New York - The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved an unprecedented US$103.2 million in grant financing to scale up life-saving early warning systems in seven of the world's most climate-vulnerable countries. Led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the five-year project will bolster multi-hazard early warning systems in Antigua and Barbuda, Cambodia, Chad, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Fiji, and Somalia, and directly benefit more than 26 million people.
With a total budget of $114.6 million -including $11.3 million in co-financing from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and national governments - the initiative will improve risk assessment, enhance forecasting capabilities, and ensure that critical early warnings reach the most remote and at-risk communities.
The financial support comes at a crucial moment as Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States bear the brunt of accelerating climate impacts. Prolonged droughts in Ethiopia and Somalia are driving food and water insecurity, while Fiji and Antigua and Barbuda face intensifying storms and rising sea levels. In Chad, Cambodia, and Ecuador, communities are increasingly exposed to extreme weather and environmental degradation.
The project is a major contribution to the global Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, launched by the United Nations Secretary-General in 2022, which aims to ensure that every person on Earth is protected by an early warning system by 2027. It also directly supports the resilience-building priorities set out under the countries' Nationally Determined Contributions, National Adaptation Plans and Sustainable Development Goals.
As the impacts of the climate crisis accelerate, too many communities are left unprotected from its most devastating consequences," said Marcos Neto, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP's Bureau for Policy and Programme Support. "This $100 million investment from the Green Climate Fund is a game-changer. This UN wide system program supporting governments will provide millions of people with the information and tools they need to prepare for disasters before they strike, saving lives and safeguarding livelihoods. Scaling up early warning systems isn't just about technology - it's about climate justice and ensuring no one is left behind in the face of climate change."
"The Green Climate Fund is proud to support Early Warnings for All (EW4All), a game-changing global initiative that will ensure vulnerable communities across Africa and beyond have access to timely and accurate climate information," said Henry Gonzalez, GCF Chief Investment Officer. "By working with national governments, UNDP, WMO, UNDRR, ITU, IFRC and other partners, we will accelerate and scale up EW4All so that everyone on Earth is protected by an early warning system by 2027. It is not just forecasting disasters-it is empowering people to act, protect livelihoods, and save lives. Through strategic investments in early warning systems, we are turning climate risk into resilience and safeguarding the future of those most affected by the climate crisis."
The project will be implemented through a multi-agency approach, with UNDP as the Accredited Entity, working alongside WMO, UNDRR, ITU, IFRC, national governments, and local stakeholders to develop tailored, sustainable early warning solutions.
Country-specific interventions will include upgrading weather observation networks, integrating Indigenous knowledge into early warning systems, strengthening community-based preparedness, improving climate risk communication, and engaging with the private sector (such as the telecommunications industry).
As climate risks intensify, the Advancing Early Warnings for All project serves as a scalable model for other nations seeking to enhance disaster preparedness and adaptation strategies.
