Greeting from World Meteorological Organization. I am honored to speak to you as we launch the Kyoto Landslide Commitment 2020.

Landslide disasters threaten vulnerable human settlements and infrastructure in mountains, cities, on coasts, and islands. An increase in the frequency and magnitude of heavy rainfall and permafrost/glacier degradation due to changing climate and global warming may significantly intensify the risk of landslides in many landslide prone areas.

This was highlighted by the IPCC in their Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate:

“B7 - Future cryosphere changes on land are projected to affect water resources and their uses... Changes in floods, avalanches, landslides, and ground destabilization are projected to increase risk for infrastructure, cultural, tourism, and recreational assets.”

“B1.5 In many high mountain areas, glacier retreat and permafrost thaw are projected to further decrease the stability of slopes, and the number and area of glacier lakes will continue to increase. Floods due to glacier lake outburst or rain-on-snow, landslides and snow avalanches, are projected to occur also in new locations or different seasons.”

As you know, WMO is the UN’s agency for weather, water and climate. Disaster risk reduction has been a priority for WMO for many years in contributing to the Sendai Framework for DRR, the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement. WMO is committed to the implementation of these frameworks, for which the WMO community has a wide range of services and products on offer.

Landslides are often triggered by hydrometeorological events. This adds to the challenges of linking theses hazards together to establish MHEWS. In this regard, widely partnership among multiple stakeholders is critical necessary. The Sendai Landslide Partnership has been very effective to promote understanding and reducing landslide disaster risk and helped providing powerful tool to reduce landslide risks by each partner.

I would also like to mention, as an example, the case of the Flash Flood Guidance System with global coverage. This system is based on a multidisciplinary approach and support 67 countries around the world with data, tools and guidance that help countries in the delivery of flash flood warnings. Interestingly to your community, in several regions, a specific module on rainfall induced landslide risk is part of that system.

Please be assured that the WMO Members through their national capabilities and regional supporting networks and sponsors will continue with their best efforts to tackle the landslides related challenges in an integrated and practical way in the coming years.

With this, I would like to reiterate my congratulations for bringing us together and facilitating multidisciplinary approaches and combined efforts under this Kyoto Landside Commitment 2020.

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Petteri Taalas

Secretary-General of World Meteorological Organization