Session 1

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1 Featured Event - Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction

Featured Event - Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction

UNISDR - Plenary, 10 May 2011, Photo: V. Krebs

Session Information

Date and Time: Tuesday 10 May 2011, 09.00 – 10.15 - Room 1

Chair/Moderator/Facilitator: Ms. Margareta Wahlström, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Reduction (CHAIR)

Reporters: Caroline Fisher (Summary), Eleonora Guido (Key Words), ICVolunteers.org

Editor: Poppy Willard, ICVolunteers.org

Speakers

Ms. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission (KEYNOTE)
Ms. Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director-General, IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature (KEYNOTE)
Dr. Geoffrey Love, Director, Weather and Disaster Risk Reduction Services Department, World Meteorological Organization
Mr. Andrew Maskrey, Coordinating Lead Author, United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
Ms. Tricia Holly Davis, Director of Commercial Sustainability, Willis Group

Description

The findings of the 2011 Global Assessment Report highlight how governments are adopting innovative and successful strategies to address risk. The findings make a compelling case for action in four areas: addressing global risk drivers; taking responsibility for risks; leveraging existing development instruments; and strengthening risk governance capacities. The presentations will include a keynote speaker, two respondents and comments by the lead author.

Summary

The distinguished panel of experts who attended the meeting highlighted the most important contributions and conclusions of the United Nations Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2011. A leitmotiv emerged from the session: the political and economic imperative to reduce disaster risks and to integrate disaster risk management (DRM) in government policy at all levels, from ministry to local. There was a general agreement on the valuable contribution of the Assessment Report, and above all on the wide range of guidance and practical suggestions given to governments and non-governmental actors alike on how they can, together, reduce disaster risks.

Ms. Margareta Wahlström, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Reduction, introduced the panel and welcomed the audience to the first session of the Global Platform, which consisted of keynote presentations from distinguished delegates as well as from the author of the Global Assessment Report. The speakers summarized the key themes and take outs from the report, providing impetus for the session and setting the stage for the first official day of the Global Platform.

Ms. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission, addressed the audience with the first keynote. She emphasized that disaster risk is still not well understood and risk assessment is still neglected. She addressed the impact of disaster on livelihoods in Africa, as well as the challenges faced by the continent regarding the increasing poverty and inequality associated with storms, floods, landslides, and exacerbated by climate change. In addition, in order to reduce vulnerability, governments must strengthen policies of risk management and address the issue of climate change to reduce its effects and risks. Strengthening drought risk management is fundamental for sustaining the quality of life in Africa. Recurrent droughts are no longer recognized as a serious issue, nor do they receive media coverage unless a great part of the population is endangered. The authors of the report were commended for revealing drought as the hidden risk. The African Union takes the report recommendations very seriously, said Ms. Tumusiime, and they are looking forward to working with everyone to carry them forward.

Ms. Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director-General, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), stated that 2011 is already a record-breaking year for disaster. In her presentation, she enumerated several themes: good management; securing the right to resources; gender issues; the need to work with NGOs, especially on environmental issues; and establishing a scientific knowledge base. The overarching theme of ‘building back better’ was also raised, noting that too often the environment is sacrificed in rebuilding communities. Ms. Marton-Lefèvre stressed that risk assessment by governments and NGOs in order to value and protect our natural environment will make the difference between a minor emergency and a large catastrophe. Overall, investing in ecosystem management leads to innovative ways of working.

The theme of public-private partnerships (PPPs) was highlighted as a means to bridging the gap between public and private sectors, NGOs and agencies. The speaker underlined that there is a need to develop PPPs, invest in innovative projects to safeguard the environment, and build new economic models in order to truly to make a difference.

Mr. Andrew Maskrey, Coordinating Lead Author, United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) cited the key objectives of the Global Assessment Report:

Update global risk patterns and trends
Analyze countries progress to reduce disaster risk
Identify gaps, challenges and recommendations

The issue of risk-prone public assets and vast economic losses is evident, yet disaster risk management is not high on the political agenda in most countries. The message overall is that governments must decide to invest today for a safer tomorrow.

Other issues included: (a) an increase in populations living in hazard prone areas; (b) the risk of economic loss in richer countries; (c) the fact that developed countries are not adapted to disasters (such as Japan); (d) the inter-dependencies of telecommunications and finance in disasters; (e) gender considerations; (f) how to increase public awareness; (g) protecting ecosystems and designing with (rather than against) nature; (h) the need for improved systematic data collection to make governments more accountable; (i) the need for substantial investments on the part of governments; (j) the need for partnerships between central and local level governments and civil society.

