Early warning and early action for all

The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is an opportunity to celebrate the advancements made in lowering the impact of disasters and the resulting losses of health, lives and livelihoods. It is also an opportunity to focus on action to make us more resilient and prepared to respond to future emergencies. Today we also honour communities and individuals who are working together to keep populations safe through risk mitigation.

This year’s theme, “early warning and early action for all”, brings to focus Target G of the Sendai Framework: “Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to people by 2030.” The Sendai Framework has a set of metrics to measure progress on mitigation actions to protect lives and livelihoods reach everyone and leave no one behind. 

In India, early warning systems have been steadily strengthened to alert the government and communities to take protective actions to mitigate severe weather conditions. India's early weather warning system for tropical cyclones has led to a marked reduction in cyclone-related deaths over the past two decades.

Multisectoral coordination with government and partners must be strengthened further to support the development of newer technologies to anticipate the risk and impact of disasters and to support the rapid implementation of the early warning systems to reduce harm.

WHO is committed to strengthening systems for disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness, devising sustainable disaster risk communication strategies, focusing efforts to reach the high-risk communities, and developing policies for early warning and early action. Together, these will save lives and protect health of populations.   

On this International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, let us commit to work together to build a safer and more resilient planet.