By Huang Fang, Guan Yilun

(ECNS) — While the Maldives is facing increasingly frequent extreme weather events, just 24 hours' notice before a hazardous event can reduce damage by up to 30 percent. "It's not statistics. It's lives saved. It is protects livelihoods across sectors. The impact is immediate," said Adnan Cheema, the Resident Representative for UNDP in the Republic of Maldives, in an exclusive interview with China News Service.

Climate change and green development are among the eight key areas of the Global Development Initiative (GDI). Through the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, China and UNDP have signed agreements to implement climate information early warning system projects in six countries, including the Maldives and Comoros, to enhance local disaster warning and response capacities.

Cheema described the cooperation as a model of international development cooperation. "We are working with meteorological services to strengthen the entire early warning chain, from observation and forecasting to communication and response," he said.

He noted that, in addition to upgrading meteorological stations and real-time data systems, the project also supports the development of digital platforms and mobile tools, enabling communities across the Maldives to access forecasts more easily and take timely action.

"The result is stronger national capacity, better coordination, and more timely, localized warnings, reaching communities. And this improves decision-making in sectors like fisheries, local governance, and disaster response," he added.

"The broader significance is very clear in this partnership with China", Cheema said, noting that the early warning systems help shift the focus from reacting to disasters to anticipating risks.

He pointed out that building an effective early warning system requires three key elements: financing, technology, and capacity building. Financing supports systems and infrastructure development; technology improves the accuracy and reach of forecasts; and capacity building is "at the heart of it," enabling institutions and communities to understand, trust, and act on warnings. Otherwise, "even the best systems do not save lives."

Under the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, the cooperation between China and UNDP has played a crucial role in advancing this "full-package approach", he said.

Cheema added that this approach goes beyond hardware and technology to empower the entire ecosystem, reflecting a shift from delivering standalone projects to building sustainable, people-centered systems.

He emphasized that it is through the joint efforts of China, UNDP, and relevant government counterparts that the early warning system has become truly effective.

"Climate governance is evolving. You're moving from reacting to disasters to anticipating risk and building resilience into development itself," Cheema said. He expressed hope in the future that UNDP, China, and the Maldives will further strengthen cooperation in areas such as digital transformation and cross-sector climate services, while also exploring collaboration on green energy transition.

Marking the fifth anniversary of the GDI, Cheema stressed that development should be inclusive and sustainable. "It must ensure no one is left behind, especially the most vulnerable."

"Even small states can build effective early warning systems when these elements come together," he said, calling it "a practical model" for other climate-vulnerable countries."

He added that effective multilateral cooperation should be "focused on real and measurable impact for people."