Celeste Saulo, the first woman to head the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), vowed on Thursday to make the most vulnerable nations more resilient to extreme weather and climate change.
The Argentinian, who took over as secretary-general of the United Nations' weather and climate agency on January 1, said: "Coming from the Global South, I'm acutely aware of the need to do more to prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable."
Celeste Saulo vowed to make the most vulnerable nations more resilient to extreme weather and climate change. /CFP
Every national weather service should have the necessary resources to save lives and livelihoods, Saulo underlined, adding that "even a small increase in investment leverages huge socio-economic benefits for our communities."
"Climate change is the greatest global threat of our times, and increasing inequality exacerbates its impacts," she said.
"We just lived through the warmest year on record, and 2024 may be even hotter and more extreme once the full impact of the ongoing El Nino plays out on temperatures and weather events," Saulo warned.