During the June UN Climate Meetings in Bonn in Germany, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) convened a side event on technology to focus on scaling up early warning systems (EWS) globally and supporting the UN Secretary-General’s Early Warnings for All initiative.
During the technology event, Daniele Violetti, UN Climate Change senior director, emphasized that nearly 50% of countries have included EWS in their national climate plans – known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – and that one in four prioritizes enhancing technology and innovation.
Artificial intelligence
Technology like artificial intelligence (AI), remote sensors and satellites were also discussed for their use when analyzing data, predicting extreme weather events and providing targeted alerts for communities at risk, among other things.
Simon Stiell, UN Climate Change executive secretary, argued that EWS will be greatly boosted by AI. He said, “AI can offer remarkably precise foresight on imminent climate impacts and disasters. This could be instrumental in helping countries and communities prepare – providing real-time information that saves lives and livelihoods on a massive scale. As we fight for an equitable and just transition, we need to make sure that these technologies are accessible to all.”
Prioritizing people-centred solutions
Thibyan Ibrahim, TEC chair, noted that the brief highlights the importance of context-specific technology and locally-led, people-centered solutions. He underlined that location-based messaging, for example, can help communities receive targeted warnings directly on their phones, ensuring they have the information they need to protect people and livelihoods ahead of extreme weather events. Similarly, he pointed to real-time monitoring as a way to empower residents to take swift community action and build resilience. For these reasons, a policy brief on innovation for risk knowledge is also being developed by TEC and the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and will be launched later in 2024.
The Maldives – the first country to launch a roadmap for achieving Early Warnings for All – serves as a key example. Gaia Righini, from the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), noted how improved monitoring networks, supported by Italy, have strengthened the Maldives Meteorological Service since 2017.
However, the attendees acknowledged that in vulnerable regions, deploying innovative technologies remains challenging. Lack of funding, insufficient technical expertise and inadequate infrastructure were all identified as barriers significantly hindering progress. Overcoming these barriers was therefore found to be crucial to achieving the UN Secretary-General’s vision of Early Warnings for All.
Fostering collaboration
Anne Rasmussen, lead negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), emphasized the challenges remote island communities face in accessing modern technology. She stressed the importance of integrating traditional knowledge with scientific data to improve EWS effectiveness and the need for international cooperation to better prepare small island developing states (SIDS) for climate-related disasters.
A significant part of the side-event focused on the need to scale up technologies for climate information and early warnings in least developed countries (LDCs), and to address global disparities accessing disaster risk data, especially in LDCs and SIDS. Insights from the discussions will feed into the joint policy brief under development by TEC and GEO.
Ambrosio Yobanolo, co-lead of the TEC Activity Group on EWS, and Fred Onduri, CTCN Advisory Board chair, concluded the event by underlining the need to stay abreast of the latest technologies, strengthen collaboration among stakeholders, and leverage EWS to create more resilient and climate-adaptive communities.
In related news, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) recently gave the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) financial support for the implementation of the “Strengthening Early Warning Systems for Anticipatory Actions” project. Click here to read the full story.
