The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) said that on World Meteorological Day 2026, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres sent a message to the international community. In which, he warned that "climate chaos is rewriting weather laws, with record heat waves, longer droughts, rising sea levels and extreme disasters happening more and more frequently".
According to business leaders of the World Economic Forum, extreme weather events are considered the top long-term risk and also a driving force for promoting the "Early Warning for All" initiative initiated by the United Nations Secretary-General to protect people.
This is not surprising, because the dangers associated with extreme weather have caused recorded economic damage of up to 4.3 trillion USD in the period from 1970 to 2021, while claiming nearly 2 million lives.
Early warning is not a luxury but an essential need, and at the same time brings clear economic efficiency. According to the World Bank, ensuring everyone has access to early warning services can prevent property damage of at least about 13 billion USD and welfare losses of about 22 billion USD each year. Just a 24-hour early warning can reduce damage from storms or heat up to 30%.
Risks are increasing as rising temperatures increase heat waves, extreme rain and rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones (storms/tropical depressions).
The World Meteorological Organization's global climate report shows that 2025 is one of the three hottest years ever recorded in the world. The past eleven years have all been among the eleven hottest years in observation history. Record greenhouse gas concentrations will continue to lead to higher temperatures for many years to come.
Earth observation plays a more important role than ever in tracking the impacts of rapid climate change - including rising temperatures on land and oceans, melting ice and glaciers, as well as rising sea levels. This is the foundation of meteorological and climate information, serving our decision-making on economic development and community protection.
According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, precise and reliable science is our first line of defense. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and national meteorological agencies are helping protect us safely by weaving a global data network - from land, ocean, atmosphere to space - to convert measurement results into forecasts, and from forecasts to early warnings.
However, the global monitoring system is under great pressure with important loopholes, especially in the least developed countries and developing small island nations.
This year's theme, "Today's Monitoring, Tomorrow's Protection", is a call for action. The United Nations Secretary-General called on governments, developed banks and the private sector to strengthen support for the global monitoring backbone, from surface stations to satellites, ensuring data is shared publicly and fairly.
Investing in observation will bring many times more benefits - helping to strengthen peace, security, resilience and sustainable development. By observing today, we can protect the future for people, for the planet, for prosperity and for future generations.
