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Thematic area

CI

Climate Information and Early Warning Systems

Through this service line, UNDP is protecting lives and livelihoods, providing people with the information they need to thrive, and enhancing evidence-based decision-making. The main areas of work include reducing reliance on one type of technology, developing shared databases, involving communities in product design, information sharing within and between countries, developing of climate information infrastructure, climate information dissemination, and value chain development, capacity-building for modeling and forecasting, use of alternative technologies, private sector engagement, digitization of historical records, and impact of warnings and advisories on livelihoods and behavior.

Stories

Participatory climate services, advanced lightning detection, solar-powered weather stations, and other advanced technologies are saving lives and building resilience in Malawi through this Green Climate Fund-financed project.

UNDP-supported climate information and early warning systems projects have reached 10.2 million people in the past 12 years. As we celebrate World Meteorological Day we explore the power of information to supercharge progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.

Sierra Leone is rebuilding its climate services from the ashes of war using new technologies to provide early warnings for vulnerable communities.

Partnerships

SOFF is a specialized fund co-created by WMO, UNDP and UNEP to close the climate and weather observations data gap in countries with the most severe shortfalls in observations, prioritizing Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. It is a foundational element and delivery vehicle of the global ‘Early Warnings for All’ initiative.

Launched at the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019, the REAP brings together an unprecedented range of stakeholders across the climate, humanitarian, and development communities with the aim of making 1 billion people safer from disaster by 2025.

Resources

Climate change is expected to increase the exposure of many countries, especially least developed countries (LDCs), to climate and meteorological hazards which threaten lives, infrastructure and economic activities. Extreme meteorological and climate events, such as heavy rainfall causing flooding and landslides, or increasing heatwaves and droughts, are either already increasing in intensity, duration and frequency, or are likely to do so in the future.