United in Science - WMO
/
2:26
/
MP4
/
178.3 MB
Transcripts
Teleprompter
Download

Press Conferences , Edited News | WMO

WMO Press Conference: 'United in Science' 2024 report - 18 September 2024

Climate crisis: New technologies offer hope for global action, says UN weather agency

Amid renewed warnings from leading climate scientists that global warming could reach 3°C above pre-industrial levels this century, the head of the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) insisted on Wednesday that new technologies and AI offer the opportunity to implement the drastic action needed to resist the existential crisis.

“The science is clear: we are far off track from achieving global climate goals,” said Celeste Saulo, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General. Speaking to journalists in Geneva, she noted that 2023 was the warmest year on record “by a huge margin. Leading international data sets say that the first eight months of 2024 are also the warmest on record.”

Ms. Saulo’s warning coincided with the publication of the latest multi-agency United in Science annual report. Its release comes as huge wildfires rage across Latin America and Portugal, while central European countries battle deadly flooding in the wake of Storm Boris, with Italy now on high alert following mass evacuations in Poland, Czech Republic, Austria and Romania.

Despite progress made in mitigating global greenhouse gas emissions, “the emissions gap remains high”, the WMO-partnered report notes. It further warns that if there is no change to current policies, there is a 66 per cent probability that global warming will reach 3°C this century.

Despite the troubling clarity of science, the report offers grounds for hope. “When the Paris Agreement was adopted, greenhouse gas emissions were projected to increase by 16 per cent by 2030, relatively to 2015,” explained the WMO chief. “Now, that projected increase is three per cent. So, progress has been made, but we need to be much more ambitious. The gap between aspiration and reality is a glaring one.”

New technologies and innovation are potential game-changers

In a call for global and urgent action coinciding with the upcoming Summit of the Future at UN headquarters in New York on 22-23 September, the UN weather agency underscored the untapped potential of natural and social sciences, new technology and innovation to help countries develop, reduce their vulnerability to disaster and adapt to climate change.

Space-based Earth observations are part of the solutions highlighted in the report, as they are crucial for effective weather forecasting, climate prediction and environmental monitoring. “Satellites are improving our ability to monitor greenhouse gas emissions, which is crucial for informing our efforts to mitigate emissions and to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement,” explained Lauren Stuart, scientific coordinator at WMO.

Another example is “immersive technologies, which are bridging the digital and the physical worlds. And an example of this is what we call ‘digital twins’, which is basically a digital replication of the Earth.” Digital twins create a virtual real-world system to simulate how reality would respond in any given situation. The metaverse gather virtual worlds into an “integrative system” that provides immersive experiences from simulating flood and drought events to predicting water flow and impacts on land. These technologies enable experts to take decisions towards achieving the universally agreed Sustainable Development Goals.

Ms. Saulo insisted that technology alone will not be enough to solve climate change and disaster risk reduction as she urged all countries to share their expertise and experiences at the Summit of the Future. “I do trust in governments. I do trust in multilateralism. I do trust in the Summit of the Future and how this will help us address, use the technology for the better while controlling the negative impacts of technology,” she emphasized.

The UN weather agency chief underscored the need for a “transdisciplinary approach”, where a diversity of actors including scientists, policymakers, indigenous communities and civil society groups create solutions together. “Science should not be kept in a box for a few of us. Science should be the driving mechanism all around the world to really transform and give more opportunities for the generations to come.”

Ends.

Story: “'United in Science' report - WMO” – 18 September 2024

Speakers:

  • Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
  • Lauren Stuart, scientific coordinator at the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

TRT: 02’26”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 18 September 2024 - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Geneva Press briefing



SHOTLIST

  1. Exterior medium shot: UN flag alley.
  2. Wide shot of the press conference room with speakers at the podium.
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “The science is clear: we are far off track from achieving global climate goals. 2023 was the warmest year on record by a huge margin. Leading international data sets say that the first eight months of 2024 are also the warmest on record.”
  4. Medium shot of the podium with speakers.
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General: “When the Paris Agreement was adopted, greenhouse gas emissions were projected to increase by 16 per cent by 2030 relatively to 2015. Now, that projected increase is three per cent. So, progress has been made, but we need to be much more ambitious. The gap between aspiration and reality is a glaring one.”
  6. Medium shot of the speakers from the back and press conference room.
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) Lauren Stuart, scientific coordinator at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “Satellites are improving our ability to monitor greenhouse gas emissions, which is crucial for informing our efforts to mitigate emissions and to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. Another example we highlight is immersive technologies, which are really bridging the digital and the physical worlds. And an example of this is what we call ‘digital twins’, which is basically a digital replication of the earth.
  8. Wide lateral shot: journalists at the press conference room.
  9. SOUNDBITE (English) Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General: “I do trust in governments. I do trust in multilateralism. I do trust in the Summit of the Future and how this will help us address, use the technology for the better while controlling the negative impacts of technology.”
  10. Wide shot of the press conference room.
  11. SOUNDBITE (English) Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General: “Science should not be kept in a box for a few of us. Science should be the driving mechanism all around the world to really transform and give more opportunities for the generations to come.”
  12. Various shots of the press conference room with journalists taking notes and cameraperson.


