Extraordinary WMO Congress will accelerate drive for life-saving early warnings

Early Warnings For All

Early Warnings for All is spearheaded by WMO, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). This covers the entire value chain: observations and forecasting; disaster risk knowledge; warning dissemination and communication; and preparedness and response.

It now embraces many partners – UN agencies, development banks, humanitarian organizations, academia and private companies ranging from meteorological equipment manufacturers to the IT sector. The initial target of 30 countries deemed most at risk has been widened. National ownership remains at the heart of the initiative, with governments in the driving seat.

“Early Warnings for All is now more than an initiative. It is a brand for global solidarity,” said Celeste Saulo. “Together we are saving lives, shaping policy, and strengthening resilience,” she said.

The need is paramount. In the last 50 years, weather, water, and climate-related hazards have claimed over 2 million lives, with 90% of those deaths occurring in developing countries. Economic costs and impacts are spiralling as weather becomes more extreme.

Huge progress has been made. As of 2024, 108 countries report having some capacity for multi-hazard early warning systems, more than double the 52 countries in 2015, and this has increased further in 2025. Many countries have drawn up national roadmaps – bringing together all sectors of government and society – and are implementing programmes on the ground which make a real difference in saving lives.

But big gaps remain. Disaster mortality is six times higher and the number of people affected is four times higher in countries with limited multi-hazard early warning systems.  

Hazard Monitoring and Forecasting

A new report will be launched at the Extraordinary Congress, Early Warnings for All in Focus: Hazard Monitoring and Forecasting - the “pillar”which is under WMO’s responsibility. It tracks global progress and gaps in the detection, monitoring, forecasting and warning across the hydrometeorological value chain, including for hazards such as tropical storms, floods, sand and dust storms and extreme heat.

The numbers highlight the collective progress but also the scale of the task ahead:

• Sixty-two assessments of the hydrometeorological value chain revealed that  half of countries possess only basic capacity; and 16% have less-than-basic capacity. The situation is worst in fragile, conflict and violence-affected contexts.
• Compliance with the Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) requirements remains low, particularly in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. However, more compliant stations are coming online, networks are increasingly automated and reporting frequency is improving.
• The number of surface stations sharing data via the WMO Information System (WIS) has grown by about one fifth since 2019, while daily observations and daily reports per station have increased by around 60%. This means fewer false alerts and extended lead times for early warnings.
• The launch of WIS2 in 2025 represents a transformational step in global data exchange because it eliminates the need for costly specialized equipment, enabling even the smallest National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) to participate fully. It stands as a model of international cooperation, jointly operated by advanced centres across 11 Members.
• Satellite capabilities are expanding, but gaps remain. Although 56% of Members use satellite data for at least one hazard, only 20% do so for all their priority hazards. Regional partnerships are beginning to close these gaps by combining hardware, training and institutional capacity-building, tailored to regional needs.
• The WMO Integrated Processing and Prediction System (WIPPS) global network of over 150 designated centres ensures that all NMHSs can access state-of-the-art forecast products, regardless of their own modelling capacity. 76% of Members are using WIPPs products, bridging capacity gaps for those without their own systems.
• The Severe Weather Forecasting Programme (SWFP) continues to grow. As of 2025, it provides operational support to 85 Members across nine subregions.
• Digital innovation and the use of Artificial Intelligence has huge potential to help developing countries without supercomputers leapfrog to more advanced capabilities. But the digital divide remains wide.

The report gives impactful case studies of countries which have made great strides, including through WMO projects support and examples of South-South cooperation.

“The success of Early Warnings for All is not measured in reports or resolutions, but in lives saved and livelihoods protected. This report is both a record of progress and a call to action,” writes Celeste Saulo in the foreword.

“It shows that global solidarity, guided by science and driven by partnership, can deliver transformative change. As we look toward 2027, let us redouble our efforts to ensure that no one — no matter where they live — is left unprotected.”