As the COP30 Climate Conference unfolds in Belém, Brazil — a city at the heart of the Amazon the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Initiative has launched its ambitious new framework, From Delivery to Transformation: Scaling CREWS’ Impact to 2030. The initiative aims to ensure that all Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have access to effective early warning systems by the end of this decade.
“When a cyclone or flood hits, every second counts – early warnings turn each moment into life-saving measures,” said Francis Pigeon, Chair of the CREWS Initiative, during the launch. “CREWS is not only delivering early warnings at scale; it is transforming how they are financed, governed, and sustained as a global public good.”
Rising climate losses demand urgent action
The strategy comes amid record-breaking climate losses, particularly in vulnerable island and low-income nations. In 2024, SIDS alone endured over USD 6 billion in damages due to severe weather events such as Hurricane Beryl and Cyclone Mocha. The mortality rate from disasters in LDCs remains 2.5 times higher than the global average, highlighting deep inequities in preparedness and resilience.
Established in 2015 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), and the World Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), CREWS plays a key role in advancing the UN’s *Early Warnings for All* (EW4ALL) initiative, which aims to protect every person on Earth with early warning systems by 2027.
From projects to transformation
The CREWS 2030 Strategy represents a shift from project-based interventions to long-term, country-driven frameworks. It focuses on three core priorities:
• Strengthening foundational early warning and climate services in all LDCs and SIDS.
• Catalyzing transformation through scaled finance, with a goal of mobilizing USD 1 billion by 2030.
• Driving next-generation systems using innovation and partnerships, including AI-based forecasting and community-driven models.
Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of WMO, emphasized the importance of national leadership in financing: “When financing is country-driven, every dollar becomes a force for resilience, innovation, and impact.”
Proven results, expanding ambitions
Since its inception, CREWS has reached more than 300 million people across 40 countries, leveraged nearly USD 1 billion in climate resilience finance, and strengthened national meteorological and disaster preparedness systems. By 2030, the initiative aims to reach an additional 200 million people, enhance anticipatory action, and integrate advanced technologies for more precise and timely forecasts.
Áloisio Fifita, Principal Assistant Secretary at Tonga’s Ministry of Meteorology and Climate Change, said, “With CREWS support, we can turn forecasts into anticipatory action that protects our communities.”
Innovation and inclusivity at the core
The new strategy highlights innovation and inclusion as key drivers. It promotes impact-based forecasting, partnerships with telecom operators and local NGOs, and gender-responsive early warning systems to ensure that no community is left behind.
“Early warnings are the bridge between science and survival,” said Saulo. “They must be accessible to everyone especially those on the front lines of the climate crisis.”
Building resilience for a changing world
The CREWS 2030 Strategy underlines that climate adaptation is as essential as emission reduction. By integrating technology, finance, and policy, the initiative aims to empower vulnerable nations to act before disaster strikes.
“This is the decade of delivery,” Pigeon concluded. “Through partnerships and innovation, we can ensure that no one is left behind that every country, every island, and every community has the power to act before disaster strikes.”