Early Warnings cut disaster deaths by six times
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The United Nations reports that countries with comprehensive early warning systems for multiple hazards experience six times fewer deaths from disasters compared to countries without such systems.
This finding emerged as global leaders met at the UN Climate Summit to assess progress on the “Early Warnings for All” initiative, launched in 2022. The initiative aims to ensure every person on Earth is protected by effective early warning systems by the end of 2027.
Over the past few years, 136 countries now have multi-hazard early warning capabilities, a 143% increase since 2015. More than 160 countries are receiving support to strengthen these systems, and approximately $2 billion has been mobilized between 2022 and 2025 to improve disaster preparedness and protect vulnerable populations. These systems require meteorological and hydrological data, observation networks, reliable forecasts, and communication infrastructure to convert scientific information into specific warnings for citizens. Colombia exemplifies this proactive approach.
In June 2026, the country’s Red Cross activated a drought action plan upon the first signs of El Niño, before conditions became critical. This preventative work reached 9.6 million people in 54 countries through 146 programs supported by nearly $120 million in 2025. Conversely, recent devastating glacial lake outburst floods in Nepal demonstrated the consequences of lacking an early warning system, resulting in over 1,000 deaths and 10,000 people displaced.
The greatest gaps in early warning systems remain in the countries most exposed to climate risks, less developed nations, small island developing states, and conflict zones, where shortcomings exist in risk assessment, observation infrastructure, communication, and community preparedness. Roughly 50 countries are actively implementing the UN initiative, and 31 national roadmaps have been created, though UN Secretary-General António Guterres stresses that progress is still insufficient to protect millions of vulnerable people.