Documents 1
Download Storyline
Download

Audio Files 2
Download WMO Press Conference: United in Science 2024 report - 18 September 2024 (Continuity)
Download
Download United in Science - WMO (Edited Story)
Download

Similar Stories

Gaza, Lebanon update OHCHR - WHO 11 October 2024

1

1

2

Edited News | OHCHR , WHO

Gaza, Lebanon update OHCHR - WHO 11 October 2024 ENG FRA

Amid reports of intensifying Israeli bombing in Lebanon and Gaza overnight and continuing Hezbollah rocket fire into Israel, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, called on Friday for an end to the “killing, destruction [and] bellicose posturing” by those in power.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 11 October 2024

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UNHCR , OHCHR , WHO , UNICEF , OCHA , UNCTAD

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 11 October 2024 ENG FRA

HRC 57 - Volker Türk on Haiti

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

HRC 57 - Volker Türk on Haiti ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk updates the Human Rights Council in Geneva on the situation in Haiti

HRC 57 - Volker Türk on the situation of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) - in FRENCH

1

1

1

Edited News | HRC

HRC 57 - Volker Türk on the situation of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) - in FRENCH ENG FRA

Volker Türk, Haut-Commissaire des Nations Unies aux droits de l'Homme au sujet de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC)

Lebanon crisis - WFP, OHCHR

1

1

1

Edited News | WFP , OHCHR

Lebanon crisis - WFP, OHCHR ENG FRA

UN humanitarians in Lebanon on Tuesday described the massive challenge of trying to reach some 1.2 million people who have fled heavy Israeli bombardment and evacuation orders, driven by the fear that what happened in Gaza may befall them, too.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 08 October 2024

1

1

1

Press Conferences | HRC , WTO , WFP , WHO , WMO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 08 October 2024 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons and representatives of the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Meteorological Organization, and the Human Rights Council.

WMO Press conference: State of Global Water Resources report - 07 October 2024

1

1

1

Press Conferences | WMO

WMO Press conference: State of Global Water Resources report - 07 October 2024 ENG FRA

WMO: State of Global Water Resources report 

Lebanon displacement crisis - UNHCR, IOM

1

1

1

Edited News | IOM , UNHCR

Lebanon displacement crisis - UNHCR, IOM ENG FRA

Main road connecting Lebanon to Syria closed to vehicles after Israeli strike, says UN refugee agency

The major road connecting Lebanon to Syria was hit by Israeli airstrikes overnight near the key Masnaa border crossing where tens of thousands have been fleeing Lebanon into Syria in the past two weeks, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 04 October 2024

1

1

1

Press Conferences | HRC , ILO , WHO , UNHCR , IOM , ICRC , FAO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 04 October 2024 ENG FRA

Rolando Gómez of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the International Labour Organization, World Health Organization, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Food and Agricultural Organization.

UN Human Rights Briefing by Liz Throssell and Danielle Bell on Ukraine

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Briefing by Liz Throssell and Danielle Bell on Ukraine ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday published its latest report on Ukraine. It covers key human rights developments from 1 June to 31 August 2024, during which civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure increased significantly. 

Lebanon update and appeal OCHA – OHCHR 01 October 2024

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , OHCHR

Lebanon update and appeal OCHA – OHCHR 01 October 2024 ENG FRA

Amid the start of a reported Israeli ground offensive against the Hezbollah armed group in southern Lebanon and fears of more civilian suffering, the UN launched an urgent humanitarian appeal on Tuesday to support those most in need in the country.

UN Human Rights Briefing by Liz Throssell on Lebanon

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Briefing by Liz Throssell on Lebanon ENG FRA

At the bi-weekly press briefingUN Human Rights spokeperson Liz Throssell made the following comments on hostilities in the Middle East.