The drought in the Horn of Africa threatens to become a humanitarian catastrophe. Also in East Africa, rainfall has been below average for four consecutive wet seasons; what triggered a major humanitarian crisis affecting millions of people; the rains also devastated agriculture and decimated livestock, particularly in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. The events of 2022 have once again highlighted the clear need for much more action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), in 2022, water and climate-related disasters, such as extreme floods, heat and drought, affected millions of people and cost billions; it was then that the signals and impact of human-induced climate change intensified.

The events of 2022 have once again highlighted the clear need for much more action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For the United Nations, the last eight years will prove to be the hottest on record. Also according to the annual global temperature forecast from the UK Met Office, the average global temperature for 2023 will be between 1.08°C and 1.32°C above the average for the pre-industrial period (1850-1900 ).

WMO Secretary-General, Mr Petteri Taalas, stresses the need to improve preparedness for extreme events and also the need to ensure that the goal of the UN Action Plan “Early Warnings for All” is met over the next five years. He also alludes to the several weather disasters of 2022 that have claimed many lives and livelihoods. As for Africa, the drought in the Horn of Africa threatens to become a humanitarian catastrophe. Also in East Africa, rainfall has been below average for four consecutive wet seasons; what triggered a major humanitarian crisis affecting millions of people; the rains also devastated agriculture and decimated livestock, particularly in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya.

And as for other parts of the world, record heat waves have been seen in China, Europe, North and South America. In Pakistan, a third of the territory suffered significant economic and human losses due to the flood. A large area centered around north-central Argentina, as well as southern Bolivia, central Chile and most of Paraguay and Uruguay, experienced record high temperatures in two heat waves consecutive end of November and beginning of December 2022. The OMM also highlights the glaciers of the European Alps which suffered an exceptionally heavy impact in 2022.