The State of Early Warning Systems - Reducing Disaster: Early Warning Systems for Climate Change - page 105

Chapter 6
The State of Early Warning Systems

Veronica Francesca Grasso

Abstract Early warning systems (EWSs) are well recognized as a critical tool for
reducing losses from earthquakes, fl oods, droughts, storms, and other hazards. An
overview of the current state of EWS is presented here for ongoing and rapid/
sudden-onset and slow-onset (or “creeping”) hazards. This chapter also includes an
overview of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) reports on national progress in
developing effective EWS. Even though many such systems are operational world-
wide, there are still several high-risk countries that remain uncovered and that could
greatly benefi t from such systems. From the HFA reports it appears that the most
frequently reported impediment to EWS development is lack of funding; inadequate
coordination between local, national, and regional levels; lack of human resources
and of EWS infrastructure, for example. Addressing these gaps will imply incredi-
ble advances in EWS effectiveness and therefore substantial reduction in disaster
losses including climate change-related hazards.

Keywords Observation systems • Geological hazards • Landslide • Tsunami
• Earthquake • Volcano • Wildfi res • Hydrometeorological

6.1 Introduction

This chapter will provide an overview of the current state of early warning systems
(EWSs) around the world. Many such systems are operational worldwide; neverthe-
less, there are still several high-risk countries that remain uncovered. The state of art
of existing EWS is here presented by hazard types: ongoing and rapid/sudden-onset
and slow-onset (or “creeping”) hazards. While some of the EWSs covered in this