SERVIR climate resilience efforts featured in new PREPARE Primer
Through SERVIR, USAID and NASA play a key role in supporting the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE). Our work was recently highlighted in the new White House publication “Helping the World PREPARE: A Primer on U.S. International Adaptation and Resilience.”
PREPARE builds on a decade of climate resilient programming across the U.S. government. In the new publication, SERVIR is highlighted as an example of climate adaptation investment with demonstrated impact. SERVIR services directly respond to the UN’s call for Early Warning for All by 2027, as highlighted on page eight the primer:
In Malawi, USAID and NASA helped close gaps in climate information services and climate-resilient agriculture. Through the SERVIR partnership, USAID and NASA worked with the government of Malawi and regional and local institutions to strengthen a United Nations Development Programme-supported, community-based flood early warning system. The initial system used river water level monitoring sensors positioned upstream of flood-prone, downstream areas. The collaboration integrated satellite data into the existing flood early warning system, thereby extending the warning lead time from hours to more than two weeks ahead of extreme weather and flooding. This capability was on full display in January 2022 when Cyclones Ana and Gombe hit Malawi: forecasts were transmitted via text message and email for emergency preparedness and response. Malawi’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs announced that the early action prompted by these extended alerts prevented $40 million in monetary losses and the loss of many lives.
SERVIR works with partner countries and communities to co-produce and use climate information and equip them with the skills, knowledge, networks, and outlook needed to adapt to climate impacts.
On page 12 the primer highlights SERVIR successes in expanding access to climate information services around the world:
The USG is expanding what works in climate information services. SERVIR, which is led by NASA and USAID, partners with countries and technical organizations to address critical climate adaptation challenges, such as those related to food and water security and disasters. At COP26, USAID committed to expand climate information and services in Central America and West Africa through the SERVIR program and is working with a consortium of ten partners to benefit the greater West Africa region, with a focus on Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal. USAID is also in the process of standing up a Central America SERVIR hub and expanding gender-responsive services through SERVIR Southeast Asia.
You can read the full primer on the White House website here https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Helping-the-World-Prepare.pdf.
Visit the new climate change page on the newly redesigned servirglobal.net website to learn more about our services, news, and resources on the topic.