CREWS - Contribution to the Climate Risks and Early Warning Systems Initiative

Extreme weather events such as floods, drought, heatwaves and storms lead to hundreds of billions of dollars of economic losses and wreak a heavy toll on human lives and wellbeing. Humaninduced climate change, including more frequent and intense extreme events, causes widespread adverse impacts and related losses and damages to nature and people, with the most vulnerable people disproportionately affected.

Early warning systems, climate services and disaster risk management are key cross-cutting adaptation options that enhance the benefits of other adaptation measures when combined. Early warning systems are a proven, effective, and feasible climate adaptation measure that save lives and provide a tenfold return on investment. However, one third of the world’s population, mainly in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), are still not covered by early warning systems.

Direct: National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and National Disaster Management Agencies in LDCs and SIDS. 

Indirect: National and sub-national decision makers such as sector ministries; city mayors and planners small and medium enterprises; regional inter-governmental organizations; implementing partners; farmers; individuals in LDCs and SIDS, with a focus on at-risk populations. 

1)    Increased prioritization of and investment in early warning systems in LDCs and SIDS

2)    Increased accuracy and timeliness of weather forecasts and early warning

Resultados previstos:  

At global level: investments are increased and better coordinated to address early warning service delivery gaps.

At regional level: regional capacities for early warning strengthened.

At national level (country outputs):

1)    Hydrometeorological service delivery improved 

2)    Risk information generated for impact-based forecasts and early warnings

3)    Information and communication technology strengthened

4)    Preparedness and response plans strengthened and accessible

5)    Awareness on early warning improved

6)    Gender-responsive capacity building programmes initiated

Resultados de las fases anteriores:  

Since 2015, CREWS has supported 74 countries (LDCs and SIDS) with USD 70.1 Mio deployed through 18 national, regional and global projects, including 19 countries affected by either high or medium intensity conflict or suffering high institutional and social fragility. CREWS has raised USD 83.5 Mio and has leveraged USD 400 Mio from national governments and multilateral funds. 

Some highlighted results: in 2020, 114 million people in Afghanistan, Palau and six West African countries were better protected from drought, sand and dust storms through communitybased early warning and response mechanisms developed with support of CREWS. In 2021, 12 countries in Pacific and Caribbean regions completed National Strategic Plans that ensure stronger governance on climate and weather services.

CREWS Initiative (https://www.crews-initiative.org/en)

Contract Partner (Trustee): World Bank Group (https://fiftrustee.worldbank.org/en/about/unit/dfi/fiftrustee/fund-detail/crews),

Implementing Partners: WMO ( https://public.wmo.int/en), GFDRR (https://www.gfdrr.org/en), UNDRR ( https://www.undrr.org) 

The contribution 2018-2022 is to be found under project number 7F-10092.