From Satellites to Sandbags: Placing Water at the Heart of Climate Action

Header artwork: ”I am a Drop of Water” by Rojo Ham, Kigali, 2024

Water related disasters are among the most destructive crises facing humankind. To mitigate them, early warning systems (EWS) can inform communities of impending hazards in time for them to take precautions. The Water at the Heart of Climate Action (WHCA) programme aims to establish or enhance EWS in vulnerable areas, helping communities adapt to changing climates and increase water resilience in Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. WHCA is a partnership between the IFRC network*, the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The partnership is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

The Urgency of Integrating Water Management in Disaster Prevention

Nine out of ten climate disasters in recent years have been water related. Yet, initiatives on climate and water are often siloed and not informed by local actors. Integrating water management in climate action is necessary to save lives and livelihoods. Hereby, EWS are critical to provide communities with the information they need to stay safe. To be impactful, such systems must be community-centred and -led, and supported by collaborations between national governments, international organisations and their local equivalents. This is where WHCA aims to make a difference:

“We need to look at water and climate together, and that’s where global actors can really make a change. WHCA put together key global actors with local counterparts present in every country. Together, they put into motion the water action urgently needed to tackle climate challenges while leaving no one behind.”

Stefania Giodini, Head of Water, Advice & Innovation at the Netherlands Red Cross

Working Together for Stronger Impact

Effective climate action requires cooperation across sectors and borders. The WHCA consortium includes several global actors, each bringing specific expertise to the table. As such, the partnership offers a comprehensive approach combining global technology and local knowledge to help communities act on the water-related risks they face – before they become disasters.

“This collaboration between organizations is unique and needed if we want to reduce the impacts of water-related hazards on vulnerable communities. Only by working together are we able to work along the full early warning value chain, from satellites to sandbags.”

Elseline Tuinier, WHCA Consortium Coordinator at the Netherlands Red Cross

The Netherlands Red Cross leads the WHCA consortium in this cross-country and -sector effort to create impactful responses. Active at community level, the Netherlands Red Cross works with National Societies in participating countries to implement activities tailored to on-the-ground needs. At this stage in the programme, locally owned vulnerability and capacity assessments by National Societies have laid the foundation towards engaging communities in identifying challenges and co-developing action plans. By integrating bottom-up decision-making and inter-agency synergy, the programme sets a precedent for inclusive, sustainable climate action.

“You need to create ownership at the local level, as well as fostering close collaboration with government agencies. If you want to make impact locally, local actors need to be on board and lead on the activities to be implemented.”

Floor Lammers, WHCA Programme Manager at the Netherlands Red Cross

Championing Locally Led Solutions in South Sudan

In South Sudan, the interplay between water and climate is a pressing concern as it exacerbates risks of food insecurity, displacement and water scarcity, threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions. Leveraging early warnings, local knowledge, and inclusive strategies is central to addressing these risks. South Sudan aims to institutionalize water management through community-driven solutions, such as co-designed early warning messages and locally adapted flood and drought response plans. Key to these strategies is equitable participation across demographics, ensuring that everyone is included in country-wide climate resilience efforts.

Disaster prevention strategies must be locally informed and adaptable. WHCA puts communities in the driving seat of developing response plans based on their own strengths and vulnerabilities, working closely with national governments and meteorological agencies. This way, EWS are accurate, timely, and accessible to all, preventing water related hazards from becoming full-blown crises.

“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. Tackling climate-related disasters requires breaking down silos between organizations, governments and communities. Through meaningful conversations, we put communities at the heart of implementation and advance locally led adaptations that are sustainable, inclusive, and committed to the improvement of water systems and infrastructure.”

Desmond Ongara, WASH Delegate of the Netherlands Red Cross to the South Sudan Red Cross

The South Sudan Red Cross plays a pivotal role in building capacities to tackle water related disasters. Working with the South Sudan Meteorological Service, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and other partners, the National Society co-designs interventions based on community engagement findings and meteorological information. This collaborative approach promotes dialogue among partners and communities. Despite challenges like conflict and extreme weather, such community-led initiatives have demonstrated remarkable longevity in successfully integrating EWS with actionable plans, offering hope for sustainable water management through locally led adaptation in South Sudan.

“We have progressively invested in building capacity to respond to water-related threats by training disaster response teams in emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), prepositioning WASH response kits, and constructing or upgrading climate resilient WASH infrastructure. We expect to further strengthen these by leveraging innovative technologies, such as solarization of our emergency surface water treatment units.’’

David Mitu, WASH Manager at the South Sudan Red Cross

“We have developed an Impact Based Forecasting Portal in Bor together with partners, which supports communities to prepare for floods. Following government ambitions to plan 10 million trees, as a National Society we are committed to contribute to plant 1 million trees to improve climate resilience. We expect our efforts in disaster risk reduction to be accelerated in the WHCA programme.”

Moro Baba Emmanuel Awasi, Disaster Risk Manager at the South Sudan Red Cross

The Way Forward: Enabling Early Warnings for All

Water does not respect national borders. WHCA takes a basin-wide approach among participating countries along the Nile, promoting cross-border collaboration and allowing neighbouring countries to share knowledge and learn from one another. This also ensures that EWS are fit to address the cascading effects of cross-border extreme weather events. By especially targeting communities vulnerable to drought and floods, WHCA aims to make the largest possible impact where it is needed most, helping local actors in safeguarding their future.

While WHCA targets actions in the Nile basin, the benefits of a robust EWS extend globally. The data collected by local meteorological services contribute to increasingly accurate global forecasting models, implying that investing in EWS can lead to a shift from reactive disaster relief to proactive disaster prevention by helping communities mitigate the impact of water related disasters. Locally led solutions are central to this approach, with global partnerships paving the way for a more disaster-prepared future.

*In this context, the IFRC Network refers to the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies, the Netherlands Red Cross, the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, the Rwandan Red Cross, the South Sudan Red Cross, the Sudanese Red Crescent Society, and the Uganda Red Cross Society.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that the Arabic, French and Spanish versions of this article were automatically generated using Artificial Intelligence. We cannot guarantee full accuracy of these versions.