Roundup: UN calls for bold climate action as extreme weather becomes "the new normal"

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday warned that extreme weather events are becoming "the new normal," and said a bold climate action is needed to "face the future now."

"Only by responding decisively to the climate challenge can we avoid the worst impacts of climate change and lay the foundations of a world of peace, prosperity and opportunity for all," the secretary-general said in a message to mark the World Meteorological Day.

The window of opportunity for limiting global temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius, the threshold set under the Paris Agreement adopted in December 2015, is narrow and rapidly shrinking, Ban warned, noting that the effects of a warming planet will be felt by all, including rising sea levels, and extreme weather events, which are becoming "the new normal."

On April 22, world leaders will gather at the UN Headquarters in New York to sign the Paris Agreement. "But, even before the Agreement comes into force, every country, every business and every citizen has a role to play in combating climate change and building a sustainable future for this and future generations," he said.

Petteri Taalas, the secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said in his message that at present, the Earth is already one degree Celsius hotter than at the start of the 20th century, indicative of this year's theme of the Day: "Hotter, drier, wetter: face the future."

"Climate change is affecting our natural and human environment," he said. "Our emissions of greenhouse gases continue to rise, and the temperature of the lower atmosphere and the ocean is increasing."

The international community has unanimously recognized the need for bold action," he said.

Citing the Paris Agreement to "hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below two degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees," he said, adding that WMO and the national meteorological and hydrological services are playing an essential role in building climate-resilient societies.

Health risks related to heat can be reduced through multi-hazard early warning systems that provide timely alerts to decision-makers, health services and the general public, he said, also underscoring the need to improve access to scientific knowledge and share best practices for coping with drought.

The WMO community will continue to support countries in pursuing sustainable development and tackling climate change by providing the best possible science and operational services for weather, climate, hydrology, oceans and the environment.

According to the WMO Statement on the Status of the Climate in 2015, the year made history, with shattered temperature records, intense heatwaves, exceptional rainfall, devastating drought and unusual tropical cyclone activity.

"Our planet is sending a powerful message to world leaders to sign and implement the Paris Agreement on climate change and cut greenhouse gases now before we pass the point of no return," Taalas said earlier this week in a press release, emphasizing that the worst-case scenarios can be averted by taking urgent and far-reaching measures to cut carbon dioxide emissions.

World Meteorological Day is annually observed on March 23 to remember the World Meteorological Organization's establishment on that date in 1950.

World Meteorological Day often features various events such as conferences, symposia and exhibitions for meteorological professionals, community leaders and the general public. Some events aim to attract media attention to raise meteorology's profile.

The WMO, as the successor of the International Meteorological Organization which was created in 1873, has its fundamental mission to support the countries of the world in providing meteorological and hydrological services to protect life and property from natural disasters related to weather, climate and water, to safeguard the environment, and to contribute to sustainable development.

This cannot happen without the necessary observations, research and operations that develop the understanding and knowledge of weather and climate.

Since 1961, World Meteorological Day was observed annually on March 23, 1950, on which the WMO was set up and well-being of society. Each year, the celebrations focus on a theme of topical interest.

This year's theme -- Hotter, drier, wetter. Face the Future -- was chosen to illustrate the reality of climate change, which highlights that, without urgent action to cut emissions, the trend of increasing temperatures and the frequency and intensity of extreme events will accelerate.

A 2016 calendar with the same theme is also available for download, and includes photographs from around the world based on a WMO Facebook competition. Endit