Project Overview: Enhancing Early Warning Systems in Timor-Leste 

The Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA), formally executed on June 30, 2022, establishes a strategic partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES). This comprehensive agreement governs the implementation of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) project titled “Enhancing Early Warning Systems to build greater resilience to hydro-meteorological hazards in Timor-Leste”. This initiative represents a critical investment in the country’s climate security, bringing together international expertise and local mandates to protect vulnerable populations.

Core Objective and Vision

The fundamental mission of this initiative is to bolster climate resilience and adaptation for the population of Timor-Leste. By strengthening comprehensive, end-to-end early warning systems (EWS), the project aims to mitigate the devastating impacts of hydro-meteorological hazards on lives and livelihoods. A key priority is the establishment of a multi-hazard Decision Support System (DSS) for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). The partnership ensures that all activities are executed with technical excellence and without discrimination, strictly adhering to the highest international standards and ethical guidelines.

Strategic Focus Areas

The project is structured around two primary pillars designed to transform the national early warning landscape and ensure long-term sustainability:

• Institutional and Technical Capacity Building: A major focus is upgrading the infrastructural, institutional, and human resource capacities of the National Directorate for Meteorology and Geophysics (DNMG) and associated disaster management services. This involves enhancing the technical ability to monitor and identify hazards, as well as developing the operational systems required to generate and deliver timely, accurate warnings.
• Community Integration and Actionable Warnings: The project systematically addresses the “last mile” of disaster risk reduction by collaborating with public and private sector agencies. The goal is to ensure that vulnerable communities can not only access warnings but also understand and utilize them effectively to protect their health, assets, and safety from impending hazards.

Organizational Roles and Governance

The agreement delineates clear, specialized roles for the entities involved to ensure project success and accountability:

• UNEP (Accredited Entity): UNEP provides high-level project supervision and oversight to ensure strict adherence to GCF policies. Its duties include acting as the primary liaison between the Technical Partner and the GCF Secretariat, monitoring deliverables, and conducting annual performance reviews to verify implementation progress.
• RIMES (Technical Partner): As the designated executing body, RIMES is responsible for the direct implementation of project activities. This mandate includes the recruitment of specialized personnel, the management of procurement in line with United Nations regulations, and the ongoing maintenance of all project-related equipment. Furthermore, RIMES is responsible for ensuring that all infrastructure and activities comply with rigorous environmental, social, and gender safeguard requirements.

This collaborative framework is designed for enduring impact, remaining in force for over five years to ensure the systems established are fully integrated into Timor-Leste’s national infrastructure.

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Project Overview: 

Under the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), RIMES is supporting the Maldives Meteorological Service to strengthen the country’s weather and climate observation network in line with Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) requirements.

The Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) Investment Phase in the Maldives officially moved into its implementation stage following the formal execution of the Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) on September 9, 2024. This project represents a transformative investment in the Maldives’ foundational climate and weather observing systems. As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) with over 1,100 low-lying islands, the Maldives is exceptionally vulnerable to hydrometeorological hazards such as coastal flooding and intense rainfall. The project addresses critical technical gaps in surface and upper-air observations to ensure the country contributes high-quality data to global weather prediction models.

Geographic Scope: Focuses on critical stations at Hanimaadhoo, Hulhulé (Male), Kadhdhoo, and Gan, alongside a new installation at Maafaru.

Core Objective and Vision: 

The primary vision is to achieve full national compliance with the Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) mandatory standards.

• Global Impact: The project aims to maximize the impact of local observations on global numerical weather prediction (NWP) skills.
• National Safety: By modernizing the network, the project strengthens the Maldives Meteorological Service (MMS) mandate to provide accurate early warnings and protect lives and livelihoods.
• Data Integrity: The objective is to move from manual processes to an automated, WIS 2.0-compliant data-sharing cycle.

