Experts to discuss climate change in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi - The conference will consider how best to support implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change

A World Meteorological Organization (WMO) conference in Abu Dhabi next week will discuss ways to tackle climate change and environmental degradation among other issues.
The sixteenth session of the Regional Association for Asia under WMO, which holds its conference every four years,  will be held in the Capital from February 12 to 16.
A total of 35 countries across a variety of geographic and climatic zones ranging from the Arctic to the Equator come under the Regional Association for Asia.
The region is impacted by a wide range of natural hazards: tropical cyclones and storm surges; heat and cold waves; drought and wildfires; intense precipitation, flooding and landslides; and sand and dust storms. Air pollution is an additional major concern.
The conference will consider how best to support implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change and associated moves towards a low-carbon economy, including through targeted climate services for the energy, water, transport, industry, agriculture and land use sectors.
Improvements in the global weather and climate observing and information systems, initiatives to improve hydrological data collection to improve water resource management, as well as drought and flood management and flash flood forecasting will also be discussed.
"In the last decades, the countries in the Asian region have been exposed to weather and climate events of increased intensity and frequency," said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. "The year 2016 was no exception.
"The primary responsibility of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services is to provide timely and accurate forecasts and warnings. But in order for governments, economic sectors and the public to take appropriate action, they need to know the impact of these meteorological hazards on lives, property and the economy," said the official.
"Multi-hazard, impact-based forecasts and warnings are complex and require planning and forging of partnerships at many levels and with many government agencies and stakeholders - disaster managers, urban planners, education authorities and health authorities," said Taalas.
"The capabilities of WMO Members need to be upgraded and strengthened on a continuous basis to cope with the optimum delivery of new services to inform decision-makers, ranging from day-to-day operations to much longer timescales," he said.
The Regional Association for Asia meeting is preceded by a two-day conference on management of meteorological and hydrological services, which will share national experiences and regional priorities. Both events are hosted by the UAE Government.
- reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi