The United Nations Secretary General has warned that global warming is pushing the planet to the brink, reports Reuters.
Antonio Guterres urged countries to implement disaster warning systems to protect people against extreme weather.
"Every one of the last ten years has been the hottest in history. Ocean heat is breaking records while decimating ecosystems. And no country is safe from fires, floods, storms and heatwaves," he said.
Mr Guterres was speaking to delegates at an extraordinary conference in Switzerland to mark the 75th year of the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
He urged all countries to mobilise funding to enable a global system of surveillance to protect people from extreme weather.
"They give farmers the power to protect their crops and livestock. Enable families to evacuate safely. And protect entire communities from devastation," Mr Guterres said.
Being given notice 24 hours before a hazardous event can reduce damage by up to 30%, he added.
Over 60% of countries have introduced multi-hazard early warning systems since Mr Guterres launched an initiative in 2022 for all countries to have these in place by 2027.
In the past five decades, weather, water and climate-related hazards have killed more than two million people, with 90% of those deaths occurring in developing countries, the WMO said on Monday.
Mr Guterres said that developing nations were hampered in investing in warning systems by slowing growth and "crushing debt burdens".
He urged those meeting at next month's UN Climate Conference in Brazil - COP30 - to agree a plan to unlock more than €1 trillion annually in climate finance for developing countries by 2035.
The UN leader also called on nations to deliver bold new climate action plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade and to limit global temperature rise to 1.5C.
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