EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS HELPs DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

Climate change is one of the most important issues being discussed around the world, as it has local and regional impacts that deeply affect communities. Early Warning System is an adaptive measure for climate change, using integrated communication systems to help communities to be prepared for hazards related to extreme weather events. A successful EWS saves lives, jobs, land, infrastructure and supports long-term sustainability. EWS help public officials and administrators in their planning, saving money in the long run and protecting economies. The UN, working in various partnerships, has introduced a number of innovative early warning systems initiatives in vulnerable areas around the world. Risks are not mutually exclusive. Several hazards, i.e. a cyclone and a pandemic, can occur at the same time or one after the other. When this happens the effects of one disaster can make it even more difficult for communities to respond to the next one. As Rosalind Cook, external relations officer at the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) said, “We need to shift from a hazard by hazard to a multi-hazard approach. We need a comprehensive holistic approach looking at the long term based on data, and for that, we need to improve our metrics for risks.” Adaptation solutions need to be inclusive. This means they have to respond to the specific needs of all impacted stakeholders, taking into account that groups will have varying needs. To achieve this, it is important to reflect on why and how different groups are vulnerable and empower them to make active decisions regarding their resilience. “Inclusive solutions should be crosscutting, involving women, youth, migrants, smallbusinesses and people with disabilities,” said Krishnan Narasimhan, a programme manager at the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). “Empowering the beneficiaries with measures is a key step to build resilience. Building the financial capacity and competency of end-users, for example, is key to the sustainable use of financial products.” This study will prove the importance of early warning systems in our country, Albania. Adequate early warning systems for floods, droughts, heat waves, storms or other disasters enable planning to minimize negative impacts. Extreme weather cannot be prevented, but countries and international organizations must take care to mitigate the consequences of natural disasters as much as possible.