INNOVATION IN PPE - Multi-hazards early warning system in the Pacific

Multi-hazards early warning system in the Pacific

It has long been recognized that if society could have advance information on hazard warning, the adverse effects associated with the hazards could be minimized. Hazard forecasting and warning is a key aspect of overall disaster risk management. Early warning systems have been recognized as a critical life-saving tool for hazards. The issuance of warnings is a national responsibility; thus, the engagement of various public and private sector stakeholders is critical for efficient and effective implementation of the system. 

Tonkin+Taylor, MetService New Zealand, MetOcean NZ, NIWA, and other institutions in New Zealand have set up several good practices and innovations for the design and implementation of a multi-hazard, impact-based early warning system. The system design follows a systematic approach, considering value chain for service delivery and government commitment to ensure smart investment to produce useful and usable information for sectoral uses.

This presentation will describe some good practices on early warning system in the Pacific, which have been developed through engagement with public and private sectors.

Bapon (Shm) Fakhruddin

Dr Fakhruddin is an expert climate change risk assessor with 17 years’ global experience in working on disaster risk and climate resilience projects. This experience is a major advantage in climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy development. His key areas of expertise are climate and multi-hazard risk assessment, disaster preparedness, early warning and emergency response and coastal community resilience. He has designed climate change and disaster response projects more than 25 countries in Asia and the Pacific.

During his career, Dr Fakhruddin helped to design major international multi-hazard early warning systems for floods, cyclone and tsunami to save life and property damage. His most high profile work has been developing multi-hazard warning systems including a tsunami warning system for Indian Ocean countries following the deadliest one in history - the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami.

Dr Fakhruddin works as a mentor and supervisor for postgraduate study in disaster risk management at the University of Auckland (UoA). He is a Science Committee Member of IRDR of ICSU/UNISDR, Co-Chair for the Disaster Loss DATA and Risk Interpretation and Applications (RIA) Working Group of IRDR of ICSU/UNISDR. He is also Co-Chair CODATA task group Linked Open Data for Global Disaster Risk Research (LODGD) and PSG member of the Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project (CIFDP) and Open Panel of Commission for Hydrology Experts (OPACHE) of WMO. Recently Dr Fakhruddin appointed by the Government of New Zealand to develop national climate change risk assessment framework.

Capabilities: climate and hydrological risk assessment, design and implementation of hazard early warning system and emergency communication, climate change adaptation, training and capacity building and integrated water resources management.