© WFP / Theresa Piorr

Abstract

The impacts of climate change are coming faster and more fiercely than previously predicted, and it is the vulnerable who suffer most when disasters linked to climate change occur. But we can choose to act. Coordinated, coherent and systematic early warning and early action supports communities and people to respond to the increasing risks in a way that protects lives and livelihoods. We need to keep working together to drive a systemic shift towards acting earlier to reduce the impacts of disasters.

Early action initiatives that make people safer from disaster are being implemented across the globe. However, more work needs to be done to establish an effective evidence base from which lessons can be learned about what works, what doesn’t, and what is still needed to take early action to the scale demanded by the increasing impacts of climate change. This State of Play aims to contribute to that evidence base.

Early Action: The State of Play 2021 is REAP's flagship report. (See second report here.) The State of Play provides a snapshot of early warning early action commitment, investment and activity over the previous year. It intends to give decision-makers top-line analysis that identifies gaps and opportunities in the delivery of early action, and supports the broader goal of a systemic shift towards acting ahead of disasters, which is critical for effective climate action. 

The report outlines seven recommendations that are relevant to any actor working in or close to the field, and also details how REAP Partners plan to drive progress in each area.