UN Secretary General António Guterres has released an action plan for the creation of an early warning system for climate disasters.
Speaking at the COP27 climate summit in the city of Sharm el-Sheikh, Guterres said the plan calls for an initial new investment target of $3.1 billion between 2023 and 2027, about 6 percent of the $5 billion in adaptation financing .
"Vulnerable communities in climate hotspots are being overwhelmed by cascading climate disasters without any means of advance warning," Guterres said.
"In countries with limited early warning system coverage, deaths from natural disasters are eight times higher than in countries with high coverage. The action plan launched today sets the course for correcting this error and protecting lives and livelihoods."
"Inhabitants of Asia, South and Central America, small island states die 15 times more often from climatic disasters. These natural disasters take three times more people than war. And the situation is getting worse," said Guterres.
COP27 is currently taking place in Egypt and more than 100 leaders and heads of state are participating in the global event to discuss ways to reduce the negative effects of climate change and adapt to its effects.