© WFP / Gabriela Vivacqua

Abstract

The annual State of Play reports contribute to the growing evidence base of lessons learned on what it takes to bring early action to scale. They provide snapshots of international, regional and national investments, commitments and activities linked to early warning and early action.

This year’s State of Play is an update from the 2021 flagship report. It aims to showcase examples of the work of Risk-informed Early Action Partnership (REAP) Partners from the past year, provide an overview of broader progress towards making risk-informed early action the norm, and gives an update on REAP’s activities following the last report. It also highlights progress, challenges and opportunities on the regional level; new academic and scientific research results; and commitments and activities that contribute towards REAP’s 4 Targets. The analytical framework and results are contextualised within REAP’s three Drivers of Change.

To support a systemic shift towards early action, the State of Play 2022 report also formulates recommendations for a broad range of stakeholders and outlines concrete next steps that the Partnership will take to achieve them.

A key theme emerging from this year’s State of Play report is the need for greater integration of activities within the full value chain of early warning early action (EWEA), and for greater connection between its various stakeholders. Each part of the value chain is critical to making people safer from disaster, but will only function effectively if it is integrated into a holistic value chain that operates with two-way communication and puts people at the centre; these include but are not limited to: systematic observations; climate and weather monitoring; impact-based forecasting; early warning system design and implementation; risk communication; early action planning and delivery; development of appropriate financing instruments and delivery of finance across the various components of the value chain; the elements that establish an enabling environment, such as national legislation, policy and planning; and development and mainstreaming of risk knowledge and capacity.

One aim of this report, then, is to highlight ways in which the value chain can be more closely integrated so it can deliver for the most vulnerable people. This report outlines six recommendations for action that seek to build on the recommendations contained within the State of Play 2021.