Country: World Source: World Meteorological Organization International commitment to the Early Warnings for All initiative has been given a resounding boost at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, reinforcing the importance of multilateralism and investment in resilience.The need is more urgent than ever.Amina J. Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, set the scene at the opening of the event, stressing that disasters and their cascading effects annually cost up to USD 3.2 trillion and make entire regions uninsurable.“Early Warnings for All must become more than a goal. It must be a global guarantee,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.“WMO’s science and data is an anchor for Early Warnings for All. But science and data alone doesn’t save lives. Trust does. Timeliness does. Action does. This is not just a technical mission. It’s a human one,” she said.The outcomes of the first-ever Multi-Stakeholder Forum, hosted by WMO and the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, fed into the Global Platform.Discussions throughout the Forum reflected a call for broader and more inclusive partnerships, deeper engagement, and a substantial increase in financing to accelerate the implementation of Early Warnings for All.Mr. Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, said 108 countries now report having Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems.“These are not just numbers. I am seeing the impact this is having on the ground,” he said. “For Sendai, this is our Now or Never moment,” he said. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 outlines clear targets and priorities.Lucy Mtilatila, WMO Permanent Representative from Malawi delivered the outcome statement to the Global Platform. She highlighted that despite notable progress with tangible country examples; persistent gaps remain across the MHEWS value cycle.Many National Meteorological and Hydrological Services remain under resourced technically and financially with only 67% of WMO Members reporting having warning and alerting services available 24hours a day, 365 days a year.Legal and Institutional Gaps: Early Warnings remain siloed without institutionalized roles and responsibilities amongst national and regional actors.Insufficient Data Utilization: Just 56% of countries report using hazard, exposure, and vulnerability data in their forecasts, limiting the effectiveness of impact-based forecasting.Financing Gaps in Fragility, Conflict, and Violence settings, informal settlements, least developed countries and small island developing states.The Multi-Stakeholder Forum highlighted the following key areas to speed up implementation:Aligning Global Goals: EW4All supports the Sendai Framework, the Paris Agreement and national disaster and climate plans. This alignment creates powerful incentives for action.People-Centered Innovation: New technologies—like AI and big data—offer huge potential, but only if early warning systems are co-created with communities, especially those most at risk. When people help design these systems, they trust and use them.Bridging the Gaps: Expertise and tools exist, but are scattered. Stronger partnerships—public-private, South-South, and across borders—can unlock and scale up solutions. Clear national frameworks are needed to define who does what, from risk monitoring to action.Reach Everyone, Everywhere: Expand observation networks and ensure alerts reach all, using mobile phones, radio, TV, and social media. Using standards like the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) helps get the message out fast and widely.Finance that Delivers: Global funds like the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems Initiative, the Systematic Observations Financing Facility and the Green Climate Fund are already helping countries build early warning capacity. Pooling resources strengthens impact and ensures sustainable, long-term support.Empowering Local Action: Early warnings work best when communities are part of the process. Tailoring alerts to local needs ensures people can act on them quickly and effectively—saving lives and protecting livelihoods.