On behalf of the United Nations Development Programme, congratulations to the Hydrometeorological Service of Uzbekistan for its 100th anniversary!

We all know that weather, climate, water and other environmental conditions have a significant influence on the socio-economic development of countries.

Increase in world population, extension of urban settlements, carbon intensive industries negatively impact the climate change.

This makes hydrometeorological services even more critical - a necessity if the risks are to be reduced and the national development sustained.

Indeed, human influence on the planet has become so strong that scholars now speak of a new geological era: the Anthropocene, as pointed in UNDP Global Human Development Report 2020.

The Anthropocene is the new geological age scientist argue we now find ourselves in, whereby human activity is shaping the planet, to a greater extent than the planet shapes human activity.

The pressures humans are collectively putting on natural systems – are manifested not just as climate change and biodiversity loss but in pollution, land degradation and more.

Climate variability brings critical challenges to many countries. And Uzbekistan is, unfortunately, not an exception.

While doing everything we can to mitigate the causes of climate change, we must also prepare ourselves to adapt to the changes that are inevitably coming. Such adaptation must be well informed and grounded in science.

Natural hazards cannot be avoided, but timely, accurate prediction together with public awareness, education and preparedness, can enable people to respond promptly. And thus, increase the human safety and reduce the human and economic losses.

In this context, the hydrometeorological service plays a significant role for collection and analysis of hydrological and meteorological observations; dissemination of forecasts, issuing early warnings.

UNDP and Uzhydromet have been efficiently cooperating for several decades through number of initiatives focused on climate change. We also work hand in hand to bring in climate financing from various funds.

Let me list some of our key joint achievements; together we:

• developed First national Climate Risk Profile
  
• automated Hydro-meteo station network in Karakalpakstan
• launched a Drought Early Warning System for the Low-Amudarya river
• are currently developing the First National Adaptation Plan
• with strong government support, worked on revising Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement, and the next more ambitious NDC generation has been formulated within the Climate Promise initiative of UNDP
• are initiating a new ($10 million) project to enhance and improve the country’s Multi-Hazard Early Warning System to increase resilience of communities to hazards induced climate change.

The achievements of Uzhydromet in recent decades are impressive! Which assures that Uzhydromet will continue developing its specialized services for the state agencies, other customers and the general public.

Once again, my congratulations to Uzhydromet, the esteemed partner of UNDP, for its 100th anniversary! My great appreciation goes to its staff for their highest professionalism, commitment and dedication in providing hydrometeorological services to the national and global communities!