Strategic Focus Areas: 

The project is structured into three distinct outcomes (pillars) to ensure both institutional sustainability and hardware delivery:

• Human Capacity Development: Implementation of a multi-year training program for MMS technical staff, covering AWS installation, calibration, and data management. This includes a Trainer-of-Trainers (ToT) module to ensure the MMS can internally transfer technical knowledge.
• Infrastructure Modernization: Upgrading four existing land-based stations to Automated Weather Stations (AWS) and installing a new AWS at Maafaru. It also includes the complete modernization of the upper-air sounding station at Gan with new hydrogen generators and receiver systems.
• Sustainability & Inclusion: Establishing a spare-sensor stock to prevent data interruptions and enforcing a 50% female participation quota in all SOFF-supported trainings and consultations..

Through these interventions, RIMES is helping ensure that Maldives can deliver reliable, high-quality meteorological data, strengthen early warning services, meet international data-sharing commitments, and sustain long-term compliance with GBON contributing directly to improved climate resilience and disaster risk reduction for the country.

Organisational Roles and Governance

The project is governed by a multi-party structure defined in the PCA and the National Contribution Plan:

• UN Environment Programme (UNEP): Acts as the Implementing Entity (IE), managing donor resources and ensuring all procurement meets UN standards of transparency and efficiency.
• RIMES: Serves as the Technical Partner, responsible for the supply and installation of infrastructure and the delivery of technical training programs.
• Maldives Meteorological Service (MMS): The National Executing Partner and primary beneficiary, responsible for daily operations and coordinating site clearances.
• Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI): Serves as the Peer Advisor, providing technical quality assurance and guidance on GBON compliance.

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The South Asia Hydromet Forum

The South Asia Hydromet Forum (SAHF) is a regional collaborative platform that strengthens hydrometeorological, early warning, and climate services across South Asia through coordinated capacity development, operational cooperation, and knowledge exchange. Established in 2018 with support from the World Bank, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and development partners, SAHF responds to the growing risks posed by extreme weather, climate variability, and climate change in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions.

SAHF brings together the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of nine South Asian countries—Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka—to jointly enhance services that support disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, and sustainable development. The Forum is guided by the SAHF Executive Council, composed of the heads of NMHSs, which provides strategic direction and oversight, while the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) serves as the technical secretariat, supporting coordination, implementation, and sustained regional engagement.

A key operational pillar of SAHF is the Forecasters’ Forum, conducted every Thursdays, which provides a regular platform  for interaction among operational forecasters across South Asia to discuss ongoing forecasts, significant weather events, and exchange knowledge and experience. It strengthens situational awareness, promotes consistent forecasting practices, and enhances forecast confidence at the regional level.

SAHF also advances collaboration through technical working groups focusing on six (6) priority areas:

• Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF)
• Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP)
• Observation Networks
• Capacity Enhancement
• Hydrology
• Climate Services

These working groups support harmonized approaches, shared learning, and innovation across national and regional initiatives. Through regional workshops, trainings, and strategic partnerships SAHF contributes to improving the quality, accessibility, and actionability of weather and climate information across South Asia.

SAHF enables integration of information, knowledge, and tools produced from its activities via the SAHF Knowledge Hub (SKHub). SKHub is a regional digital platform that facilitates operational collaboration, learning, and information sharing among member NMHSs, enabling data exchange, forecast visualization, and training resources. The Communities of Practice (CoP) Discussion Board within the SKHub provides an interactive space for SAHF stakeholders to engage in discussions, post inquiries, and share knowledge and ideas online.

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Project Overview: CARE Component 1

The Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CARE) for South Asia Project (Component 1) was a World Bank-supported initiative implemented by the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES) from July 2020 to August 2025. The project’s core objective was to foster an enabling environment for climate-resilient policies and investments in South Asia through evidence-based, climate-smart decision-making. It focused on three primary areas: improving access to regional climate information, developing national risk-informed planning tools, and strengthening institutional capacities. While regional in scope, the project concentrated its field-level interventions in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan.

