Enviro News Asia, Geneva — Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the global early warning system in response to the increasing hydrometeorological hazards caused by climate change. This commitment was conveyed by the Head of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), Dwikorita Karnawati, during the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Extraordinary Congress (Cg-Ext) held in Geneva, Switzerland.
The extraordinary congress serves as a special forum convened between WMO’s regular quadrennial sessions to formulate strategic decisions among its 193 member states, particularly regarding the acceleration of a more resilient, adaptive, and inclusive Global Early Warning System.
As Indonesia’s Permanent Representative to WMO, Dwikorita led the national delegation, comprising the Deputy for Climatology, the Director of Climate Change Information, and the Director of Public Meteorology.
During the session, she emphasized the importance of global cooperation to accelerate the transformation from early warning to early action mechanisms aimed at protecting communities.
“An early warning system must not stop at disseminating information. That information must immediately translate into early action that saves lives and minimizes potential losses,”
stressed Dwikorita.
She explained that an effective early warning system must be built upon the four core pillars of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative: risk knowledge, monitoring and technical warning, clear and accessible information dissemination, and preparedness to act.
According to Dwikorita, these pillars must operate synergistically as an integrated chain—from risk analysis and impact-based forecasting (IBF) to cross-agency coordination ensuring swift decision-making in the field.
Strengthening Multi-Hazard Systems and AI Integration
Indonesia views that the transition from “early warning” to “early action” can only be achieved through continuous enhancement of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS).
BMKG continues to advance an integrated, risk-based early warning framework to ensure that forecasts of extreme weather, high waves, and other hazards are met with timely mitigation responses.
In addition to accelerating EW4All, the congress also focused on leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve forecast accuracy and reduce digital gaps—especially in tropical and archipelagic regions with limited observational data.
“Integrating AI into global forecasting systems is expected to accelerate detection, expand service coverage, and strengthen the capacity of developing countries to make evidence-based decisions,”
said Dwikorita.
Global Greenhouse Watch and Collaborative Capacity Building
The congress also adopted a Resolution on the Implementation of the Global Greenhouse Watch, in which Indonesia provided key inputs to ensure balance between global coordination and national implementation capabilities.
Dwikorita emphasized that capacity building, data interoperability, and equitable access to observational infrastructure are essential prerequisites for achieving a fair and inclusive global monitoring system.
WMO further highlighted the strengthening of the WMO Coordination Mechanism (WCM) as a collaborative platform to support preparedness in vulnerable and conflict-affected countries through technical assistance and improved interoperability of national and regional systems.
This year also marks the 75th anniversary of WMO, serving as a moment of reflection for all member states to reshape the future of a more inclusive and adaptive global warning system.
“Indonesia remains committed to developing a robust, inclusive, and action-oriented multi-hazard early warning system. This effort not only enhances national capacity but also strengthens regional collaboration under the WMO Regional Association V (South-West Pacific),”
Dwikorita concluded.
Indonesia–China Cooperation on AI and Atmospheric Observation
On the sidelines of the Congress, BMKG held bilateral discussions with the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) to advance cooperation in human resource and technology capacity building in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its application in enhancing the Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS).
The collaboration also focuses on improving weather observation systems through the utilization of Feng Yun satellites, which will enhance meteorological data reliability, particularly in tropical and archipelagic regions like Indonesia.
“Collaboration with CMA is an important step to accelerate technology transfer and strengthen Indonesia’s human resource capacity in AI and atmospheric observation. This partnership will help make Indonesia’s early warning system faster, more accurate, and better integrated,” concluded Dwikorita. (*)