Mr. Maskrey demonstrated that the benefit to cost ratio in reducing risk is far greater than reducing it once a disaster hit. He highlighted the need for disaster risk reduction plans and projects to reach the level of public investment planning. The fact that risk is concentrated to specific areas, regions or places actually presents an opportunity for more cost effective risk reduction.

The speaker highlighted the fact that disasters disproportionally affect the poor. Yet countries such as Chile and India have shown that measures can be adopted to address disaster risk, providing buffers to stop families sliding into poverty when disaster strikes. Like public investment planning, risk assessment allows to scale up disaster risk reduction.

Dr. Geoffrey Love, Director, Weather and Disaster Risk Reduction Services Department, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), reiterated the issue of drought and discussed its characteristics (a slow compounding of events), and its implications for disaster risk reduction. Droughts, unfortunately, do not come with good graphics and do not get media attention. WMO calls for increasing awareness of the drought issue and the report supports this conclusion.

Ms. Tricia Holly Davis, Director of Commercial Sustainability, Willis Group, spoke on behalf of the private sector. She raised the issue of disaster risk financing in terms of scaling up public-private partnerships. She referred to Chapter 5 of the report highlighting risk financing options and how countries are using those as models for future PPPs. They would provide short term liquidity, for example, when disaster strikes. She asserted that existing schemes provide helpful guidelines, but cannot keep pace with the magnitudes of disasters. Ms. Davis urged governments to include disaster risk reduction incentives in budgetary planning, and for governments to quantify the level of risk they are willing to accept. The dialogue needs to be moved higher up on the political agenda. Involving the private sector and leveraging that expertise was again reiterated, with a need for more knowledge transfer and interactive communication, optimizing insight from academia and scientific institutions, for example.

The report clearly indicates the private sector is a strong participant, and we need to see what more we can do so that everyone is committed to the public-private partnership. However, the global public-private partnerships need to concentrate their work at the local level and invest in local actions.

Use of Key Words

In general, a series of common themes emerged in every contribution: drought (now recognized as a hidden but very serious risk), the central role of governments, and the need to establish partnership with the private sector in order to find new ideas and funds. Now, some details about the various presentations and the role of ecosystem in DRM.

Capacity, land-planning, climate change: Ms. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime agreed with the conclusions of the Report, in particular with the need to strengthen governments’ capacity to cope with Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), an even more urgent call when we consider the negative effects of climate change. Moreover, she welcomed the wide range of practical suggestions in the Report concerning land planning and construction standards programs to protect and recreate ecosystems. These are, in fact, key elements to reduce hazards. The African Regional Strategy for Disaster Reduction (2004) paves the way.

Mitigation, gender: Ms. Marton-Lefèvre appreciated the fact that the Report raises awareness about the silent risk of drought and its consequences, such as the destruction of livelihoods, of poverty and migration, or even of conflicts. By contrast, investments in DRR could be a way to bridge the gap between developed and less developed countries. She briefly mentioned the importance of introducing gender issues into the DRR platform. Finally, she stressed the importance of recognizing DRM that is already in the reconstruction phase should ensure that all building was better and safer.

Drought as a hidden risk: Dr. Love underlined the lack of data on drought and its effects. It is a hidden risk because it does not normally attract media attention the same way as a nuclear incident or tsunami. However, the United Nations Global Assessment Report adds a significant contribution to raise awareness.

Public-Private Partnerships: Ms. Davis welcomed the contribution of chapter five of the report on financial options, such as parametric transfer tools or new partnerships with the private sector, not only as source of funding, but also as source of knowledge.

Vulnerability, integrated approach, reform, capactiy: Mr. Maskrey gave an overview of the Report, and briefly analyzed States’ investments for DRR and the lack of progress. He concluded with several suggestions. In the field of DRR, we are only at the threshold of the problem because governments are not yet aware of the huge losses (causalities, infrastructures, assets) that incur. They do not devote the same attention and funds as to other issues, such as unemployment or fiscal stability. An astonishing figure: the loss per capita grows faster than the GDP per capita, above all in rich countries. If it is true that the mortality rate due to catastrophes is declining (1998 - 2010) thanks to early warning and preparedness as well as vulnerability, exposure is constantly increasing. The main reason behind the low investments in DRR is that there is no systematic accounting of the damages caused by hazards or estimations of potential future risks. An important point raised by the Mr. Maskrey was the necessity to integrate risk transfer, such as insurance, into official policy. The main solution to improve the situation is reform in 3 main areas. First, RRM has to become part of a State’s policy; second, a balanced decentralization is necessary, not only of responsibility but of capacity; third, new partnerships must be created.

LIST OF KEYWORDS