undrr Archives - Disasters News

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have launched the Global Observatory for Early Warning System (EWS) Investments to improve tracking and coordination of funding for disaster preparedness. This initiative aims to support the UN’s goal of global EWS coverage by 2027, announced by Secretary-General António Guterres in 2022. Early warning systems are critical in saving lives during extreme weather events, which are becoming more frequent and severe due to the climate crisis. However, fragmented financing has limited their global reach. Launched in December 2024, the Observatory provides an overview of funding flows from nine key financing institutions. It identifies gaps, avoids duplication, and ensures investme...

Despite the increasing intensity and frequency of climate-related disasters such as cyclones, floods, and droughts, global deaths from these catastrophes are decreasing thanks to improved warning systems, planning, and resilience measures, according to Kamal Kishore, the new United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for disaster risk reduction. Kishore highlights a significant shift in disaster outcomes: "Twenty years ago, there was no tsunami early warning system except for one small part of the world. Now the whole world is covered by a tsunami warning system." This improvement has drastically reduced fatalities from tsunamis since the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which claimed approximately 230,000 lives. Similarly, early warnings for tropical cyclones have significantly d...

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UNDRR, WMO Launch Global Early Warning System Investment Observatory

Progress and Challenges in Disaster Management Amid Climate Change