Water at the Heart of Climate Action

Strengthening Early Warning Systems and Water Resilience Along the Nile

Climate change is reshaping our world, and water is at the centre of its impact. Nearly 75% of recent disasters have been water-related, affecting food security, health, livelihoods, and ecosystems. From floods and droughts to waterborne diseases, communities across the Nile Basin are facing increasing risks. Water at the Heart of Climate Action (WHCA) is a bold, collaborative initiative that improves early warning systems, builds long-term solutions to water-related threats, and supports community-led action to strengthen resilience in Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.

Together, we believe that climate resilience starts with water action. We work across the full early warning value chain: from data collection and impact-based forecasting to community preparedness. Through this approach, we close the gap between global technology and local capacities, ensuring early warnings become early action for all, including the world’s most climate-vulnerable communities and river basins. WHCA contributes to the Early Warnings For All initiative, and is made possible by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

“The vision behind financing this initiative was to combine local knowledge and global technology: working together to support communities and act on the water-related risks they face before they become disasters. Water is life, but at the same time it brings a lot of risk. That’s why we initiated this programme.”

Aytenew Tatek, Policy Officer at the Embassy of the Netherlands to Ethiopia (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)