The following are extracts from a summary write up by UNDRR of the Early Warnings for All Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF) that took place in Budva, Montenegro, as part of the Europe and Central Asia Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. The MSF was co-hosted by GNDR and UNDRR.
Early Warnings for All
Europe is the fastest warming continent in the world (EEA 2024). The continent is especially vulnerable to cascading risks, where disasters and shocks in one area lead to overspills and non-linear effects in systems such as food, health and infrastructure (CASCADES 2023). In Central Asia and the Caucasus, the number of fatalities, people affected, and economic losses caused by hydro-meteorological disasters in the region has steadily increased since the 1990s (ESCAP 2020) – a trend set to increase as ‘extreme precipitation is expected to increase in major mountainous regions’ (GIZ 2024) in the region.
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate, and Water Extremes (2021), this trend aligns with global patterns, highlighting an increasing frequency and severity of such events (WMO, 2023). Despite these real and evolving threats, the worst impacts of the climate emergency can still be avoided and multi-hazard, end-to-end early warning systems are a proven way to limit damage and prevent disasters. Acting on even 24 hours’ notice of an approaching hazard can reduce the impact by as much as 30% (UNDRR 2023).
The Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative was launched by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in 2022 and commenced its rollout stage in 2023. Significant progress has since been made globally to advance the goals of EW4All on scaling up universal, end-to-end multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) and enhance resilience to climate-related risks.
In coordination with strategic partners through a collaborative multi-stakeholder approach, EW4All is currently being rolled out globally, including Tajikistan in the Europe and Central Asia region. At the same time, work on multi-hazard early warning systems that was already underway before the launch of EW4All continues, including regional initiatives such as Copernicus and Horizon Europe.
The Multi-Stakeholder Forum – Montenegro
The Early Warnings for All Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF) for Europe and Central Asia took place in Budva, Montenegro on 8th November 2024. It provided an opportunity to review key accomplishments, share skills, experience and expertise within the active network of early warning practitioners and institutions. It hosted 25 speakers across four sessions, including representatives from national governments, international system partners, non-governmental organisations and advocacy organisations.
The MSF had four key objectives:
- Emphasise the importance of EWS in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience whilst raising awareness among participants about the vital role of EWS in disaster preparedness
- Present successful EWS implementations and strategies from Member States as models to encourage adoption by others
- Facilitate partnerships among stakeholders to strengthen MHEWS under the global initiative EW4All
- Drive increased pledges and financial commitments from donors and governments toward EWS initiatives
Sub-sessions
Role of Actors
In keeping with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 – 2030 call for a shared responsibility between governments and relevant stakeholders, this session explored the varying and sometimes cross-cutting roles of both state and non-state actors within the EWS value chain, and the merits of utilising and including different actors in separate and interrelated parts of these systems, enabling a connection between top-down and bottom-up approaches. It included consideration of gaps in implementation and best practice examples at the national level.
Participants:
- Moderator: Rebecca Murphy, Policy Lead, GNDR, Chair of the NGO Major Group for UNDRR Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism
- Murat Karypov, GNDR member & Executive Director, Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan
- Lisa Robinson, BBC Media Action
- Valentina Atanasovska, Advisor at Protection and Rescue Directorate, Government of North Macedonia
- Gordon Rattray, Programme Coordinator, European Disability Forum
- Sari Lappi, Coordinator, Regional Office for Europe, World Meteorological Organization
Anticipatory Action
The sub-session underlined the importance of systematically linking early warning to anticipatory action, and included consideration of the role of different actors in this connection. Anticipatory action was recognised as a faster, more effective and dignified way of providing support, as well as an effective means of saving lives and livelihoods, and reducing human suffering.
Participants
- Moderator: Andreas von Weissenberg, Regional Head of Health, Disaster, Crisis and Climate, IFRC Europe
- Ivane Grigolashvili, GNDR member & Chairman, DRR Centre/Association Rural Development for Future
- Zeynep Sanduvac, GNDR member & Programme Coordinator, Nirengi Dernegi
- Ara Nazinyan, Armenia Country Lead, USAID
- Kim Melville, Head of Humanitarian Affairs, DHL Group
- Mina Popović, Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) and Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) Focal Point, Red Cross of Montenegro
Economic and Cascading Impacts of Disasters
The sub-session brought together stakeholders from across the region to focus on lessons learned, good practices, challenges and opportunities to improve understanding of the economic return of investing in early warning systems. The escalating impact of climate-related hazards, from floods and wildfires to earthquakes, highlights the urgent need for comprehensive early warning systems that can mitigate economic, social, and environmental costs
Participants
- Moderator: Ms Ioana Creitaru, Programme Specialist, Early Warning & Preparedness, Disaster Risk Reduction & Recovery for Building Resilience Team, UNDP Crisis Bureau
- Mr Tim Jenkins, Climate and Clean Air Advocate, People in Need
- Mr Sergio Perez, Program Officer at Climate, DRR and Environment Section, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland
- Mr Serik Aubakirov, Director, Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction, Government of Kazakhstan
- Ms Nino Antadze, Environment and Energy Team Leader, UNDP, Georgia
Next steps
Several outcomes of the Early Warnings for All Multi-Stakeholder Forum in Europe and Central Asia lay a foundation for further discussion at the Global EW4All Multi-Stakeholder Forum:
- The need to re-energise and accelerate implementation to leverage progress made in the science of prediction, including through the use of high-quality data sets to improve forecasting and nowcasting techniques.
- The fundamental importance of designing solutions which are co-designed with at-risk communities, taking account of community level perspectives and the needs of people with disabilities.
- Widespread interest in innovative technological approaches such as drones, mobile apps and artificial intelligence is growing in the region, with the recognition that a focus on technology for EWS must be paired with a consistent emphasis on the strong functioning of inclusive EWS institutions.
- Recognition of opportunities to scale up partnerships at the regional and transboundary level and to enhance synergies within national governments.
- The central role of an all-of-society approach to implementing EWS, ensuring the coordination and contribution of diverse groups of stakeholders including government, private sector, academic entities, communities and advocacy groups, NGOs and the international system