CLIMATE CHANGE
Schematically put, climate change is the result of our growing need for energy through the combustion of fossil fuels. The dire consequences of extreme weather events and the perturbation of biomes on the planet are increasingly visible. Aware of all this, countries are developing their Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, to cover the whole economy, to deliver finance on climate action and to ensure adaptation strategies are in place. Scientific knowledge should be the basis for these NDCs. Moving away from dirty energy means embracing an entirely new paradigm. This move is costly, economically and politically. This is why we need to increase support for national meteorological and hydrological services to ensure the next generation of NDCs is based on science. This entails collecting better knowledge of the Earth’s system and its changes, delivering fit-for-purpose climate services to support decision making, and developing early warning systems to protect communities from unprecedented natural hazards. PLANET-WIDE CHANGE IS NEEDED Moving away from dirty energy entails huge investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage and electrification. At the same time, it requires new tools to manage energy resources that depend highly on weather and climate and, as such, are also exposed to climate change impacts. To attain emission objectives, a planetary shift of focus is needed. To produce renewable energy production globally, we need planetary investments, and a new paradigm that is based not on dirty energy, but on quality energy. A holistic approach, including diverse sectors from public to private and academia, and massive support to the developing
world is a must to keep the 1.5C° ambition of a post-industrial temperature increase alive. In parallel, to support this mitigation effort, consequent investment needs to be allocated to climate adaptation, through the delivery of targeted climate services and early warnings to everyone everywhere, and through better measurement of climate and emissions data in all countries. National meteorological and hydrological services become critical actors in this pathway. The WMO is leading two major initiatives to improve their capabilities to effectively achieve this: the Early Warnings for All and the Global Greenhouse Gas Watch. THE BENEFITS OF CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION The only way to change our current course is to seek win-win synergies between climate and sustainable development actions. When placing a greater emphasis on development co-benefits, support for climate action measures can increase. Investments in adaptation measures, such as early warning systems, capacities and infrastructure of hydrometeorological services, enable societies to reduce exposure, build resilience and achieve just, inclusive and climate-resilient development. Early warnings systems provide an estimated ninefold return on investment. The use of hydrometeorological information in the energy sector can help optimise energy production and delivery. However, comparing tracked climate finance flows to estimated climate finance needs exposes a large financing gap. In an average scenario for a 1.5°C pathway, annual climate finance investments need to grow more than sixfold, reaching almost $9 trillion by 2030 and a further $10 trillion through to 2050. The list of potential benefits for mitigation and adaptation measures is long; their systematic documentation can challenge a perception of climate policies’ costliness and help attract much-needed investments. The cost of no action is several times higher than the cost of action: the total cost of inaction between 2025 and 2100 is estimated at $1,266 trillion. As concerns mount over respecting the 1.5°C target, it is essential to reevaluate the cost of reliance on non-renewable energy and to understand the necessity of investing in quality energy development. Questions linger over whether global policymakers are ready to embrace this new paradigm and make the necessary investments for a sustainable future. These are the questions that must be addressed by anyone taking climate action seriously.
CELESTE SAULO Celeste Saulo took office as secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization on 1 January 2024. She previously served as director of Argentina’s National Meteorological Service since 2014 and was the first vice-president of the WMO. She has been a member of the WMO World Weather Research Programme Scientific Steering Committee since 2011 and has served on various WMO panels related to her field of knowledge.
She is a professor in atmospheric sciences at the University of Buenos Aires and research scientist at Argentina’s National Council for Scientific and Technical Research. X-TWITTER @wmo wmo.int
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2024 — G7 ITALY: THE APULIA SUMMIT
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