1. World Meteorological Organization
WMO Disaster Risk Reduction Programme
and
Initiatives in Support of Climate Risk Management By
Maryam Golnaraghi, Ph.D.
Chief of Disaster Risk Reduction Programme

2. Agenda Hydro-meteo hazards and link to climate About WMO
WMO DRR Programme
WMO Initiative in support of climate adaptation

3. WMO Mandate related to Natural Hazards (Weather, Climate and Water)
Primary mandate for: Severe storms, tropical cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons), storm surges, floods, cold spells, heat waves, cold waves, droughts, volcanic ash transport, air pollution, Sand and dust storms, etc.
Contributing to: Forest fires, locust swarms, health epidemics, tsunami, etc…

4. Increasing Risks under a Changing Climate
Energy
Water Resource
Management
Heatwaves
Heavy rainfall / Flood
Tropical Cyclones
Coastal Marine Hazards
Strong Wind
Food security
Transport
Intensity
Health
Industry
Urban areas
Exposure is increasing !
Hazards’ intensity and frequency are increasing
Need for
disaster risk management
Intensity and frequency of various hydrometeorological hazards are likely to increase, as projected by the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Given the demographic expansion in urban and coastal areas, appropriate planning and disaster risk management is now a critical component of climate change adaptation and sustainable development.
Frequency

5. Leveraging WMO networks to improve DRR and climate risk management at national level WMO leverages global, regional, national cooperation with national development to ensure development and availability of technical capacities at the national level.

6. National Meteorological &
WMO: Coordinates an Operational Global Coordination Network for Hazard Detection and Forecasting to Support Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems
Global Observing System
National Meteorological &
Hydrological
Services
Coordinated Satellite System
Global Data Processing and Forecasting System
Global Telecommunication System

7. National Meteorological and Hydrological Services
WMO: Coordinates an Operational Global Coordination Network for Hazard Detection and Forecasting
Global Telecommunication System
Exchanges bulletins, forecasts, and other information
National Meteorological
and Hydrological Services
National Meteorological &
Hydrological Services develop
and disseminate authoritative
warnings for the country
Media
General
public
Private
sector
Government and
civil defence
authorities

8. Example: Cyclone Preparedness Programme in Bangladesh
Since a devastating cyclone in 1991 killed an estimated 139,000 people throughout Bangladesh, the coastline has been studded with concrete shelters raised on 12-foot pillars to allow tidal surges to flow beneath. The government also honed its early warning systems and set up a volunteer network to assist with evacuations.
Year Death toll Name Area
West Sundarbans
Megna Eestuary
Chittagong, Noakhali
Barisal district
Bhola Khulna, Chittagong
Urir, Jabbar, Bata, Darbesh, Clark, Sudharam, Hatia, Sand Wip Islands + Patuakhali, Bhola, North Chittagong, Feni, Noakhali districts
Gorky Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Bhola, Barguna

9. Disaster Risk Reduction Programme Strategic Foundation
Hyogo Framework for Action
WMO
Strategic Plan
WMO Strategic Goals
in Disaster Risk Reduction
WMO’s strategic goals in Disaster Risk Reduction are derived from Hyogo Framework for Action, pertaining to those high priority areas that fall under the mandate of WMO and NMHSs.

10. WMO Action Plan in Disaster Risk Management
Governance and Organizational Coordination and Cooperation
Risk Identification
Risk Reduction
Risk Transfer 2 1
PREPAREDNESS: early warning systems, emergency planning and response capacities
MITIGATION AND PREVENTION: Medium to long term sectoral planning (e.g. building resilient infrastructure)
Historical hazard data, analysis and changing hazard trends
Exposed assets & vulnerability
Risk quantification
CAT insurance & bonds
Weather Risk Management
Other emerging products 3
Disaster risk management strategies, as detailed in the HFA, can be framed under three main areas: Risk Identification, Risk Reduction and Risk Transfer. HFA stresses that successful disaster risk management should be supported by effective governance, legislation, legal frameworks and institutional capacities at national to local levels supplemented by effective information and knowledge sharing mechanisms among different stakeholders.
Information and Knowledge Sharing Education and training

11. National DRR Capacity Assessment Survey (2006)
Mapping NMHSs’ Capacities, Gaps and Needs
139 out of 187 Countries responded
24/52
54 %
25/34
74 %
10/12
83 %
18/22
82 %
14/19
44/48
92 %

