World Meteorological Day 2025
Closing the Early Warning Gap Together
WMO recently confirmed that 2024 was the hottest year on record. Changes in our environment are driving more extreme weather events. Rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones, devastating rainfall, storm surges, flooding, deadly droughts, and wildfires are on the rise. Sea levels are increasing, exposing densely populated coastal areas to coastal inundation and ocean wave impacts. The societal effects of these events continue long after the headlines fade.
At the halfway mark of the Early Warnings for All initiative, significant progress has been made in saving lives, protecting livelihoods, and strengthening community resilience. As climate risks escalate, the urgency of the initiative continues to grow.
As the initiative enters its next phase, partnerships are expanding to accelerate progress. Collaboration with bilateral and multilateral donors, climate funds, and development banks is increasing support for early warning efforts. Regional partners and specialised centres are being leveraged to enhance impact and build lasting capacity. National ownership remains at the heart of the initiative, with governments—particularly National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs)—leading efforts to strengthen resilience and establish sustainable early warning systems.
The numbers tell the story
At the halfway point, we are making strong progress in saving lives, protecting livelihoods, and strengthening resilience across countries and communities.
55%
As of 2024, 108 countries report having some capacity for multi-hazard early warning systems, more than double the 52 countries in 2015.
Vulnerable Nations Progress
The least developed countries have shown the most significant improvements, with landlocked developing countries and small island developing states also surpassing the global rate.
+39%
The global average score for the comprehensiveness of multi-hazard early warning systems has risen from 0.35 to 0.49, an increase of 39%.
Now is the time to act. By closing the early warning gap together, we can create a safer, more resilient world.
Governments must lead the way
Collaboration between the public and private sectors holds significant potential for the Early Warnings for All initiative, with opportunities for engagement across a broad spectrum of private sector actors—both large and small. While government agencies—particularly National Meteorological and Hydrological Services—must remain the source of authoritative warnings, private sector collaboration can help drive innovation, strengthen dissemination, and enhance risk knowledge.
From AI-driven forecasting tools to enhanced communication systems, businesses can provide valuable expertise and resources. Whether they are established corporations or local companies, the private sector has a vested interest in leveraging weather and climate information to manage risks, protect assets, optimize operations, and ensure long-term resilience.
By working together, public and private stakeholders can create more inclusive and robust early warning systems that protect communities and strengthen business resilience.
Broadening the Tent: Scaling up Early Warnings for All
As we look ahead to the 2027 target, the next phase of the Early Warnings for All initiative will focus on fast-tracked, inclusive, and streamlined action to amplify its impact by:
- Building on lessons learned and tools developed to accelerate and improve implementation.
- Expanding support to additional countries beyond the initial 30 focus countries.
- Strengthening partnerships with bilateral and multilateral donors, development banks, and climate funds to boost resources and collaboration.
- Enhancing regional capacity through cooperation with specialized centers and regional partners to ensure lasting impact.
- Promoting national ownership by placing countries at the forefront of implementation and ensuring long-term sustainability.
Together, we can close the early warning financing gap and ensure every country has the resources needed to build resilience and protect communities from the growing impacts of extreme weather and climate change.
Closing the Early Warning Gap Together
Earth System Science: the foundation of early warnings
For over 75 years, WMO has been a global leader in Earth system science—an integrated approach that connects weather, climate, water, and the environment. Understanding and predicting these complex interactions is critical to building effective early warning systems.
While forecasting capabilities have advanced significantly, gaps remain in observation networks, forecasting accuracy, and access to high-quality climate and hydrological data. Strengthening National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in developing nations is not only vital for climate adaptation—it is essential for global resilience, security, and economic stability.
As the UN’s specialized agency for weather, climate, and water, WMO continues to harness the power of partnerships through its network of 193 Member States and Territories. Now is the time to act. By closing the early warning gap together, we can build a safer, more resilient world.
