Early warning system: Managing the avoidable

"We now have enough knowledge, know-how and expertise not only to manage climatic effects to a significant degree but also to avoid creating new risks in the long term," write Margareta Wahlström and Annick Girardin in an opinion piece for the Jakarta Post. "We need more political will, greater commitment from the private sector and increased global awareness from the whole of civil society, in order to achieve that which is still possible, namely better management of the avoidable."

The French early warning systems initiative CREWS was announced yesterday in Paris. Supported by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the World Meteorological Organization and the World Bank, this initiative will give small developing island states and least developed countries priority assistance in building their capacity to improve their warning systems and reduce their vulnerability to climatic hazards.

Margareta Wahlström is Special Representative of the Secretary General to the United Nations for Disaster Risk Reduction and Annick Girardin is Minister of State for Development and Francophony.