12. National DRR Capacity Assessment Survey (2006) Results (2/2)
Country
Category
Planning & Legislation
Infrastructure
Observation
Forecasting
Telecom.
Technical
Cooperation
&
Capacities
Partnerships
ConOps
Needs % 1 ×
Need for development along all aspects 12 2
Need for improvements along all aspects 42
Need for improvements 3
Guidance materials needed
Generally support other countries 26 4
Self sufficient
Support other countries 20

13. 1. Projects to Support Early Warning Systems

14. WMO Approach to Assist its Members in Strengthening Their Early Warning Systems
Identification of Good Practices
Implementation of EWS projects and sharing of good practices
Documentation of Good Practices
Development of Guidelines for EWS implementation

15. Effective Early Warning Systems Require Coordination and Collaboration among Various Stakeholders at National to Local Levels
Disaster Risk Management Agency and ministry in charge National to
local levels
Other
Ministries
(e.g. health,
agriculture,
environment, etc
Media
Coordination
Collaborations
Non-governmental
organizations,
private sector, etc
(e.g. Red Cross
and Red
Crescent
Societies)
Scientific and Technical Services (e.g. Meteorological
& Hydrological
Services
Academia and Research

16. Project Types and Link with Country Categories
Strengthening of National EWS through National Projects
Project Types and Link with Country Categories
Project Types
Country Category
Cat 1
Cat 2
Cat 3
Cat 4
Modernisation of Meteorological and Hydrological Infrastructure
Technical Capacity Development of Meteorlogical and Hydrological Services
Severe Weather Forecast Demonstration Project (SWFDP)
Flash Flood Guidance (FFG)
Sand and Dust Storm (SDS)
Drought
Storm Surge
Heat Health
National EWS Partnerships & Concept of Operations with Disaster Risk Management Agencies
Guidelines and Documentation of Good practices

17. Strengthening of National Early Warning Systems
Projects Mapping
Modernisation of NMHS infrastructures (WB/ISDR/UNDP/WMO)
Modernisation of NMHS infrastructures
Technical Capacity Development of NMHS
Technical Capacity Development of NMHS
Guidelines & Documentation of good practices in EWS
Guidelines & Documentation of good practices in EWS (DRR)
National EWS Partnerships & Conops

18. Launching an Operational Project with Humanitarian Agencies (March 2009)
Linking Humanitarian Agencies to operational network of Meteorlogical Services and Regional Specialized Center to access official forecasts and warnings (up to 10 days lead-time)
Communication channels with official and credible sources of forecasts and warnings to be established. 18

19. Communication and Dissemination
Humanitarian agencies
New
National Meteorological
and Hydrological Services
National Meteorological and Hydrological Services are linked among themselves through the Global Telecommunication System (GTS). This secured communication network enables real-time exchange of information, critical for forecasting and warning of hydrometeorological hazards.
Media
General
public
Private
sector
Government and
civil defence
authorities

20. 2nd Multi Hazard Early Warning Symposium May 5-7, 2009 (Toulouse, France)
Discuss four “good practices” in early warning systems presented by a team of national experts from the countries
France Vigilance system
Shanghai Emergency Preparedness System
Bangladesh Cyclone Preparedness Programme
Cuba tropical cyclone early warning system
Draft the First Guidelines on “Role of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems with Focus on Institutional Coordination and Cooperation”, and;
Recommendations on concrete initiatives to improve coordination and collaboration among NMHS and disaster risk management agencies for better early warning systems

21. 2. Projects on Hazard Databases and Statistics

22. Number of NMHS Keeping Hazard Data Archives and Status
Very few countries maintain impact databases
Data archived are not standardised
90 % of NMHS indicated their need for guidelines and support in hazard analysis, mapping and statistics (WMO 2006 DRR survey)
The impact of a disaster is not the only criteria for implementation of EWS: complexity and cost of the system is also important in the decision-making process. Example: heat wave and cold wave do not have a high impact on South America, but EWS for those hazards are in place in most countries because they rely on observations and forecasts of simple meteorological parameters.
TOP CONCERNS OF MEMBERS

23. Hazard data and information Need to initiate systematic projects…
To provide standardization guidelines for Meteorological, Hydrological and climatic-related hazards:
Hazard data and metadata
Hazard analysis and mapping methodologies
Capacity development and training
Demonstration projects in selected countries

