Global warming is pushing the planet to the brink, says UN Secretary General

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By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA (Reuters) -The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned on Wednesday that global warming is pushing the planet to the brink and urged countries to implement disaster warning systems to protect people against extreme weather.

“Every one of the last ten years has been the hottest in history. Ocean heat is breaking records while decimating ecosystems. And no country is safe from fires, floods, storms and heatwaves,” he told delegates at the UN World Meteorological Organization’s extraordinary conference in Geneva to mark its 75th year.

Guterres urged countries to mobilize funding to enable a global system of surveillance, known as Early Warning Systems, to protect people from extreme weather.

“They give farmers the power to protect their crops and livestock. Enable families to evacuate safely. And protect entire communities from devastation,” Guterres said.

Getting notice 24 hours before a hazardous event can reduce damage by up to 30%, he added.

Over 60% of countries have introduced multi-hazard Early Warning Systems since Guterres launched an initiative in 2022 for all countries to have these in place by 2027.

In the past five decades, weather, water and climate-related hazards have killed more than 2 million people, with 90% of those deaths occurring in developing countries, the WMO said on Monday.

(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin, editing by Thomas Escritt)