The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has convened an Extraordinary Congress to accelerate global efforts toward universal early warning services for all, aiming for full coverage by 2027.
This initiative, spearheaded by the United Nations and other key global partners, was launched to address the growing toll of extreme weather events on public safety and economies.
The Congress, which marks WMO’s 75th anniversary, includes a ministerial-level event and is focused on enhancing global collaboration for better hazard monitoring, forecasting, and response.
WMO reports that in the last decade, the number of countries with early warning systems has more than doubled.
It states that despite significant progress, such as the increase in countries with multi-hazard early warning systems from 52 in 2015 to 108 in 2024, gaps persist, especially in fragile and conflict-affected nations.
It also emphasised that a new report on hazard monitoring and forecasting, to be released during the Congress, highlights the progress made in weather-related data sharing, satellite capabilities, and the expansion of the WMO Integrated Processing and Prediction System (WIPPS).
It also reveals the challenges faced by many countries in meeting the Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) requirements, particularly in the least developed countries.
WMO Secretary-General, Celeste Saulo, emphasised the importance of global solidarity and cooperation in advancing these initiatives.
She noted that the Early Warnings for All initiative has already saved lives and protected livelihoods, and the WMO is committed to closing the remaining gaps in early warning capacity.
She stressed that as the world faces increasingly extreme weather, the call to action is clear: No one, regardless of their location, should be left unprotected.