Open Source Climate Platform Now Supports 42 Countries and Has Boosted Public Warning Issuance by 3,000%. A digital platform helping African countries improve weather forecasting and disaster warnings has been shortlisted for the prestigious United Nations 2.0 Innovation Award.
Known as ClimWeb the platform was developed through a partnership between the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and NORCAP a programme of the Norwegian Refugee Council. It was selected as a finalist from more than 200 submissions received from across the United Nations system.
The award recognises innovative solutions that create meaningful impact through new approaches and technologies.
ClimWeb was created to solve a major challenge facing meteorological agencies across Africa. Until recently, many national weather and climate services lacked modern digital infrastructure. According to WMO data, as recently as 2024, around 85 percent of African National Meteorological and Hydrological Services either had no website or possessed only limited digital capabilities.
This made it difficult for authorities to communicate weather forecasts, climate information, and disaster warnings to the public.
To address the problem, ClimWeb was designed as an open-source platform that allows weather agencies to publish forecasts, warnings, climate data, and hydrological information through modern digital tools.
The platform includes website management systems, interactive maps, climate dashboards, satellite imagery, data visualisation tools, and communication features that help authorities reach communities with potentially life-saving information.
One of its most important features is an integrated Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) composer, which enables governments and weather agencies to issue standardised public warnings more efficiently.
ClimWeb also supports impact based forecasting, allowing users to combine weather information with data on infrastructure, population and socioeconomic conditions. This helps authorities better understand potential risks and predict how extreme weather events may affect communities.
The platform follows a collaborative development model, with meteorological experts across Africa actively contributing to its design and improvement. More than 500 specialists from over 48 institutions have provided feedback and operational requirements.
Today, ClimWeb is being used by 42 countries and 48 institutions across Africa. The platform has already achieved 32 operational deployments, while additional implementations are currently under development.
According to the WMO around 76 percent of African member countries are now using ClimWeb in some form.
The platform impact has been significant. Countries using ClimWeb and related tools have recorded a remarkable 3,000 percent increase in the publication of standardised CAP warnings, strengthening the delivery of early warning information during severe weather and climate-related emergencies.
In addition to the technology itself the broader programme has provided nearly 2,000 hours of technical mentoring and support to national weather and hydrological services across the continent.
Earlier this year, ClimWeb received another major recognition when it was designated a Digital Public Good by the Digital Public Goods Alliance in January 2026. The designation highlights its contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through open source innovation and international collaboration.
The platform also supports the global Early Warnings for All initiative which aims to ensure that every person on Earth is protected by effective early warning systems.
The United Nations 2.0 Awards include a People’s Choice category, where the winner is selected through public voting. Voting remains open until June 17.
As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events across Africa, tools like ClimWeb are becoming increasingly important in helping governments deliver timely warnings, strengthen disaster preparedness, and protect vulnerable communities.
The platform success demonstrates how digital innovation and international cooperation can play a critical role in improving climate resilience and saving lives across the continent.