The United Nations reported on Wednesday that hundreds of thousands of people were displaced by climate disasters last year, underscoring the critical need for comprehensive early warning systems worldwide.
According to the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) “State of the Global Climate” annual report, poorer nations were heavily impacted by cyclones, droughts, wildfires, and other climate-related events.
The WMO’s data, sourced from the International Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), revealed that Mozambique saw around 100,000 people displaced due to Cyclone Chido. Wealthier countries also faced significant impacts, with floods in Valencia, Spain, causing 224 fatalities and wildfires in Canada and the US forcing over 300,000 people to flee their homes.
WMO’s chief Celeste Saulo emphasized that the global community is intensifying efforts to strengthen early warning systems and climate services, aiming for universal coverage by 2027. Despite progress, only half of the world’s countries currently have sufficient early warning systems.
This call comes amidst concerns following the return of climate skeptic President Donald Trump to power. There are fears his administration may hinder climate science progress, particularly within NOAA, the US agency central to global climate monitoring. Saulo stressed the urgency of investing in weather, water, and climate services to build resilient communities.
The report also noted that climate change indicators have reached record levels in 2024, with the planet experiencing the warmest year on record. The global mean temperature was 1.55°C above the 1850-1900 average, marking the first calendar year exceeding the 1.5°C threshold set by the Paris climate accords. Additionally, ocean warming and sea level rise accelerated, and glaciers and Antarctic sea ice continued to melt at alarming rates.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized that limiting long-term global temperature rise to 1.5°C is still possible, despite the “distress signals” from the planet.
