warning systems, and climate information in low- and middle-income countries.
The report estimates that improving these services could save 23,000 lives per year and avert up to $2 billion in economic losses.
According to the report, reliable and accurate weather and climate services, such as early warning systems, create benefits worth at least ten times their costs and are vital to building resilience to extreme weather.
However, the report also reveals that only 40 percent of countries currently have effective multi-hazard early warning systems in place, and large gaps remain in the vital underpinning observations data upon which these services depend.
United Nations Secretary General António Guterres commented on the report, stating, “the first Hydromet Gap Report tells us how far we have to go to ensure all people have access to accurate, timely, weather and climate information.”
He added, “It presents the challenges of the complex global and local undertaking required for effective weather and climate forecast services and proposes priority solutions to scale up hydromet development.”
WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas emphasized the importance of science-based, data-driven weather and climate services, stating, “Science-based, data-driven weather and climate services are the foundation for effective adaptation measures.”
He also noted that the past decade was the hottest on record, and the increase in average global temperature already surpasses 1.2°C since pre-industrial times.
Prof. Taalas observed, “While the contribution of developing countries to greenhouse gas emissions is limited, the impacts of disasters from climate-related weather events are three times higher than in high-income countries.”
Alassane Ouattara, President of Côte d’Ivoire, stated, “Accurate weather forecasts and robust climate prediction is critical for adaptation policy and investment decisions.”
The Alliance for Hydromet Development was launched at the U.N. Climate Change Conference, COP25, in Madrid, with members collectively committing to unite and scale up efforts to close the capacity gap on high-quality weather, climate, hydrological, and related environmental services.
Policy makers, planners, farmers, and many developing countries need better and reliable climate information in real time.
As the world continues to suffer due to the wrath of climate change, the report's findings highlight the urgent need for investment in weather forecasts, early warning systems, and climate information.
