Landslides are one of the most widespread and commonly occurring natural hazards. In regions of high vulnerability, these complex hazards can cause significant negative social and economic impacts. Considering the worldwide susceptibility to landslides, it is necessary to establish a standard for early warning systems specific to landslide disaster risk reduction. This standard would provide guidance in conducting landslide detection, prediction, interpretation, and response. This paper proposes a new standard consisting of seven sub-systems for landslide early warning. These include risk assessment and mapping, dissemination and communication, establishment of the disaster preparedness and response team, development of an evacuation map, standardized operating procedures, installation of monitoring and warning services, and the building of local commitment to the operation and maintenance of the entire program. This paper details the global standard with an example of its application from Central Java, one of 20 landslide-prone provinces in Indonesia that have used this standard since 2012.

The implementation of early warning systems is in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015–2030. The Sendai Framework Priority 4 emphasizes improvement of preparedness and anticipation of disasters by establishing communities’ resilience to disaster. The development of a simple, low-cost early warning system that is universally accessible is needed to achieve the goals of the Sendai Framework. Universitas Gadjah Mada, incorporated with the Indonesian Standardization Agency (BSN) and the Indonesian Disaster Management Authority (BNPB), has promoted a new standard for community-based landslide early warning systems to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This standard, published as ISO 22327:2018, empowers individuals and communities vulnerable to landslides to act in sufficient time, and in appropriate ways to reduce the possibility of injuries, loss of life, and damage to property and the environment. It is designed to encourage communities to play a more active role in their own protection. ISO 22327:2018 adopts the concept of a people-centered early warning system by UNISDR (2006) to be used by communities vulnerable to landslides, and by government and non-governmental organizations at central, provincial, districts, sub-district, and village levels.

The mapping of soil movement was examined by comparing an extension of the deterministic Soil Stability Index Mapping (SINMAP) method, and an overlay method with trigger parameters of soil movement. The SINMAP model used soil parameters in the form of the cohesion value (c), internal friction angle (φ), and hydraulic conductivity (k_s) for the prediction of soil movement based on the factor of safety (FS), while the indirect method used a literature review and field observations. The weightings of soil movement trigger parameters in assessments were based on natural physical aspects: (1) slope inclination = 30%; (2) rock weathering = 15%; (3) geological structure = 20%; (4) rainfall = 15%; (5) groundwater potential = 7%; (6) seismicity = 3%; and (7) vegetation = 10%. The research area was located in the Buleleng district, in particular in the ancient mountain area of Buyan-Tamblingan, in the Sukasada sub-district. The hazard mapping gave a high and very high hazard scale. The SINMAP model gave a validation accuracy of 14.29%, while the overlay method with seven trigger parameters produced an accuracy of 71.43%. Based on the analysis of the very high and high hazard class and the validation of the landslide occurrence points, the deterministic method using soil parameters and water absorption gave a much lower accuracy than the overlay method with a study of soil motion trigger parameters.

The implementation of early warning systems is in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015–2030. One of the four priorities of the Sendai Framework for Action emphasizes the improvement of preparedness in response to a disaster by carrying out a simple, low-cost early warning system and improving its dissemination. A new proposal of a standard for community-based landslide early warning systems has been promoted to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) by Universitas Gadjah Mada, in corporation with the Indonesian Standardization Agency and the Disaster Management Authority. The standard will serve to empower individuals and communities who are vulnerable to landslides to act in sufficient time in appropriate ways to reduce the possibility of injuries, loss of life and damage to property and the environment. It is designed to encourage communities to play a much more active role in their own protection. The guidelines adopted the concept of people-centered early warning system by UN-ISDR (Developing an early warning system: a checklist. Bonn, Germany, 2006 ) and will be used by communities vulnerable to landslides, and by government agencies and non-governmental organizations at central, provincial, municipality/district, sub-district, and village levels. The recommendations include: (1) Risk assessment; (2) Dissemination and communication; (3) Formation of disaster preparedness and response teams; (4) Development of evacuation maps; (5) Development of standard operating procedures; (6) Monitoring, early warning, and evacuation drills; (7) Commitment of the local authority and community to maintain the system. The standard will be developed by ISO/TC 292 Security and resilience, with the participation of 43 countries in the committee’s work and another 14 as observers. The basic concept of this global standard has been initiated since 2007 through the Asian Joint Research on Early Warning of Landslides proposed by International Consortium on Landslides (ICL) and Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI) Kyoto University and funded by JST and implemented in Indonesia, China, Korea and Japan. This paper describes the achievements and the current activities of the World Centre of Excellence (WCoE) on Landslide Risk Reduction (2014–2017), IPL Project (IPL-158) “Development of community-based landslide early warning system”, and IPL Project (IPL-165) “Development of community-based landslide hazard mapping for landslide risk reduction at the village scale in Java, Indonesia”.