Investment in early warning, disaster risk reduction crucial to address El Niño for well-being of future generations, speakers tell Economic and Social Council

Press Release ECOSOC/6758  

The current El Niño was among the most intense weather patterns of the last 100 years, affecting the food security of 60 million people and requiring nearly $3 billion in humanitarian response, the Economic and Social Council heard today amid calls to mobilize global action by promoting early warning mechanisms, building capacity, investing in disaster risk reduction and enhancing resilience.

“We must remember that El Niño is not a one-off event, but recurring global phenomena that we must address for future generations — and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” Council President Oh Joon (Republic of Korea) said, opening a special meeting on reducing risks and capturing opportunities around El Niño, organized at the request of the General Assembly.

Indeed, he said, extreme weather had grown more frequent, bringing about drought, fire, destruction of agriculture, disease and displacement.  The Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Palau had all declared states of emergency due to drought from El Niño, while Malawi had declared a state of disaster.  As of February, almost 1 million children were facing acute malnutrition in Eastern and Southern Africa, due to food shortages induced by El Niño.  Coordinated and fortified action was needed.

Along similar lines, Robert Glasser, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, said the proportional impact of El Niño on people and livelihoods was higher in low-income countries and small island developing States.  It was vital to translate seasonal forecasts and risk data into risk-informed decision-making and actionable guidance.  The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) sought to increase by 2020 the number of countries with national and local risk reduction strategies.

Elena Manaenkova, Assistant Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said that, while scientific understanding of El Niño had increased, the current El Niño was entering “unchartered territories”, interacting with climate change in ways the world had never before experienced.  A vast and growing body of knowledge on El Niño could now provide policymakers with the earliest warning on potential climate, water and weather problems within their regions.  “This is not just about probability of occurrence, but ‘foreseeability’ of impacts,” she said.

In a keynote address, Juan Manuel Benites Ramos, Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation of Peru, discussing a culture of prevention, said his country had undertaken a number of steps, including the declaration of a state of preventative emergency in several parts of Peru, establishment of a dedicated council of ministers led by the Minster for Agriculture and initiatives to prepare the population.

The half-day meeting featured a panel discussion on “reducing risks and capturing opportunities” in which five top Government officials from countries affected by El Niño shared experiences and discussed measures to reduce socioeconomic and environmental impacts.  In the ensuing discussion, representatives of Government, civil society and the wider United Nations family outlined initiatives to meet short-term needs and build long-term resilience.

In closing remarks, Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, encouraged affected countries to share information and suggested that the Council serve as a platform in that regard.  “It is time to translate commitments into action,” and make countries resilient to future El Niños, he stressed.