The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News , Press Conferences | UNOG , WMO
WMO Presser: Report - Looming Water Crisis needs monitoring and early warnings
Growing water-related hazards require monitoring and early warnings, highlights report by World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
The number of people suffering from water-related hazards like floods and droughts is increasing because of climate change. However, forecasting and early warnings are inadequate and global climate finance efforts insufficient, according to a report published today by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
“There has been a dramatic increase in the flooding events during the past 20 years and that increase has been of 134% and we know that because of this current 1.5 degree warming of the planet, we have more humidity in the atmosphere; we have 7% more humidity in the atmosphere because of the current warming and that is also contributing to the flooding“, said Professor Petteri Taalas, WMO’s Secretary-General, today at a press briefing at the United Nations in Geneva.
Most of the flood-related deaths and economic losses were recorded in Asia, where end-to-end warning systems for riverine floods require strengthening.
The number of droughts also increased by 29% over this same period. Most drought-related deaths occurred in Africa.
“We have also seen an increase in the amount of and duration of drought events”, stated WMO’s Secretary-General. “We have about 30% increase at the same time during the past 20 years and this has been very much affecting Africa where both observing systems and early warning services are perhaps the poorest. And the population growth in Africa is boosting this challenge”.
The report called “The State of Climate Services 2021: Water”, a collaboration between the WMO, international organizations, development agencies and scientific institutions, highlights the need for urgent action to improve cooperative water management and scale up investment on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
It estimates that the number of people with inadequate access to water will reach more than 5 billion by 2050 versus 3.6 billion in 2018.
“According to our sister organization FAO, there has been already 2 billion inhabitants of our planet, one fourth of our planet, where people have been exposed to major water stress and there is a lack of drinking water and also a lack of water for agriculture,“ said WMO’s Secretary-General. He added that “also the water resources management is limited according to our sister organization UNEP (UN Environment Programme). We have 107 countries which are not managing their water resources in a sustainable way.”
This past year has seen extreme rainfall caused massive flooding in Japan, China, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and Indian where millions of people were displaced, and hundred killed. In Europe catastrophic flooding led to hundreds of deaths and widespread damage.
According to Mr. Taalas, “sixty percent of WMO members don’t have a proper water sector services, and this is also one of the major challenges for us, and that is also one of the major challenges for climate adaptation. For climate adaptation, we need proper early warning services and the situation at the moment is not suitable.”
WMO’s Secretary-General has reason to believe that the negative trend in weather patterns will continue for coming decades. “Some of these features, like melting of glaciers and sea level rise, will continue for centuries because of the high concentration of carbon dioxide. We have to improve the observing systems and we have to improve the early warning services’ capability of especially least developed countries and that is the way to avoid both the casualties and economic losses related to climate change.”
-ends-
- Exterior wide shot, United Nations flag flying.
- Medium-wide shot, inside the press conference room, showing speakers, participants and photographers.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “There has been a dramatic increase in the flooding events during the past 20 years and that increase has been of 134% and we know that because of this current 1.5 degree warming of the planet, we have more humidity in the atmosphere; we have 7% more humidity in the atmosphere because of the current warming and that is also contributing to the flooding.”
- Close shot, a participant listening to the WMO Presser.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “And we have also seen an increase in the amount of and duration of drought events. We have about 30% increase at the same time during the past 20 years and this has been very much affecting Africa where both observing systems and early warning services are perhaps the poorest. And the population growth in Africa is boosting this challenge.”
- Medium shot of the speakers and of the press briefing broadcast on Zoom.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “According to our sister organization FAO, there has been already 2 billion inhabitants of our planet, one fourth of our planet where people have been exposed to major water stress and there is a lack of drinking water and also lack of water for agriculture.“
- Close shot, a participant listening to the WMO Presser.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “And also the water resources management is limited according to our sister organization UNEP, we have 107 countries which are not managing their water resources in a sustainable way.”
- Medium shot, photographers taking pictures of the press briefing broadcast on Zoom.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “Sixty percent of WMO members don’t have a proper water sector services, and this is also one of the major challenges for us, and that is also one of the major challenges for climate adaptation. For climate adaptation, we need proper early warning services and the situation at the moment is not suitable.”
- Close shot, a participant taking notes.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “Some of these features, like melting of glaciers and sea level rise, will continue for centuries because of the high concentration of carbon dioxide. We have to improve the observing systems and we have to improve the early warning services’ capability of especially least developed countries and that is the way to avoid both the casualties and economic losses related to climate change.”
- Close shot, a photographer taking pictures.
- Medium shot, cameramen filming the WMO presser.
- Close shot, the Press Conference filmed by a camera.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
“Deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the paltry amounts of food aid in Gaza, are unconscionable. For a third day running, people were killed around an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This morning, we have received information that dozens more people were killed and injured,” Jeremy Laurence UN Human Rights spokesperson said at the biweekly press briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | FAO , ILO , OHCHR , UNDP , UNHCR , WHO
Rolando Gómez, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the International Labour Organization, the UN Refugee Agency, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
Gaza ‘hungriest place on earth’ with aid stymied – UN humanitarians
Starving Gazans continue to be deprived of aid as international relief efforts are being severely constrained by the Israeli authorities, the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA said on Friday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IFRC , OCHA , UNCTAD , WMO
Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the International Federation of the Red Cross, the World Meteorological Organization, the United Nations Trade and Development, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Humanitarian Aid in Gaza
1
1
1
Press Conferences | WHO , OCHA , UNRWA
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the World Health Organization, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and the International Telecommunication Union.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNRWA
As a controversial United States and Israel-backed aid distribution plan gets underway in Gaza, the UN called on Tuesday for an “immediate surge” of its own pre-positioned supplies to help prevent starvation.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani today urged Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to reject a bill that was recently endorsed by parliament allowing trials of civilians in military courts. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces Amendment Bill 2025, which was passed on 20 May and now awaits presidential signature to become law, among others broadens the jurisdiction of military courts, authorising them to try a wide range of offences against civilians.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango today warned of a further deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan at the bi-weekly briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | WHO , WMO , OCHA , UNHCR , OHCHR , UNDRR
Michele Zaccheo, Chief, UNTV, Radio and Webcast Section, United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , WHO
Syria: ‘Staggering’ needs amid insecurity, health care crisis - UN humanitarians
Millions of people in Syria continue to face mortal danger from unexploded munitions, disease and malnutrition and urgent support is required, UN humanitarians said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , OCHA , WHO
UN life-saving aid allowed to trickle into Gaza as civilian needs mount
Amid calls for more humanitarian trucks to enter the food and medicine-deprived Palestinian enclave of Gaza, UN humanitarians have received permission from Israel for “around 100” more aid trucks to cross into the Strip after only five were let in yesterday, But the scale of relief efforts allowed remains entirely insufficient to meet the urgent needs of people there, humanitarian workers say.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | WHO , UNRWA , UNHCR
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the World Health Organization.