In April 2021, catastrophic flash floods ravaged Timor-Leste, claiming the lives of more than 30 people and destroying over 4,000 homes. Among the worst-hit areas was Orlalan, a remote mountainous village with a population of nearly 6,000. Residents there had little idea how to protect themselves when floodwaters surged and landslides struck.
As a partner organization of UNEP, CVTL is responsible for community preparedness programs in six villages across Timor-Leste
Game-changing, life-saving tech
In a powerful address during COP29, the UN Climate Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, UN Secretary-General António Guterres pointed out a dire reality: that the world’s least developed countries and island nations have less than 10 per cent of the data they need for effective alert systems. The message was clear—without the right data, lives are at risk.
Efforts are now underway in Timor-Leste to close this gap.
As part of the UNEP initiative, nine Automatic Weather Stations, two Automated Meteorological Observation systems, three radars and a marine buoy are being installed across the country.
According to Terêncio Fernandes, Director of the National Department of Meteorology and Geophysics, these technologies will help the country progress from a basic level of climate observation to a more advanced one, with the potential to reach level five—a benchmark for comprehensive, real-time climate data.
The new AWS stations, which are low-cost and can transmit data without the need for internet, are a game-changer for remote villages like Orlalan. These stations collect critical data on rainfall, wind speed, temperature, and other meteorological factors, transmitting it every minute to a central system for analysis.
A legacy of global action
The system that is being built in Timor-Leste is not just a national achievement; it is a testament to the power of global cooperation. Much of this progress is the result of decisions made at the 2010 UN Climate Conference, COP16, where the Green Climate Fund was established to help countries like Timor-Leste adapt to the climate crisis.
As climate negotiations continue at COP29 and beyond, the lessons learned in Timor-Leste could serve as a blueprint for other nations facing similar threats.
For now, the people of Orlalan, and other communities across the country, are learning to live with the reality of a changing climate, but they are also preparing for it—together. With technology, knowledge, and community spirit, they are proving that resilience, even in the face of catastrophe, is within reach.