The General Secretary of the United Nations called on Monday for an urgent increase in funds for programs for adaptation to climate change, so that they can offer real and lasting protection against the impact of potentially catastrophic events such as droughts, floods and the increase in climate change. sea level.
«Adaptation cannot be the forgotten half of the climate equation,» said António Guterres during the Climate Adaptation Summit held virtually.
The UN chief added that the need is even more urgent in developing countries, which require an estimated $ 70 billion to meet their adaptation plans. A figure that could rise to 300,000 in 2030 and 500,000 million in 2050, according to the UN Environment Program.
The Secretary General stressed the importance of early warning systems and risk-based decision-making, adding that one in three people is not protected.
“With just 24 hours’ notice of an approaching storm or heat wave, damage can be reduced by 30%,” he explained, calling on everyone to work together to ensure comprehensive global coverage through early warning systems that help to minimize human and material losses.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, there have been more than 11,000 disasters due to weather, climate and water hazards in the past 50 years at a cost of about US $ 3.6 trillion.
“Extreme weather events and climate-related hazards have also killed more than 410,000 people in the past decade, the vast majority in low- and lower-middle-income countries. Therefore, I call for a breakthrough in adaptation and resilience, ”said the Secretary General.
TP Times 