Water at the Heart of Climate Action in Ethiopia: Accelerating and scaling up water action to reduce risks and increase climate resilience in Ethiopia This project addresses climate change and water related risks in Ethiopia around 5 main technical focus areas:
1. Water-related risk knowledge and governance
2. Observations, monitoring and forecasting of weather and water-related hazards
3. Water specific early warning systems dissemination and communication
4. Anticipatory Action and Locally Led Adaptation and
5. Crosscutting activities Ethiopia is a country naturally exposed to highly variable rainfall, and recurring meteorological droughts are  a challenge that is compounded by growing water demands, and watershed degradation. Climate change is expected to increase the risk and intensity of flooding as well as increase the likelihood of water scarcity for certain areas of the country. There have been several initiatives in Ethiopia focusing on resilience strengthening with ecosystem restoration to improve water security, however, these actions are often not locally led and therefore present sustainability and ownership issues. Disaster management and EWS have yet to be extended to local (kebele) level, and there are gaps in information flow around the management of water-related risks. The current climate change and water crisis in Africa are inextricably linked together and require systemic changes. This project drives that change using an integrated climate and water approach to deal with increasing exposure to water related risks, bringing together different disciplines in the water, climate and disaster management sectors. It fosters  collaboration of global, national and local partners that traditionally have been working separately around 5 broad technical focus areas: 1) Water Related Disaster Risk Knowledge and Governance, 2) Observations, Monitoring, Analysis and Forecasting of Water Related Risks; 3) Anticipatory Action and Locally Led Adaptation; 4) Water Specific Early Warning Systems, Dissemination and Communications; and 5) Partners joining forces in crosscutting activities. Communities most at risk for climate change and water-related crises T.b.d.