1.4.2 Early Warning Systems (EWS) as effective climate adaptation: gaps, needs and plans through CREWS and EW for All initiatives (WMO)

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Early Warning Systems (EWS) have proven to be an effective means of disaster risk reduction (DRR), including EWS developed to cope with meteorological, climatological and hydrological hazards. Many EWS are currently operational, however, in the context of climate change adaptation gaps, needs and plans need to be reviewed and enhanced. Multiple hazards and cascading effects occur due to the combination of factors across multiple timescales in space and time. Current capabilities for observations and prediction allow anticipating when climate-related hazards are imminent. Since the predictability of such events implies for EWS to operate under various levels of uncertainty, various initiatives are now in partnership to address complexities. This session presents an update on initiatives from various UN agencies and highlights ongoing plans and progresses and opportunities for: the NAP data initiative; Early Warning for All; UNDRR guidance on Climate Risk Management; experiences obtained by bringing together the WMO and UNDRR communities and CREWS updates on scaling up investments in EWS. After attending the session, participants should have crosswise insights on the four pillars of EWS: (i) disaster risk knowledge; (ii) ; (iii) warning dissemination and communication; (iv) preparedness and response capabilities.

Contributors: World Meteorological Organization (WMO), United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS), United Nations Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC)

Format: Sequenced individual talks and videos followed by Q&A

Moderator: Jorge Luis Vázquez-Aguirre (WMO)

Links to the presentations:

1. UNDRR – Making Early Warnings for All a Reality

2. LEG – NAP DATA Initiative

Location: Valle de Colchagua Date: March 27, 2023 Time: 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm