7 October 2008: Addressing the Gambia Climate Change Forum,
taking place in Kololi, the Gambia, from 6-7 October 2008, the
Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Michel
Jarraud, stated that the potential impacts of climate variability and change on
water resources demand special attention, particularly in Africa.

He added that
changes in the climate will signify increased risks to agricultural
productivity and food security in West African economies, which are highly
dependent on agriculture. He recommended adopting a comprehensive adaptation
strategy across a wide range of agro-ecosystems to assist West African planners
and local communities in dealing more effectively with the projected impacts of
climate variability and change. Jarraud also called for the empowerment of all
vulnerable countries, particularly Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small
Island Developing States (SIDS), to use early warning systems appropriately
within their natural disaster risk reduction activities. He highlighted that
through its own programmes and those shared with other organizations, the WMO
has been the main provider of the scientific and technical information
underpinning the scientific assessments currently available. He explained that
the Organization’s vision underscores the need to advance rapidly both in the
mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and the adaptation to the local effects of
climate change.
Jarraud stressed that the costs of coping with a changing
climate, particularly in developing countries, will be more manageable if
appropriate actions are undertaken as soon as possible and monitored
continuously thereafter, on the basis of trustworthy observations and
authoritative scientific research. He indicated the WMO’s commitment to the
UNFCCC process, its principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and
capabilities, and the objective for a post-2012 framework signaled by the Bali
Action Plan and Road Map. [The Statement]