Climate change causes 70pc of disasters: Pundari

By HELEN TARAWA
About 70 per cent of the natural disasters that occur in the Asia-Pacific region is the result of climate change, says Minister for Climate Change John Pundari.
Speaking at the opening of the three-day Apec climate symposium yesterday, Pundari said it was vital that Apec economies took action to address the impact of climate change.
“Knowledge and information about climate change are crucial for climate action,” he said.
“In order to be successful, adaptation strategies need to make use of the best available climate information, including assessment of recent climate trends and projected future climate change that may be experienced in the years to come.
“The climate information needed by our local level communities and governments includes how climate variables such as temperature and rainfall, and the timing and severity of storms and climate extremes may change. This information needs to be timely, high quality, relevant and accessible.”
He said the symposium aimed to bridge the gap between climate science, policy and practice for adaptation, decision-making and disaster-resilience.
“Information that is timely, high quality and accessible will inform decisions which can drive inclusive growth, create jobs, reduce poverty, open markets, empower women and help secure the wellbeing of other vulnerable groups.”
“This meeting is about more than just climate change.
“The Apec climate symposium 2018 aims to see active discussions taking place in producing more reliable region-specific climate information and their potential actionable use for enhancing water and food security, as well as linking climate information and decision-making.”