In his statement to mark 2008 World Meteorological Day, UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Executive Secretary Luc Gnacadja emphasized the increasing frequency of extreme weather and climate events, including droughts and water scarcity, and highlighted that “Desertification, land degradation and drought are strongly linked to climate change, soil degradation and biodiversity.”

He
highlighted the critical role of comprehensive drought monitoring and
early warning systems to manage drought risk and increase the capacity
of society to cope with the impact of drought, and but said that
“monitoring and early warning systems must function in tandem with
drought preparedness and management.”
Message from Mr. Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) on the Occasion of the World Meteorological Day, 23 March 2008