By Mihir R. Bhatt, All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI), India

The experiences presented in this issue point to a shared conclusion: early warning systems and anticipatory action are necessary, but they are not sufficient. Their value is realised only when they lead to timely action and are supported by systems that enable people to respond before risks escalate. The challenge ahead is not about generating more information, but about ensuring that existing knowledge consistently leads to action.

A first step in this transition is to make early action a routine part of decision-making. Early warning must move beyond alerts and advisories to become embedded in everyday systems—within cities, workplaces, and local institutions. When warnings trigger predefined actions, whether adjusting work schedules, activating public services, or supporting vulnerable groups, response becomes predictable and effective rather than reactive.

Equally critical is the need to align financing with risk. Current disaster risk financing systems are still largely designed to respond after losses occur. Shifting toward anticipatory approaches requires financing that is planned in advance, linked to forecasts, risk analysis, and delivered in time to prevent or reduce impacts. Even small, well-timed resources can enable significant protective actions when they reach those most exposed to risk.

At the same time, policies must evolve to support this shift. Early action needs to be integrated into national and local planning frameworks, including disaster management, climate adaptation, and urban development. This integration ensures that early warning systems and anticipatory action are not standalone tools, but part of broader governance systems that prioritise prevention and preparedness.

Strengthening local capacity remains central and fundamental to this effort. The examples in this issue show that communities, workers, and small businesses are already adapting to changing risks. Supporting these efforts requires sustained engagement, practical guidance, trust and systems that recognise local actors as partners in resilience rather than recipients of support. When local knowledge and initiative are combined with institutional support, early action becomes both scalable and sustainable.

Another important step is improving coordination across sectors. Risks such as extreme heat affect health, labour, water, and urban systems simultaneously. Addressing them requires coordinated responses that bring together different departments and institutions. Without such alignment, early warning signals may not translate into comprehensive action on the ground.

Looking ahead, there is also a need to invest in systems that connect information, action, and finance. Data and forecasts must be accessible and understandable, actions must be clearly defined, and resources must be available when needed. Building such systems requires long-term commitment and continuous learning, but it is essential for reducing risk at scale.

Ultimately, the way forward is not about isolated flagship interventions but about strengthening an interconnected system. Early warning, early action, and early finance must function together to make each other more effective, and reinforcing each other. Progress in one area without the others will remain limited in its impact and performance that matches the potential.

The knowledge exists. The practices are emerging. The need is urgent.

What is required now is consistent action—taken early and urgently, supported by finance, and sustained through systems that prioritise prevention. Time has come to think ahead how and when and who will support decentralised autonomous organisations of the affected populations use local prediction markets to signal risk, and seamlessly releases suitable and equitable funds for early action that are urgent, transparent, and effective.

In a world where risks are increasingly known in advance, acting early is no longer an option—it is a responsibility and financial prudence, may it be Europe or India.