Climate finance scarce; early warning systems key to saving lives, livelihoods: Bhupender Yadav at COP27

COP27: Around 200 participating countries have agreed to a 20-point provisional agenda through which matters relating to funding for loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change would be discussed at the summit, which runs from November 6 to 18

With climate finance still scarce, climate adaptation in the form of early warning dissemination is key to safeguarding lives and livelihoods from cascading natural hazards causing substantial losses around the world, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said at the UN Climate Conference (COP27) in Egypt on Monday.

Speaking at the UN Secretary General High Level Round Table to launch the "Early Warnings for All Executive Action Plan", Yadav stressed that the global pace of climate mitigation is not enough to contain the rate of climate change.

There is an urgent need to acknowledge the cascading natural hazards that cause substantial losses around the world, he said, adding that India fully supports the UN secretary general's agenda to achieve "Early Warnings for All".

With the intensification of tropical cyclones in the Pacific and the Caribbean, small tropical States have lost 200 per cent of their national income in a few hours. Such instances could have devastating consequences in countries that do not have sufficient means to cope with them, Yadav said.

"With climate finance still scarce, climate adaptation in the form of early warning dissemination is key in safeguarding lives and livelihoods. 'Early Warnings For All' plays a part in not just containing the immediate physical impacts, but also mitigating the far-reaching, long-term socio-economic implications that follow," he added.

Yadav said India has been working on strengthening end-to-end early warning systems for all hydro-meteorological hazards.

Deaths due to cyclones in the country have reduced by up to 90 per cent in the last 15 years, he said, adding that early warning systems for cyclones cover almost the entire east and west coasts.

India is making swift progress in terms of early warning for other hazards such as heat waves, the minister said, adding that the country has made concerted efforts towards making early warnings impact-based, easily understandable and actionable by communities over the last few years.

At the conference being held in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt from November 6 to 18, developed countries are expected to push developing nations to further intensify their climate plans.

On the other hand, the developing countries would seek commitment from the developed nations to finance and technology that are needed to address climate change and the resulting disasters.

The UN climate summit this year is being held in the shadow of the Russian aggression in Ukraine and the related energy crisis, which has strained the capabilities of countries to urgently tackle climate change.