The United Nations on Wednesday warned that the current El Nino could become the strongest on record, cautioning that climate change may further intensify the humanitarian crisis in already vulnerable regions.
Celeste Saulo, the head of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, appeared at a press conference on Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland, appealing for help to protect the weakest from unprecedented El Nino.
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UN warns strong El Nino may deepen global humanitarian crisis
UN warns strong El Nino may deepen global humanitarian crisis
UN warns strong El Nino may deepen global humanitarian crisis
UN warns strong El Nino may deepen global humanitarian crisis
At the UN's daily press briefing in New York City, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, urged for global actions.
"This morning in Geneva, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher sounded the alarm over El Nino, calling it a 'behemoth' and a 'wrecking ball' that will hit regions already battered by conflict, battered by displacement, battered by soaring food, fertilizer and fuel prices, and massive aid cuts on top of it all," he said.
He called on the international community to take early action and strengthen collaboration, in order to mitigate the impact of El Nino on vulnerable populations.
Also on Wednesday, the World Health Organization, WMO, the United Nations Children's Fund and the United Nations Population Fund jointly launched the first-ever set of priority indicators to help countries track the health impacts of heat on pregnant women, newborns and children.
According to the press release, the new global framework aims to strengthen preparedness for extreme heat, improve monitoring mechanisms, and accelerate the response measures to protect those most vulnerable to climate-related health risks.
UN warns strong El Nino may deepen global humanitarian crisis
UN warns strong El Nino may deepen global humanitarian crisis
UN warns strong El Nino may deepen global humanitarian crisis
UN warns strong El Nino may deepen global humanitarian crisis
