World Meteorological Organization

Regional Association IV Expert Team on Disaster Risk Reduction
Terms of Reference:
(1) Coordinate the development of DRR activities in RA IV including Impact-based Forecasting (IBF), Multi-Hazard Early Warnings Systems (MHEWS), and articulate coordination actions with RA IV committees, panels, expert teams and focal points at the regional and national levels. Support the implementation of UN ‘Early Warnings for All’ initiatives within RA IV.
(2) Coordinate the nomination of National Focal Points for DRR and engage them in the delivery of DRR activities. Provide advice and guidance for National FP-DRRs in the delivery of DRR activities. Liaise with Members to compile and convey messages regarding DRR to the RA IV-MG.
(3) Prepare a DRR Work Plan guided by WMO DRR and UNDRR approaches, taking into account the work of previous RA IV-TT-DRR, RA IV-FP-DRR and their associated reports; ensuring its alignment with the implementation work plans of other RA IV committees, panels, expert teams and focal points.
(4) Organize at least two technical webinars annually with the support of the WMO Office for North America, Central America and the Caribbean, to promote discussion among Members and share good practices.
(5) Review, on a regular basis, the activities of other RA IV committees, panels, expert teams and focal points, as well as relevant WMO inter-regional and global programme activities and roadmaps, in order to identify those that are relevant to DRR in RA IV for coordination, collaboration and/or implementation.
(6) Advise the RA IV-MG on the development of the DRR programme in the Region and the requirements for support from RA IV.
(7) Participate in relevant DRR meetings and make recommendations in line with RA IV views on action priorities, specific tasks and associated deliverables, to leverage relevant activities to support the implementation of WMO and Regional DRR roadmaps. Submit these recommendations for consideration and approval by the RA IV-MG.
(8) Coordinate and promote activities and collaboration at national and regional levels to promote:
(8.1) Development of promotional material to enhance the use of the Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) at national and especially community level, with a particular focus on the role of NMHSs and their partnerships, build upon lessons learned from good practices;
(8.2) Review and further develop the use of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), by developing and disseminating training and promotional materials based on the principles of Quality Management Systems (QMS), to assure that warnings and other products of NMHSs are properly used in saving lives as well as in managing property damage;
(8.3) Mapping of regional and national projects related to disaster and climate risk management (risk assessment, early warning systems, sectorial risk management and insurance and financial risk transfer markets) and identify areas where NMHS are requiring further support;
(8.4) Provision of advice and expertise for the development of projects and activities with other partners, such as the World Bank and other development agencies in the region, linked to the strengthening of capacities in risk analysis and MHEWS, also engaging other RA IV committees, panels, expert teams and focal points to ensure their expertise are leveraged;
(8.5) Review and documentation of lessons learnt from MHEWS projects already implemented successfully in the region and develop recommendations to the RA IV-MG for expansion of projects.