The Multi-Hazard Early Warning System Design & Implementation Center (MHEWC) is envisioned as a global platform for research, design, development, and implementation of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) decision-support systems (DSS); end-to-end hydrometeorological Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS); and climate-risk management prioritizing countries in the Global South.
Recognizing that MHEWS are inherently complex, the Center is currently at an early, voluntary stage. It aims to support new system installations, assess existing operational capacities, and upgrade country-level platforms into fully functional, interoperable, and integrated online systems.
The geospatially enabled MHEWC platform strengthens coordination among climate-vulnerable sector agencies, stakeholders, value-chain actors, and frontline communities by enabling seamless interaction within a unified system. It supports integrated national hydrometeorological services, including impact-based forecasting by sector agencies, operational forecasting, standardized alerting, and real-time event updates.
Ultimately, the integrated framework advances ICT-enabled local risk-governance. It empowers sector departments to conduct multi-hazard exposure, risk, and vulnerability assessments; build and maintain risk repositories; reduce data-exchange barriers across administrative levels; and deliver tailored risk-information services that strengthen local climate resilience.
Services Offered by MHEWC:
- Conduct country-level institutional and technical assessments of sector ministries and affiliated climate-vulnerable departments, including Disaster Management, Climate Change, Agriculture, Water Resources, Livestock, Fisheries, Agroforestry, Environment and Forest, Tourism, Health, Public Infrastructure, Communication, and other relevant sectors.
- Assess national climate risk governance systems by reviewing relevant local government and planning institutions, including ministries responsible for local government, decentralized local authorities, development planning, economy and finance, and blue economy. This will include identifying institutional arrangements, coordination mechanisms, policy gaps, and operational capacities related to climate risk management, multi-hazard disaster risk governance, and resilience planning.
- Develop robust strategies and support the design and implementation of informed climate risk management, disaster risk governance, and multi-hazard risk reduction systems.
- Design and implement end-to-end Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS), including the installation and integration of Automated Weather Stations (AWS), hybrid weather and hazard monitoring systems, real-time sensor-based data ingestion, data-driven early warning systems, weather nowcasting services, hazard nowcasting services, and hazard event situation update mechanisms.
- Develop methodologies, tools, guidelines, frameworks, and action plans for Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF), Forecast-Based Early Action, anticipatory action services, forecast-based emergency preparedness and response management systems, Forecast-Based Financing (FbF) mobilization, and Early Action Protocol development.
- Develop forecast-based Decision Support System (DSS)-supported Standing Orders on Disaster (SoD), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and operational protocols for preparedness, response, and anticipatory action.
- Design, implement, and operationalize fully automated systems for hazard detection, monitoring, prediction, multi-hazard analysis, and Disaster Emergency Operations Center (EOC) management.
- Conduct climate and multi-hazard risk and vulnerability assessments to support evidence-based decision-making, sector planning, and resilience investment.
- Design and implement geospatial platform-driven Decision Support Systems for disaster risk governance, climate risk management, and multi-hazard early warning operations.
- Develop GIS maps, spatial databases, risk information systems, and analytical tools to support local governments and productive sectors in risk-informed planning, budgeting, investment prioritization, and climate-resilient development.
Simplified MHEWS design concept for African Countries (click to enlarge)
Designed & conceptualized by Z M Sajjadul Islam