UN officials call for worldwide alert system as 'spiraling' threat becomes more extreme: 'Early warning means early action'

The United Nations' World Meteorological Organization is calling for an expansion of global monitoring and forecasting networks to alert people in developing nations about extreme weather events, as reported by Al Jazeera.

"Early warning means early action," said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo in a speech at the UN's annual conference in Geneva. "Our goal is to not only warn the world; it is to empower it."

What's happening?

The world's changing climate has caused an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, and the UN's meteorological agency has reported that climate-related events have killed more than 2 million people in the last 50 years.

The article reported that nearly half of all countries are especially vulnerable to these weather events, and developing nations are particularly at risk because of a lack of alert systems.

The agency says it is concerned about the lack of protection against these weather events and believes that early warning systems could prevent a majority of the deaths caused by the weather.

The WMO said that, although progress has been made and the number of countries using early warning systems is increasing, there is a long way to go. Only half of the countries using the systems are using their basic functions, and 16% of countries are using less than basic capacity.

Why is the early warning system important?

An early warning system allows more time for evacuations and preparations when an extreme weather event is likely to affect an area. These events include hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, and the collapse of glaciers.

Early warning systems are vital to give people the opportunity to fortify their environment or escape it.

More widespread use of early warning systems could save lives.

What's being done about implementing early warning systems in areas where they are lacking?

The WMO is working to increase awareness about the lack of utilization of the early warning system for extreme weather events. As more countries have functioning systems, more lives will be saved.

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The WMO stressed that the climate-related weather events are increasing, stating that "impacts are spiraling as weather becomes more extreme."

The article noted that progress is being made, but more must be done.

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