A Regional Analysis of the Role of Multi-Hazard Early Warnings For Coastal Community Resilience in Asia

Coastal hazards are one of effects of climate change across the world. The impact of climate change on coastal communities are further complicated with rising coastal population, migration to coastal areas, rapid increase of development activities in coastal areas along with weak coping capacities. Coastal communities, including Asia, face multiple coastal hazards: tsunami, coastal erosions, cyclones, flooding due to sea level rising and coastal pollution. Asia reports the highest number of coastal hazards during the last couple of decade compared to other regions. This is due to population growth, rapid urbanization and development activities, weak intuitions and weak coping strategies. Hence, leading global initiatives emphasize the role of multi-hazard early warning systems as a strategy to reduce coastal disaster risks and enhance their resilience. Nevertheless, most of available early warnings in Asia focus on single hazard. For example, Indian Ocean Tsunami Warnings and Mitigating System mainly focus on preparing for future tsunami threats in the Indian Ocean. Inadequacy of existing early warning systems to face multi hazards as well as transboundary nature of hazards and its effects promote member countries in Asia to call for a regional cooperation for multi-hazard early warning system. However, the region suffers from many challenges when building regional cooperation towards effective multi-hazard early warning system. Therefore, this paper aims to emphasize the importance of regional cooperation for effective multi-hazard early warning system and to explore the gaps in the existing system. In order to achieve the stated objectives, the study conducted a detailed literature review followed by a regional survey. Regional survey data were collected as an online survey and analysed qualitatively. The results revealed that regional cooperation helps in many ways to enhance resilience capacities among coastal communities in Asia. Nevertheless, existing regional cooperation does not deliver its expected level due to capacity gaps identified by the survey. Gaps are identified within capacity development, training and innovation in multi-hazard early warning system. This paper is a partial outcome of a project funded by the European Commission to enhance resilience capacities among coastal communities through development of regional cooperation on multi-hazard early warning system in Asia.