Technical Achievements and Digital Systems

RIMES utilized a co-development approach to deliver a suite of advanced digital systems designed to bridge the gap between complex climate data and actionable policy in both regional- and national-levels.

• Resilience Data and Analytics Services (RDAS): A one-stop, open-access regional platform was established to host over 358 national and global datasets. It provides six specialized analytics tools and four predictive tools, allowing users to assess climate trends, agricultural planning insight, and land use & land cover changes analysis across the South Asian region.
• Operational Decision Support Systems (DSS): The project successfully deployed eight sector-specific DSSs.
  • In Bangladesh: Developed the National Livestock Advisory System (NLAS) for heatwave and livestock disease management, and a DSS for the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC).
  • In Nepal: Created “Satark” for multi-hazard alerts (lightning, forest fires, floods), “NAVIGATE” for road safety, and “ADVISE” for provincial agriculture.
  • In Pakistan: Launched “CLIM-PLANNED” for strategic development planning and two “ADVISE” systems for the Balochistan and Punjab agriculture departments.
• Mobile Integration: To ensure reach, eight mobile applications were developed to complement these web-based systems, enabling field/ground-level access to advisories.

All DSS tools, source codes, and developed mobile applications have been formally handed over to respective government agencies to foster national ownership.

Performance and Institutional Impact

The project significantly exceeded its targets within the agreed results framework.

• Target Exceedance: User satisfaction for RDAS data access reached 80% (target: 70%), while satisfaction with the developed DSS tools reached 81.6%.
• Capacity Building: A total of 2,489 government officials were trained in applying climate-resilient standards—reaching 202% of the original target.
• Regional Reach: The project expanded the delivery of climate advisories to 156 districts across the three focus countries, far surpassing the goal of 30 districts. By July 2025, over 262,000 advisories had been disseminated through the various DSS platforms.

Tangible Community Benefits

The project moved beyond technical outputs to demonstrate real-world economic impacts:

• Crop Productivity: In Bangladesh, rice farmers more than doubled their harvests by applying improved spacing practices recommended through the systems. In Pakistan, cotton and wheat growers saved approximately PKR 8,000 to 15,000 per acre by using heatwave alerts to optimize irrigation.
• Livestock Security: Farmers in Bangladesh who used NLAS advisories reported significant reductions in livestock mortality during 43 °C heatwaves, saving animals valued at USD 826-1,240 each.
• Fisheries: Even though not an original target, fish farmers used early flood warnings to harvest ahead of disasters, securing profits of up to BDT 200,000 from small investments.

To learn more about the CARE project, please visit https://www.careforsouthasia.info/

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• Strengthened delivery model and legislation for climate information and multi-hazard early warning services; 
• Strengthened observations, monitoring, analysis and forecasting of climate and its impacts; 
• Improved dissemination and communication of risk information and early warning; 
• Enhanced climate risk management capacity. 

The project will enable a paradigm shift to evidence-based planning and early action for climate resilience through accurate, timely and actionable climate information, impact-based forecasting, people-centred, multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) and Forecast-based Financing (FbF). 

It will build the capacity of Timor-Leste to provide the essential high-resolution data and climate information needed to underpin science-based transformational planning and programming, de-risk investments, and facilitate long-term resilience and adaptation to climate change, protecting both human lives as well as the diverse ecosystems that sustain them.

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RIMES is supporting ClimSA with the following key activities:

1. Enhance RCC capabilities to produce, deliver and improve climate services through climate service information system (CSIS) at the regional level
2. Facilitate implementation and coordination of CSIS
3. Provide methods and tools for observational datasets and model intercomparison at the regional scale to RCCs to assess which datasets are fit for purpose for their regions.
    

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Key activities include site survey to determine location appropriate for tsunami warning, design and construction of seismic vaults, equipment acquisition, and on-site installation, telemetry, and reliability testing.

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