Strategic roadmap for localising early warning systems

This Strategic Roadmap provides a long-term framework to strengthen the leadership, capacity, and sustainability of civil society organisations and local actors in driving people-centred early warning systems. Its purpose is to guide coherent programming, secure predictable financing, and ensure that early warnings translate into early, anticipatory action across communities most exposed to climate and disaster risks. Built on evidence from global surveys (80+ countries), national workshops, impact stories from 12 countries, and a global seminar, the roadmap offers a unified direction for governments, CSOs, donors, and regional bodies to institutionalise locally led early warning systems within national governance and global resilience agendas.

To achieve resilient, people-centred, and sustainable localised early warning systems, the Strategic Roadmap prioritises six interlinked areas of action:

1. Strengthen multi-level governance and policy coherence by embedding localised EWS within national disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, and development frameworks.
2. Promote community leadership and inclusive participation — especially of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and indigenous groups — to ensure early warning systems are 
   equitable and locally owned.
3. Harness innovation and data by combining traditional knowledge with modern technology to enhance forecasting, accessibility, and last-mile communication.
4. Invest in continuous capacity building through training, simulation drills, and leadership development for local authorities, CSOs, and community networks.
5. Secure sustainable financing by institutionalising forecast-based mechanisms, community-managed funds, and integration of EWS into national budgets.
6. Foster a culture of learning and accountability through participatory monitoring, evidence sharing, and South–South collaboration.

Together, these priorities form a coherent strategy to localise early warning systems, institutionalise anticipatory action, and advance equitable climate resilience for all communities.