Green Climate Fund Grants $103M to Enhance Climate Resilience

March 3, 2025: The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has agreed to allocate $103.2 million in grant funds to bolster early warning systems in seven climate-vulnerable nations. The UNDP-hosted five-year effort will strengthen multi-hazard early warning systems in Antigua and Barbuda, Cambodia, Chad, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Fiji, and Somalia, protecting over 26 million people.

Strengthening Early Warning Systems to Reduce Climate Risks:-
The cost of the entire project is $114.6 million, which includes $11.3 million of national government co-financing, as well as co-financing from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The program will prioritize the development of enhanced risk assessment, forecasting capacity, and delivering essential early warnings to remote and vulnerable communities.

The effort is timely since Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States are confronted with escalating climate risks. Ethiopia and Somalia are suffering from extended droughts, which result in water and food shortages. Fiji and Antigua and Barbuda are susceptible to increasing storms and sea levels. Environmental degradation and extreme weather threaten individuals in Chad, Cambodia, and Ecuador.

Backing the Global Early Warning Initiative:-
It is one of the United Nations Secretary-General's Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, launched in 2022. The goal is to have all people in the world under an early warning system by 2027. It also complements national climate resilience plans, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans, and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The financing will hasten initiatives to improve early warning systems in danger zones, allowing governments and societies to better prepare for catastrophes. The project will improve weather observation networks, include Indigenous knowledge within early warning systems, reinforce community-led preparation, improve climate risk communication, and mobilize the private sector, such as telecommunications, to help distribute climate warnings.

Multi-Agency Cooperation for Effective Implementation:-
The project will be delivered through a multi-agency effort with UNDP serving as the Accredited Entity and in close cooperation with WMO, UNDRR, ITU, IFRC, national governments, and local stakeholders. Through building on the combined capability of various organizations, the project will establish endurable and specialized early warning systems that will become replicable models for other countries.

Increasing Disaster Preparedness and Climate Resilience:-
With the escalation of climate threats, early warning systems must be expanded to safeguard communities against devastating weather. Successful early warning systems can help save lives, safeguard livelihoods, and improve disaster resilience. The Advancing Early Warnings for All project offers a scalable and replicable approach for other countries to use in strengthening their disaster preparedness and climate resilience efforts.

Conclusion:-
The Green Climate Fund's endorsement of $103.2 million in funding is a significant step towards strengthening early warning systems in some of the world's most vulnerable nations. The project supports global climate resilience goals, delivering timely and reliable climate information to vulnerable populations. By improving forecasting and disaster preparedness, the project aims to strengthen long-term resilience against increasing climate change impacts.

Source: UN Development Programme (UNDP), Green Climate Fund (GCF).