World Meteorological Organization(WMO) has called for urgency in countries to coordinate action to close critical gaps in early warning systems.
In a statement, WMO Secretary General Celeste Saulo, stated that millions of people worldwide are at risk since they are unprotected from worsening weather and climate disasters.
Saulo argued that while progress has been made under the Early Warning for All(EW4AII) initiative, launched in 2022, much still needed to be done.
Early Warning for All was aimed at ensuring that everyone in the world is covered by multi-hazard early warning systems.
According to Saulo, 130 countries are currently benefitting from this program, worth more than $150 million (Sh19.4 billion).
She said that many of these countries lack sufficient funding, experienced personnel to deliver timely and effective alerts and lack technology.
Kenya is among the countries receiving benefits from the program through support from UK government, World Bank funding and Kenyan government investments.
"Weather, climate and water-related hazards are intensifying, with devastating consequences for lives, livelihoods, and are inflicting billions of dollars in economic losses.”
“Yet we know that early warning systems save lives and reduce losses: every dollar invested can yield up to fifteen dollars saved in reduced disaster impacts.The challenge before us requires us to scale up: to extend coverage, close critical gaps, and ensure no one is left behind,” Saulo stated.
WMO called on governments to work closely with the private sector to co-design and fund early warning services.
Saulo said that to reduce long-standing vulnerabilities, governance should have strong, predictable financing.
She urged countries to modernise their weather observation systems by promoting open data sharing, investing in communication infrastructures and embracing new technologies such as artificial intelligence.
