Baku, Nov 13 (PTI) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for urgent action to protect vulnerable populations from climate change impacts, including extreme heat and natural disasters, asserting that in this era of climate catastrophe, early warning systems and protection from extreme heat are not luxuries but "necessities".

India has been among the countries witnessing one of the harshest summers this year. Early warning systems in India have become critical in mitigating the impacts of natural disasters like floods, cyclones, and earthquakes. The government, through agencies like the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), has implemented advanced technologies to provide real-time alerts and forecasts.

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Addressing a high-level event on 'Delivering Early Warnings for All and Addressing Extreme Heat' here, Guterres highlighted the unprecedented challenges faced by nations, with extreme weather events such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires becoming more frequent and severe.

He stressed that early warning systems and heat protection are no longer optional but essential, calling them "necessities" in this new era of climate catastrophe.

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"The year 2024 has shown that climate calamity is now commonplace," Guterres said, noting that the world is experiencing heatwaves pushing the limits of human endurance.

He emphasised the importance of early warning systems, which offer a return on investment nearly ten times greater than their cost, and outlined how proper measures could save over USD 360 billion annually in occupational heat protection alone.

The Secretary-General also drew attention to the UN's Early Warnings for All Initiative, which aims to cover every person on Earth with multi-hazard early warning systems by 2027.

While the initiative has made progress, with 30 countries receiving support, Guterres warned that almost half the world's nations remain uncovered, particularly small island developing states and least developed countries.

"Too often, the basic data to create these systems is unavailable. We must urgently scale up action," Guterres stated.

He called for enhanced political support, collaboration, and financing to bridge the investment gap, particularly in the world's most vulnerable regions.

He urged both public and private sectors to increase financial commitments, especially through public-private partnerships, to ensure that early warning systems are accessible and effective.

Furthermore, Guterres underlined the importance of scaling up funding for climate action and increasing the lending capacity of multilateral development banks.

He urged COP29 to build on the momentum from September's Pact for the Future, which made strides in enhancing climate finance, to meet the rising demands of the climate crisis.

Guterres expressed his anticipation for hearing from participating governments about their progress and strategies to tackle these challenges.

"Together, we can and must protect people around the world," he said, underscoring the urgency for a collective global effort to address the accelerating climate crisis.

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