Disaster Risk Management & Early Warning Systems
Despite adaptation strategies and mitigation efforts to reduce GHG emissions, communities worldwide already feel the impacts of climate change either from sudden climate disasters (e.g. droughts, floods, cyclones, heatwaves) or gradual processes (e.g. desertification, sea level rise, loss of biodiversity).
These events result in losses and damages, a significant topic in climate change discussions. Estimates suggest annual loss and damage costs associated with climate change will range from $290 to $580 billion by 2030.
Losses and damages can occur in human (e.g: loss of livelihoods) as well as natural systems (e.g. loss of biodiversity) and the losses can be economic (income and physical assets) and non-economic (at individual – like lives and health, society – like indigenous knowledge and cultural identity, and environmental level – like biodiversity and ecosystem services).
By reducing the risk and impact of disasters, Disaster Risk Management (DRM) efforts can help prevent or minimise the occurrence of losses and damages and build climate resilience.
To anticipate and minimise these impacts, we take action before the impact of a disaster. We do so to reduce the risk to communities, mitigate the negative impacts of a disaster, and preserve development gains. We use a risk-informed approach and integrate disaster risk reduction and preparedness in our programming wherever possible.
Our experience
We have gained experience in the following areas:
Risk mapping/risk identification using participatory approaches involving local communities and combining both traditional knowledge and scientific data
Support the development of locally led specific and multi-hazard early warning systems to provide timely alerts and information about hazards, enabling communities to take proactive measures to reduce risks and minimise losses
Disaster risk reduction initiatives to reduce the likelihood or the scale of a disaster, including constructing climate-resilient infrastructure, sustainable land management practices and ecosystem-based approaches, the restoration and conservation of natural ecosystems (e.g. mangroves, wetlands, forests) that provide critical services such as flood protection, water purification, and carbon sequestration
Community-based preparedness and contingency planning, including capacity building and support for resource mobilisation among local authorities, civil society, and communities
Early anticipatory action by assisting ahead of a crisis to help people better anticipate and cope with its impact.
Social protection and safety nets to help communities recover from climate-related disasters and rebuild their lives, including cash transfers, food assistance, livelihood support, and access to other services such as mental health psychosocial support.
Examples of interventions
Currently, we implement DRR and preparedness activities in Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Nepal, Cambodia, Laos, and the Philippines. We prioritise a community-centred approach, as we can only achieve effective and sustainable results through active community engagement and local knowledge.
Our PIN Cambodia team has pioneered Southeast Asia's early warning system since 2013. Its success has inspired countries like the Philippines and Laos. EWS is gaining recognition as a critical approach to disaster risk reduction.
In the Philippines, funded by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), the STREAM-EWS project will enhance disaster preparedness and impact mitigation, targeting 450,000 inhabitants in the Mindanao region. This approach integrates solar-powered and mobile data-enabled water and flood gauges hosted in the cloud. This technology promises fast, relevant, and context-specific flood warnings. Furthermore, there is a commitment to expand risk data collection to include critical parameters like wind speed, gusts, direction, and rainfall.
In Nepal, the Pratibaddha 2 project focuses on local governance to promote and build local capacities in inclusive disaster preparedness and early actions for at-risk households. It aims to do so by unlocking the potential for better local government preparedness and response through nature-based solutions, early warning systems, anticipatory actions, and shock-responsive social protections.
Memberships
We are an active member of the Anticipation Hub and Risk-Informed Early Action Partnership (REAP), the Associated Programme for Flood Management under the World Meteorological Organisation and Global Water Partnership, the START network, and we hold an observer position in the Climate Risk & Early Warning System (CREWS) initiative.