The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
On the eve of the UN Climate Change negotiations in Glasgow, COP26, the heads of ten international organizations issued today a united and urgent call to governments to prioritize integrated water and climate action given the all-pervasive impacts on sustainable development.
“This letter also appeals for urgent and accelerated action to address the water-related consequences of climate change,” said World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) spokesperson Clare Nullis at a media briefing in Geneva.
The letter urges governments to address more effectively the water dimensions of climate change adaptation and mitigation, as provided for in a UN-agreed framework to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6 (ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all).
It was signed by the heads of WMO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN University (UNU), the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Global Water Partnership (GWP).
Reading the letter, Ms Nullis said that “climate change is dramatically affecting the water cycle, making droughts and floods more extreme and frequent and decreasing the natural water storage in ice and snow. Rising temperature and variability in flow patterns of water bodies also strongly affect water quality in surface and groundwater.”
“Changing precipitation patterns are already impacting agriculture, food systems, and livelihoods are becoming increasingly vulnerable, as well as ecosystems, and biodiversity. Rising sea levels threaten communities, infrastructure, coastal environments and aquifers,” she continued.
According to a recent UNICEF report on the impact of climate change on children, over one third of the world’s children (920 million) are currently severely exposed to water scarcity.
In addition, the UN World Water development Report 2020 emphasizes that water is the “climate connector”, allowing for greater collaboration and coordination in policy-making across the majority of targets for climate change (Paris Agreement), sustainable development (2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals ), and disaster risk reduction (Sendai Framework).
— ends —
STORY: COP 26 – Call for Water and Climate Action
TRT: 1’24’’
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 29 Oct 2021, GENEVA, Switzerland
SHOTLIST
- Exterior wide shot, United Nations flags flying.
- Medium shot, inside the press conference room (B-128), showing speakers and participants.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Clare Nullis, Media Officer, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “This letter also appeals for urgent and accelerated action to address the water-related consequences of climate change.”
- Medium shot, journalists seated and masked taking notes of the briefing.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Clare Nullis, Media Officer, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “Climate change is dramatically affecting the water cycle. It’s making droughts and floods more extreme and frequent and decreasing the natural water storage in ice and snow. Rising temperature and variability in flow patterns and water bodies also strongly effect water quality in surface and ground waters.”
- Close shot, journalist seated and masked in foreground, large-screen TV showing Mrs. Nullis to rear.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Clare Nullis, Media Officer, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “Changing precipitation patterns are already impacting agriculture, food systems and livelihoods are becoming increasingly vulnerable as well as ecosystems and biodiversity.
Rising sea levels threaten communities, infrastructure, coastal environments and aquifers.”
- Close shot, a journalist taking notes during the press conference.
- Medium shot, participants inside the B-128 room attending the meeting.
- Close-up: a technician supervising the briefing on Zoom.
- Medium shot, inside the press conference room, showing speakers and participants.
- Close shot, journalist seated and masked listening to the briefing.
- Medium shot, participants to the briefing, masked, taking notes.
Similar Stories
1
1
Edited News | WHO
‘We need all routes to open’: in Gaza WHO calls for ramp-up of medevacs, easier access for essentials
Two weeks since a ceasefire agreement entered into force in Gaza the World Health Organization (WHO) noted progress on the flow of aid while calling for more evacuations of critical patients and eased entry for essential medicines and supplies.
1
12
1
1
Edited News | WMO , UNITED NATIONS
UN chief urges boost to life-saving weather warning systems, stresses role of climate change science
No country is safe from the devastating impacts of extreme weather — and saving lives means making early-warning systems accessible to all, UN chief António Guterres said on Wednesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP
Gazans’ response to food distributions ‘overwhelming’ as humanitarians scale up under fragile ceasefire
In Gaza, the ceasefire is enabling UN humanitarians to reach more desperate people with life-saving food, but greater access is needed to contain the spread of famine.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP , OCHA
UN urges opening of all Gaza crossings to deliver three-month food supply
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned food aid cannot reach everyone in Gaza unless all border crossings are opened, particularly in the north where famine was declared in August. The agency says it already has enough supplies in place to feed the entire population of the Strip for three months – if full access is granted by Israel.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNDP , UNICEF , OCHA , ICRC
Around $70 billion will be needed to reconstruct Gaza and make it safe after two years of war, UN development experts said on Tuesday, while aid agencies reported that far too little aid continues to reach desperate Palestinians.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday welcomed the Nobel Peace Prize committee’s decision to name Maria Machado as this year’s laureate, in recognition of her work promoting the Venezuelan people’s democratic hopes.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , UNICEF , WHO
As Gazans jammed the main route leading north on Friday after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was announced, UN aid teams repeated their call to open all crossings into the devastated enclave to prevent famine spreading.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF , WHO
Two years of Gaza-Israel war bring ‘indescribable’ pain: UN humanitarians
Two years since the Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel, UN humanitarians on Tuesday reiterated calls for the release of all hostages in Gaza, an immediate ceasefire and an aid surge to alleviate Palestinians’ suffering, as talks on a US-driven peace plan continued in Egypt.
1
1
1
Edited News
Syria prison survivor seeks justice for the missing with UN backing.
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday warned that three and a half years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the war in Ukraine has entered an even more dangerous and deadly stage for Ukrainian civilians, under relentless bombardment of their schools, hospitals, and shelters.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , WHO , ICRC
Quadcopter victims, terror and death: 30 minutes in a Gaza hospital
UN aid teams on Friday highlighted the disturbing situation in Gaza’s makeshift hospitals, where premature babies cry for scant oxygen and medics attempt to save child survivors targeted by airstrikes in their tents and quadcopter victims reportedly shot while fetching bread.
2
1
2
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday delivered his oral update to the UN Human Rights Council’s 60th session on the human rights situation in Haiti.
The High Commissioner welcomed Wednesday’s decision of the UN Security Council to strengthen the Multinational Security Support mission by transitioning to the Gang Suppression Force for Haiti, stating it is a strong signal of international support for the Haitian people.