Climate information for reducing disaster risk

Over the last 50 years, nine out of ten natural disasters around the world have been the result of extreme weather and climate events. Storms, floods, droughts, heatwaves, dust storms, wildfires and many other natural hazards threaten the lives and livelihoods of millions of people worldwide.

The threat is expected to grow due to climate change, with climate models predicting weather extremes of greater frequency and intensity in the future.

Although natural hazards cannot be eliminated, societies need accurate science-based climate information now to facilitate effective disaster risk reduction strategies that prevent the hazards from becoming disasters today and in the future.

Weather and climate extremes affect every sector of society, including agriculture, public health, water, energy, transport, tourism and overall socio-economic development. A single natural disaster can significantly set back economic progress in any given community.

Hurricane Ivan in 2004 caused losses in Grenada of about 2.5 times its annual gross domestic product (GDP).

The communities exposed to the greatest risk are found in developing countries, which often have populations in sensitive coastal areas, less diversified economies and fragile infrastructures, combined with low capacities for risk reduction and disaster management measures.

Rising sea levels in particular pose a growing threat to communities in low-lying coastal areas and small island developing states. Glacial and ice cover melt is raising sea levels, compounding sea-level rise due to the heating and expansion of the oceans. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which was established by WMO and the United Nations Environment Program, estimates that sea level may rise by 0.6 metres by the year 2100.

Some countries could lose large areas of land for both habitat and food production. Sea-level rise, coupled with increases in floods, droughts and tropical cyclones, could force thousands to millions of people to relocate. Climate change is therefore a humanitarian issue, as well as a scientific one, affecting every aspect of people's lives.

Enhanced climate information in support of disaster risk reduction is a vital tool that can help communities respond to these growing threats. Shifting from emergency response to preparedness and prevention strategies, as called for in the Hyogo Framework for Action, requires the use of climate predictions and information to identify, assess and monitor disaster risks.

Science-based disaster risk reduction offers a high return on investment; one dollar invested in disaster preparedness can save seven dollars' worth of disaster-related economic losses. More accurate weather and climate forecasts and warnings play a key role in anticipating risk to lives and property.

Courtesy: World Meteorological Organization