24. Hazard data and information List of Projects
Flood hazard data and mapping guidelines (underway)
Drought assessment and mapping (underway)
Storm Surge hazard data and mapping (underway)
Other meteorological hazard data and mapping guidelines (to be initiated in 2009)
Tools to assess evolution of hazard trends in the future …

25. Need for production of local climate information…
Climate variability and change and their impacts are not uniform geographically
Droughts
Trends in heavy rainfall
Trends in Frost and Heat Waves
(IPCC, 2007)
Need for production of local climate information…
Highly Resource Intensive!
IPCC 4th Assessment Report, 2007

26. WB/ISDR/WMO/UNDP Projects,
GRIP & Climate Risk Management (UNDP)
Other probabilistic Risk Assessment (WB)
Provide opportunities to implement hazard guidelines at the national level

27. 3. Support of Weather Risk Management and Catastrophe Insurance Markets

28. Role of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Financial Risk Transfer Markets
Availability and accessibility of historical and real-time data
Data quality assurance, filling data gaps, other value-added services
Reliable, authoritative and timely data for contract design and settlement
Forecasts for portfolio management and forward looking risk analysis
Technical support and service delivery

29. First Step: Expert Meeting on Role of National Met Services to support Financial Risk Transfer Markets Dec 2007, WMO Headquarters
Participants:
World Bank, World Food Programme, Weather Risk Management Association, 8 largest Reinsurers
13 National Meteorological Services
Reps. from climate research community
Outcomes:
Raised Awareness within WMO and its network
Discussed role of NMHS in supporting Financial risk transfer markets
Discussed needs, challenges and emerging opportunities
Discussed requirements of these markets and role of World Bank, WFP and bi-lateral donors
All documents and final report available at:

30. Progress with Catastrophe (CAT) Insurance / Bond and Weather Risk Management Markets (through partners)
Catastrophe Insurance and Bond Markets
Weather Risk Management Markets (ART)
European Agricultural Risk
Hydro Electric Power Risk Contracts
Wind Power Risk Contracts
UK Flood CAT Bond
Southeastern and Central European Risk Insurance Facility
CAT Bond Markets post Hurricane Andrew
Central Asia and Caucasus Disaster
Indian Agricultural Risk
Heating Degree Day Contracts
Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility
Drought Risk Management in Ethiopia
Malawi Drought Risk Management
Pacific Risk Insurance Facility

31. Raise awareness among NMHS on the emergence, needs and opportunities
What is Next?
Raise awareness among NMHS on the emergence, needs and opportunities
Develop a joint work plan with World Bank, WFP and WRMA, and present to WMO governing bodies for endorsement ( )
National Capacity development projects Modernization of observing networks, Data Rescue Programmes, Data management and archiving systems, technical tools and methodologies
Facilitation of National Met Services participation and technical advice

32. WMO initiative to address the climate information challenge ….
Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change
National Development
Policies
Disaster Risk
Management
Climate
Information
Decision makers
(all climate sensitive
sectors)
Climate Service Providers
User Interaction
Mechanism

33. Global Framework for Climate Information
Goal:
the development of science-based climate information for climate risk management and adaptation to climate variability and change throughout the world to support poverty alleviation and sustainable development.

34. Global Framework for Climate Services
feedback
requirements
input
Operational climate forecasting and analysis systems
Climate research, modelling and tools
Observations, monitoring, and data management
User Sectors
(Improved decisions and policies)
Water resource Management
Agriculture
Transportation
Disaster Risk Management
Health
Tourism
Energy
Urban infrastructure development
NGOs
UN Agencies
Universities
Aid agencies
Media
Regional Development Institutions
Private Sector
(Development and provision of climate services)
Retrospective, real time and longer term, including seasonal to multi-decadal prediction
Science-based, and user-driven, based on requirement
User Interaction Mechanism
Network for Climate Services

35. Legacy of the World Climate Conference I, II, III

36. Geneva, Switzerland 31 August–4 September 2009
World Climate Conference-3 Better climate information for a better future
Geneva, Switzerland 31 August–4 September 2009

37. Thank You http://www.wmo.int/disasters
For more information please contact:
Maryam Golnaraghi, Ph.D.
Chief of Disaster Risk Reduction Programme
World Meteorological Organization
Tel
Fax .