Extraordinary WMO Congress endorses Call to Action on life-saving early warnings – World Meteorological Organization WMO

Report on the ‘Early Warnings for All’ Initiative and its Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has adopted by acclamation the “Call to Action: Accelerating Implementation of Early Warnings for All.” This initiative, launched by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in 2022, represents a critical global effort to ensure every person on Earth is protected by a multi-hazard early warning system. The initiative directly supports the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by aiming to reduce disaster-related mortality and economic losses, thereby safeguarding development gains, enhancing community resilience, and promoting international cooperation on climate action.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative is fundamentally linked to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its implementation is a direct accelerator for the following goals:

• SDG 13 (Climate Action): The initiative is a primary adaptation strategy to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters. As extreme weather events intensify, universal early warning systems are essential for climate action.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): By providing timely alerts, the initiative significantly reduces deaths and economic losses from disasters, making human settlements safer, more resilient, and sustainable.
• SDG 1 (No Poverty) & SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The initiative aims to mitigate the devastating impact of disasters, which disproportionately affect developing nations. Over the last 50 years, weather, water, and climate-related hazards have caused over 2 million deaths, with 90% occurring in developing countries. By saving lives and preventing economic shocks that push households into poverty, the initiative directly contributes to these goals.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The success of EW4All relies on a robust global partnership. It is spearheaded by a coalition of international bodies and requires coordinated action among all stakeholders.

Key Stakeholder Endorsements and National Priorities

His Excellency Daniel Francisco Chapo, President of the Republic of Mozambique, highlighted the initiative’s practical impact, stating, “a timely warning saves lives.” Mozambique has successfully reduced the death toll and economic losses from tropical cyclones through investment in warning systems, demonstrating a tangible outcome that aligns with national development priorities and the SDGs. President Chapo’s sentiment was supported by high-level officials from Spain, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Azerbaijan, Dominican Republic, and Slovenia, indicating broad international commitment.

Operational Framework and Economic Rationale

The EW4All initiative is designed to cover the entire disaster risk reduction value chain. Its operational success is built upon four key pillars:

1. Disaster risk knowledge and assessment.
2. Detection, observation, monitoring, analysis, and forecasting.
3. Warning dissemination and communication.
4. Preparedness and response capabilities.

The economic case for investment is compelling. The Call to Action report states that every dollar invested in early warning systems can yield up to fifteen dollars in saved economic losses. This significant return on investment underscores the initiative’s role in protecting economic development and contributing to SDG 1 (No Poverty). The foundations for this framework include:

• Free and open data exchange
• Sustainable financing mechanisms
• Adherence to international standards
• Coordinated scientific cooperation

Conclusion and Global Call to Action

The initiative is spearheaded by a multi-agency partnership, including the WMO, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The upcoming address by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the World Meteorological Congress further underscores the global significance of this mission.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo issued a call for unity and immediate action: “The tools exist. The standards are in place. The data flows. What remains is the collective will to act at the speed and scale required.” The Early Warnings for All initiative is presented not merely as a slogan, but as a fundamental promise of dignity, safety, and prosperity, directly aligning with the core principles of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The article connects to SDG 1 by highlighting the devastating economic impact of climate-related disasters, which disproportionately affects developing countries and can push vulnerable populations into poverty. The text states that “Economic costs and impacts are spiralling” and that investment in early warning systems can lead to “fifteen dollars saved in reduced disaster impacts,” directly contributing to poverty reduction by protecting livelihoods and assets.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  This goal is addressed through the focus on making communities safer and more resilient to disasters. The “Early Warnings for All” initiative aims to reduce disaster risk and save lives. The example of Mozambique, which “has cut the death toll and economic losses from tropical cyclones,” directly illustrates progress towards creating resilient communities that can withstand climate-related hazards.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  SDG 13 is central to the article. The initiative is a direct response to the increasing frequency and intensity of “weather, water, and climate-related hazards” as “weather becomes more extreme.” By implementing “science-based early warning systems,” the initiative is a key strategy for climate change adaptation, helping countries strengthen their resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related disasters.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article is a clear example of SDG 17 in action. It describes a global, multi-stakeholder partnership, the “Early Warnings for All initiative,” which is “spearheaded by WMO, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).” The call for “collective will to act” and “coordinated scientific cooperation” involving numerous countries underscores the importance of global partnerships to achieve these goals.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 1.5: By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters.

   The article directly supports this target by focusing on an initiative that aims to protect all people, with a particular emphasis on developing countries where “90% of those deaths” from climate-related hazards have occurred in the last 50 years. The goal is to reduce the impact of these disasters on the most vulnerable.

2. Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.

   This target is explicitly addressed. The article states the initiative’s goal is “systematically reducing disaster risk and saving lives.” The success story from Mozambique, which managed to “cut the death toll and economic losses from tropical cyclones,” is a direct testament to actions aimed at achieving this target.

3. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

   The entire “Early Warnings for All” initiative is designed to achieve this target. By establishing “comprehensive early warning systems that detect hazards, assess risks, disseminate timely alerts, and enable effective community response actions,” the initiative directly strengthens the adaptive capacity of nations to cope with the effects of climate change.

4. Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries.

   The article details the structure of such a partnership, involving multiple UN agencies (WMO, UNDRR, ITU) and the IFRC. The “Call to Action” and the involvement of high-level officials from various countries (Mozambique, Spain, Ghana, etc.) demonstrate a global partnership mobilizing resources and political will to achieve a shared goal.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

While the article does not mention official SDG indicator codes, it implies several metrics that can be used to measure progress:

• Reduction in the number of deaths caused by disasters: The article explicitly mentions that Mozambique “has cut the death toll” and that weather-related hazards have “claimed over 2 million lives” in 50 years. Tracking the change in this number is a key indicator of success.
• Reduction in economic losses from disasters: The text refers to Mozambique cutting “economic losses” and the fact that “Economic costs and impacts are spiralling.” Measuring the reduction in these costs is a direct indicator of progress.
• Implementation of early warning systems: The core of the initiative is to ensure everyone is covered by an early warning system. The article mentions Mozambique’s “investment in better observing systems and communications.” The number of countries and people covered by such systems serves as a primary progress indicator.
• Financial investment and return: The article states, “Every dollar invested can yield up to fifteen dollars saved in reduced disaster impacts.” This financial metric can be used as an indicator of the efficiency and value of the investments made in early warning systems.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: public.wmo.int