Launched in 2022 by United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres,Early Warnings for All is a groundbreaking initiative to ensure that everyone on Earth is protected from hazardous weather, water, or climate events through life-saving early warning systems by the end of 2027.
Early warning systems are urgently needed as climate change is causing more frequent and intense extreme weather events, resulting in widespread adverse impacts and related losses and damages to nature and people. Early warning systems are a proven, efficient, and cost-effective way to save lives and jobs, land and infrastructure, and support long-term sustainability.
More lives are being protected from extreme weather and dangerous climate change impacts, but there is a long way to go. One out of three people, mainly in least developed countries and small island developing states, lack access to adequate multi-hazard early warning systems.
As a call to scale up national action, Early Warnings for All can play a crucial role in accelerating investment to address countries’ vulnerability to climate change by improving early warning systems and enhancing resilience.
Early Warnings for All:
Executive Action Plan 2023-2027
“The facts are clear. Early warnings save lives and deliver vast financial benefits. I urge all governments, financial institutions and civil society to support this effort.” – UN Secretary-General António Guterres
The Action Plan calls for investments of US$ 3.1 billion over five years – just 50 cents per person per year – to strengthen disaster risk knowledge and management, observation and forecasting, dissemination and communication of warnings, and preparedness and response capabilities.
It leverages existing pooled funding mechanisms, such as the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems initiative and the Systematic Observations Financing Facility, as well as global multilateral funds including the Green Climate Fund and the development banks.
As part of the UN Secretary-General’s Acceleration Agenda, the Early Warnings for All initiative is a key contribution to delivering climate justice to those at the frontlines of the climate crisis. It aligns with the priorities of the Paris Agreement and supports key provisions of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, particularly Target G on availability and accessibility of multi-hazard early warning systems. It also contributes to delivering the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development on poverty, hunger, health, water, clean energy, climate action and sustainable cities.
Early warning systems work. They must work for everyone.
Today, one third of the world’s people, mainly in least developed countries and small island developing states, are still not covered by early warning systems... This is unacceptable, particularly with climate impacts sure to get even worse. Early warnings and action save lives. To that end, today I announce the United Nations will spearhead new action to ensure every person on Earth is protected by early warning systems within five years.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on World Meteorological Day 23 March 2022
The Four Pillars:
Early Warnings for All is built on four pillars that are the cornerstones of the initiative and of effective multi-hazard early warning.
- Disaster risk knowledge and management (led by UNDRR)
- Detection, observation, monitoring, analysis, and forecasting (led by WMO)
- Warning dissemination and communication (led by ITU)
- Preparedness and response capabilities (led by IFRC)
The Advisory Panel
To ensure progress and the continued strategic alignment of activities with implementing bodies, the UN Secretary-General created the Early Warnings for All Advisory Panel, co-chaired by the Executive Heads of WMO and UNDRR, for the duration of the Initiative. The Advisory Panel consists of the Heads of a multitude of UN organizations, the private sector, civil society and UN Member States. Meetings of the Advisory Panel occur biannually, and the Panel prepares an annual progress report to the Secretary-General on the status of the Initiative’s activities.
Videos
Global status of multi-hazard early warning systems 2023
The 2023 Global Status of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems report, analyses the latest data one year into the Early Warnings for All Initiative. Its findings reveal that 101 countries have reported having an early warning system, representing a doubling of coverage since 2015.
Early Warnings for All
The "Early Warnings for All" initiative is a groundbreaking effort to ensure everyone on Earth is protected from hazardous weather, water, or climate events through life-saving early warning systems by the end of 2027.
Early Warning Systems: A Fundamental Human Right
With more extreme weather conditions causing displacement, death and devastation around the world, Early Warning Systems are becoming essential to saving.
Pillar Leads
