By 2030, early warnings on floods and droughts to be available for all: WMO

Source: This post is based on the article “By 2030, early warnings on floods and droughts to be available for all: WMO” published in “Down to Earth” on 20th October 2021.

What is the news?

At the ongoing World Meteorological Congress, World Meteorological Congress has endorsed the ‘Water Declaration’, wherein early warnings about floods and droughts will be available for people everywhere on the planet by 2030.

The Congress also endorsed the Water and Climate Coalition for promoting sharing and access to integrated hydrological, cryosphere, meteorological and climate information.

What is the significance of such a declaration?

The formation of the Coalition is significant at a time when just 40% of countries globally have operational early flood and drought warning systems.

The endorsements at the Congress are significant as more than half of the world’s population will be living under water-stressed conditions by 2030, according to the WMO, and will be more vulnerable to water-related disasters especially cyclones, floods.

Also, some 60% of WMO member countries lack hydrological monitoring capabilities, according to the organisation. Globally, more than three billion people have no quality management system for their water-related data in place.

This means close to half of the world’s population is at risk due to a lack of information on the state of their water resources including rivers, lakes, groundwater, according to the most recent UN estimates.

What are the expected benefits?

Some 107 countries are not on track to have sustainably managed water resources. Water and Climate Coalition aimed at accelerating the progress of water-related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG-6 (water and sanitation for all).

The coalition is thus, aims to boost resilient water adaptation to climate change as well as demographic and socio-economic development for the future.

Also, it will contribute to the new Sustainability Strategy for strengthening the Flash Flood Guidance System with Global Coverage (FFGS/WGC) approved at the World Meteorological Congress.