A new online course about anticipatory action

Anticipatory action: a proactive approach to disaster risk management

With extreme weather events increasing in frequency and severity due to climate change, it's crucial to take anticipatory action to prevent or reduce potential humanitarian impacts. This approach involves taking action before a crisis hits, based on forecasts or predictions of how the event will unfold.

Anticipatory action can include evacuation, reinforcing homes, distributing health-protection kits, providing mobile cooling centres and cash distribution. By acting before a hazard turns into a crisis, it is possible to save lives and reduce human suffering, while providing support in a faster, more effective and more dignified way. Anticipatory action is also being expanded to non-weather/climate- related hazards.

National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have decades of experience in disaster risk reduction and preparedness, making them well-placed to mobilize anticipatory action and help communities act ahead of disasters. The Anticipatory Pillar of the IFRC’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund provides access to flexible and reliable funding to support these efforts.

In 2022, the leaders of 192 National Societies committed to strengthening anticipatory action by endorsing the Council of Delegates Resolution, which is carried out through the IFRC’s Operational Framework on Anticipatory Action 2021-2025.

New online course

You can learn how to act before a crisis hits by taking the IFRC’s new online course on anticipatory action. This covers essential competencies such as risk assessment, developing early action protocols, and financing for anticipatory action. By the end of the course, you'll know what anticipatory action is, how to build an action plan, and the financing mechanisms available through the IFRC.

The course consists of two mandatory modules focused on anticipatory action and early action planning, followed by at least one scenario-based module to apply the knowledge gained from the first two modules. Successful completion of the course will demonstrate practical skills in designing and implementing anticipatory action plans, making you an asset in the field.

This course is 75-minutes long and available in English. It can be completed on a computer or any mobile device. You can also complete it offline by downloading the course to the Learning Platform mobile app.