Put public good above all to cut climate change impacts: UN

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said all must place the public good above all other considerations to eradicate poverty and reduce the impacts of climate change.

"For these reasons and more, this year's International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is all about strengthening disaster risk governance to build a safer and more resilient world," he said.

In his message marking the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on Tuesday, the UN chief said good disaster risk governance means acting on science and evidence.

"And that requires political commitment at the highest level to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction," Guterres said.

The UN chief said COVID-19 pandemic has brought renewed attention to the importance of strengthening disaster risk reduction. 

"Many countries are facing multiple crises simultaneously. We will see more of this," he said. 

Guterres said extreme weather events have risen dramatically over the past two decades.

Yet, he said, they have seen little progress on reducing climate disruption and environmental degradation.

Guterres said bad situations only get worse without good disaster risk governance.  

"Disaster risk isn't the sole responsibility of local and national authorities," said the UN chief adding that COVID-19 has shown that systemic risk requires international cooperation.