Asia-Pacific needs disaster warning systems to counter rising climate change risks, report says

BANGKOK — Countries in the Asia-Pacific region need to drastically increase their investments in disaster warning systems and other tools to counter rising risks from climate change, a United Nations report said Tuesday.

The report issued Tuesday by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, or ESCAP, says nearly $145 billion is needed to set up systems to minimize deaths and damage from floods, earthquakes, drought and other disasters.

Artificial intelligence, satellites, remote sensing and other technologies can aid in forecasting, notifying the public in times of emergency and providing other services, but telecommunications systems must be fortified to ensure that vulnerable communities will get that information, said the report, which was released to mark the U.N.’s Disaster Resilience Week.

Most countries have failed to spend even 10% of what is needed, the…