Daily Update COP29 - Wednesday 13 November

What you need to know

• Early Warnings for All advances, but challenges remain: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged for increased funding, expertise, and technology to drive the Early Warnings for All initiative (EW4All), emphasizing the urgent need to address extreme heat. Progress Report 2024 was launched at this occasion. Watch the recording and read the press release
• China's commitment to Early Warnings for All: In a significant move to strengthen global disaster preparedness, China has announced Tuesday major support for the Early Warnings for All initiative. Learn more about this milestone
• Transparency drives stronger climate action: Each Biennial Transparency Report represents a vital step in building trust and accountability, empowering nations to enhance their climate commitments and actions. Learn more about the impact of transparency.
• Climate finance is not charity. It’s an investment. UNSG Antonio Guterres "This year, leaders at COP29 can and must ensure the transition is fair and fast enough to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius." Read the article

We need providers of bilateral and multilateral funds to redouble their efforts, to help cover investment gaps. We need to encourage private finance, particularly through public-private partnerships.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres at EW4All high-level event

Today

• Climate Services in Action: Five Years of Progress and Future Pathways: the findings of the State of Climate Services report, were presented this Wednesday at COP, assessing five years of remarkable advancements in climate services capacities and investments, and exploring pathways to address climate service gaps, though stories from WMO Members. Read the news 
• COP29 High-Level Event: Adverse Impacts of Climate Change on the Decline of Water Basins:  With 3.6 billion people facing water shortages and projections showing this number could exceed 5 billion by 2050, the event discussed the intensifying impact of global warming on water resources and the urgent need for action to safeguard the global hydrological cycle. WMO Global Water resources report 2023
• SOFF discussed how to enhance collaboration between Somalia, the National Designated Authority, IGAD, the World Meteorological Organization and SOFF. Somalia receives SOFF support and has already completed the first out of three phases, the Readiness phase. Together with Nigeria acting as a peer advisor, and UNDP as an Implementing Entity, Somalia is aiming to close their basic weather and climate observations data gap. All COP29 SOFF events
• SBSTA-SBI Joint Plenary : the SBSTA Plenary has resumed to hear statements by Parties and Observers. Our delegation is there to read their statements. So far the text for conclusions is very strong and supports the systematic observations, Global Greenhouse Gas Watch, Early Warnings for All and SOFF. It also emphasizes facilitating data sharing.  Check the documents

Broadening the tent is not just about involving more actors; it’s about empowering everyone to champion Early Warning Systems as a core priority.

WMO SG Celeste Saulo at the EW4All high-level event

Picture of the day

EW4All high-level event with UNSG Guterres

WMO

Tomorrow

• WMO Pavilion, 14:00-15:00 Early Warnings for All (EW4All) Progress and Cross-Learning Forum: This event aims to provide an opportunity for countries across regions to share progress, challenges, and opportunities in implementing EW4All activities. More...  
• UN System Side Event UN-HABITAT 11:30-13:00 - Local action, global goals: UN support towards cities in the NDCs. Cities are culprits, and victims and potentially saviours from the climate crisis. More than half of the global population resides in cities, and cities are responsible for a large share of global emissions while at the same time vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Cities are already taking the lead in implementing climate action. They are increasingly recognized as key agents in implementing climate solutions. More...
• WGEO Pavilion 14:00-14:45 - Climate Insurance as a Tool to Mitigating Risks & Building Resilience through Climate Action. The increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events due to climate change pose significant risks to communities, economies, and ecosystems worldwide. Climate insurance offers a valuable tool for mitigating these risks and building resilience. More...
• Spanish Pavilion 15:30-16:30 - [SOFF] High-Level Event: Sustained climate finance for systematic observation. Basic weather and climate data are foundational for all weather and climate services which underpin decision-making, policy and early warning systems. To save lives and livelihoods as well as protect property across the whole globe, we must improve systematic observations from the most data-sparse areas. More...
• CREWS 18:00-19:30 - Financing the Future: Scaling Early Warning Systems by 2030
• UN System Side Event 18:30-20:00 - Scaling up climate finance for ambitious action on early warning systems for adaptation with a focus on the most vulnerable. Event page

Slide of the day

Launch of the State of Climate Services 2024

Post of the day

Youth at COP29

• Youth Consultation Session in the WMO Pavilion: The youth delegates hosted an open dialogue with young leaders to discuss youth involvement in climate and perceptions of WMO’s youth engagement. Key areas for improvement included the need for clearer language in reports, stronger social media engagement, and greater youth representation in climate forums. Delegates expressed a strong desire for more climate information, including webinars, training, and career development in the sciences. Youth at COP29 webpage

  

  Youth consultation at WMO Pavilion

  WMO

More communication assets are available on the UN Communication COP29 board and Early Warnings for All Initiative board