Estimates of the Office of Disaster Risk Reduction revealed that events related to climate change in different regions of the world in 2021 resulted in losses to the global economy exceeding $170 billion.
Without more ambitious action, the physical, social and economic impacts of climate change will be increasingly devastating,” a new warning launched by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), within a report that considers the world is moving in the “wrong direction” with regard to the ambition of the “Paris Agreement” goal. » By working to avoid global warming by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius than it was before the industrial revolution.
And while the “United in Science” report, issued by the United Nations organization, showed that greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise to record levels, it called for the need for pledges to reduce emissions by 2030 to be 7 times higher than they are now. The report warned that, given the increase in emissions, it cannot be ruled out that the Earth’s climate system will reach a “point of no return”.
Commenting on that report, Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the Organization, said: Many extreme weather events have increased in frequency and become more severe, and added that “it is now more important than ever that we expand the scope of work on early warning systems, to build capacity to be resilient to current and future climate risks, in vulnerable communities.”
Expand early warning systems
WMO is leading a plan of action called for by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, to provide early warning services to all people, within 5 years, given that one third of the world’s population, especially in the least developed countries and small island states, is not covered by the early warning system. He pointed out that “the situation in Africa is even worse, as the percentage of those who are not covered by these systems is 60%.”
The Global Assessment Report 2022, issued by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), showed that between 350 and 500 disasters of medium and large size occurred every year over the past two decades, and it is expected that by 2030 to 560 cases per year, an average of 1.5 disasters per day.
Estimates of the Office of Disaster Risk Reduction revealed that events related to climate change, which occurred in different regions of the world in 2021, led to losses for the global economy exceeding $170 billion, an increase of $20 billion over the estimates of the previous year, amid warnings that the losses The resulting environmental disasters on the African continent are close to half a trillion dollars annually.
Africa incurs $415 billion annually
Minister of Planning and Economic Development in the Egyptian government, Dr. Hala El-Said, said in her speech during a side event on the sidelines of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (COP27): The cost of structural damage caused by natural disasters in Africa may rise to $415 billion annually. by 2030, if “quick action” is not taken to prevent this from happening.
During one of the activities of the Climate Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Christian Aid, a British charitable organization, presented a set of scenarios for what the situation in Africa could become, whether in the event of global warming to 2.7 degrees Celsius by the end of the current century, or Even if the countries of the world succeed in achieving the goal of the Paris Agreement, to keep the temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
