ANTALYA, WMO/UNDRR - More countries than ever are reporting multi-hazard early warning systems, but major gaps remain in the countries and communities most vulnerable to disasters, according to a new report from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The findings come as an intensifying El Niño threatens to bring more extreme weather to many parts of the world, underscoring the urgency of ensuring that forecasts result in anticipatory action.
According to the Global Status of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems 2026 , the number of countries reporting some multi-hazard early warning system capability has risen to 136, an increase of 17 from March 2025. This brings global coverage to 70 per cent of countries, a 143 per cent increase since reporting began in 2015.
Updated analysis shows a strong association between more comprehensive systems and lower disaster impacts. Countries with substantial to comprehensive early warning capabilities recorded disaster-related mortality that is 6.1 times lower than countries with limited to moderate systems. They also recorded 3.2 times fewer people affected by disasters.
However, significant gaps remain, especially among countries with the least capacity to adapt to growing climate risks. Small island developing States (SIDS) have the lowest reported coverage, while Least Developed Countries (LDCs) have the lowest overall comprehensiveness scores, despite registering the greatest improvement from their initial scores.
"Countries have made significant progress in strengthening their early warning systems, but too many people remain unprotected. If we are serious about reducing loss and damage, strengthening early warning and early action in the most vulnerable countries must be a top global priority," said Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of UNDRR.
