The Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Initiative is a mechanism that funds Least Developed Countries (LDC) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) for risk-informed early warning services. It currently provides support to over 50 countries. This support includes capacity building to use predictions and forecasts provided by global and regional weather prediction centres, issue specific local forecasts for hazards such as flash floods and coastal flooding, develop Standard Operational Procedure for early warning and preparedness, put in place early warning strategies and legislation, and co-produce warning services with populations at risk.
CREWS support fundamentally depends on reliable weather and climate prediction products that depend on surface-based weather and climate observations. These observations are poor and declining in many countries where CREWS operates. Therefore, SOFF efforts to make LDCs and SIDS GBON compliant fully complements and provides the operational data basis for the work of CREWS.
CREWS has been identified as a potential host institution for SOFF. The CREWS Steering Committee decided in December 2020 to organize an inter-sessional meeting in the first quarter of 2021 to follow up the discussion regarding SOFF with a view to understanding the SOFF opportunities and implications for the CREWS initiative.
