World Meteorological Organization calls for urgent climate action ahead of COP26

By Peter Kenny

GENEVA (AA) - The heads of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and nine other international organizations on Friday called on governments to prioritize integrated water and climate action given the all-pervasive impacts on sustainable development.

"Accelerated action is urgently needed to address the water-related consequences of climate change that impact people and the planet," said a letter issued ahead of COP26, the UN climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12.

The letter urged governments to address more effectively the water dimensions of climate change adaptation and mitigation.

"Climate change is dramatically affecting the water cycle, making droughts and floods more extreme and frequent and decreasing the natural water storage in ice and snow," it read.

The letter was signed by the heads of WMO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the UN Environment Program (UNEP), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN University (UNU), the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Global Water Partnership (GWP).

The letter said changing rainfall patterns are already impacting agriculture, food systems, and livelihoods are becoming increasingly vulnerable. "Rising sea levels threaten communities, infrastructure, coastal environments, and aquifers," it added.

It called for promoting and financing global water monitoring systems to provide timely knowledge about current and future water availability and quality levels at the global, regional, and local levels.