The UN Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Margareta Wahlström, and HE Yoichi Otabe, the Japanese Ambassador to the International Organizations in Geneva, announced today the start of consultations on a new international blueprint for reducing disaster losses in advance of the World Conference on Disaster Reduction which the Japanese government is proposing to host in 2015.
The new framework for disaster risk reduction will build on the success of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities in spreading a culture of disaster prevention around the globe. The Hyogo Framework was agreed at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture in January 2005 on the tenth anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995, and a month after the Asian tsunami.
Ms. Wahlström said: "As we look to the anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, the start of consultations on the post-HFA framework is a suitable occasion on which to acknowledge the debt that the world owes to Japan when it comes to sharing its vast experience and knowledge of disaster risk reduction and preparedness.
"The learning from the Great East Japan Earthquake will be a vital contribution to preparing the world to meet the challenges of disaster risk in the urbanized, globalized world of the 21st century where a natural hazard can trigger a chain of catastrophic events impacting lives and livelihoods in tragic ways unless we are realistic in our assessment of risk and act accordingly."
Read in detail at :- http://www.cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23330
Showing posts with label disaster risk reduction india. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disaster risk reduction india. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Good governance in disaster risk reduction helps reduce losses
Rome - Good civil protection governance for effective disaster risk reduction will be the main theme addressed during the EU-funded PPRD South Programme workshop on Civil Protection Organisational Models scheduled in Geneva, Switzerland, on 14-16 February 2012.
During the workshop, which includes a meeting with Margareta Walström, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, 22 strategic planning experts from the national civil protection authorities of Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Tunisia and Turkey, will discuss with the European Commission, United Nations and private sector international experts about the key functions, responsibilities and organizational models of national civil protection organizations that help minimize human, economic and environmental losses due to disasters.
According to the United Nations “There are many examples of good governance in relation to disaster risk reduction over the world. In many countries, however, legal and regulatory regimes for disaster reduction are to be further developed, institutional frameworks and mechanisms are to be strongly improved, levels of participation need decisive steps forward, and additional capacities and resources are required”.
Taking into account the challenges and priorities of disaster risk management in their countries, the participants will be able to learn the recent developments and trends concerning the organization of civil protection services, identify strengths and weaknesses of their organisations, learn from each other’s experience and discuss among them and with the experts possible improvements.
Read in detail at :- http://cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23219
During the workshop, which includes a meeting with Margareta Walström, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, 22 strategic planning experts from the national civil protection authorities of Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Tunisia and Turkey, will discuss with the European Commission, United Nations and private sector international experts about the key functions, responsibilities and organizational models of national civil protection organizations that help minimize human, economic and environmental losses due to disasters.
According to the United Nations “There are many examples of good governance in relation to disaster risk reduction over the world. In many countries, however, legal and regulatory regimes for disaster reduction are to be further developed, institutional frameworks and mechanisms are to be strongly improved, levels of participation need decisive steps forward, and additional capacities and resources are required”.
Taking into account the challenges and priorities of disaster risk management in their countries, the participants will be able to learn the recent developments and trends concerning the organization of civil protection services, identify strengths and weaknesses of their organisations, learn from each other’s experience and discuss among them and with the experts possible improvements.
Read in detail at :- http://cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23219
Change is needed in the humanitarian system’s response to disasters
The British Red Cross welcomes a report released by Oxfam today which highlights the need for the humanitarian system to shift towards a local response, rather than global, when disasters strike.
Greater numbers of people are being affected by disasters due to issues which include:
increased frequency of weather-related disasters
more people living in urban contexts at risk of more complex disasters
a burgeoning global population of 7 billion, which is expected to double by 2100.
As the report explains, the international humanitarian system will struggle to cope with those affected when disasters strike without having local response mechanisms in place.
For the British Red Cross, as part of an international Movement, working with local staff and volunteers is always central in any response to a disaster. And every Red Cross and Red Crescent National Society is a neutral auxiliary to its government, meaning their volunteers and staff are active from the earliest moments in a crisis.
In 2010, when an unprecedented earthquake struck Haiti, it was local volunteers who were first on the scene. Since then, the British Red Cross has been working closely with the Haitian Red Cross to help survivors recover.
Prepared before disaster strikes
© Katrina Crew/BRC
As Oxfam’s report emphasises, there is an increasing need for emergency resources to be closer to where disasters happen.
Around the world the Red Cross has 187 National Societies and each has its own emergency supplies stored in-country. However, when large-scale disasters happen there can of course be a need for international assistance.
At the British Red Cross our aim is to buy and store goods locally so as to speed up our response, boost local economies and ensure assistance is relevant to local society and culture. For instance, we store emergency relief items in warehouses in Kuala Lumpur and Panama, which are strategically positioned close to areas more prone to disasters.
If we don’t have what is needed in our pre-positioned stock another approach we use, as for example in our response to the current food crisis in east Africa, is to release cash to buy items in-country or nearby. This is an efficient way of responding and supports the local economy.
When responding to an emergency, the Red Cross co-ordinates with affected governments the UN and other humanitarian organisations – however co-ordination in the chaos of a disaster is always a challenge and all actors have a responsibility to improve ways of working together more effectively.
Reducing the risk of disasters
© BRC/ Sarah Oughton
Investment in reducing the risk of disaster is a core part of British Red Cross work. When we plan a recovery programme to help people get back on their feet, we also look for ways to lessen the impact of future disasters. In Haiti, we’ve seen how improving the ways we communicate with people affected by disasters is vital to ensuring that communities are at the heart of andengaged in their own recovery.
However, it’s not only in the aftermath of disasters that we help communities be better prepared. Bangladesh is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, but the work that the government, the Red Cross and other organisations have done to helpcommunities at risk of cyclones get prepared has had a huge impact in recent years. In part, this work can be attributed for the fact that in 2007 Cyclone Sidr resulted in more than 3,300 people losing their lives, where as in 2009 when Cyclone Aila struck the number of lives lost – while still too many – was reduced to 190, although 300,000 lost their homes and livelihoods.
When disasters strike humanitarian aid is essential and the generosity of donors at such times helps save lives. Although the emphasis remains on responding to crises, as Oxfam’s report points out, there is not enough investment in preventing and reducing the risk of disasters.
Read in detail at :- http://cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23221
Greater numbers of people are being affected by disasters due to issues which include:
increased frequency of weather-related disasters
more people living in urban contexts at risk of more complex disasters
a burgeoning global population of 7 billion, which is expected to double by 2100.
As the report explains, the international humanitarian system will struggle to cope with those affected when disasters strike without having local response mechanisms in place.
For the British Red Cross, as part of an international Movement, working with local staff and volunteers is always central in any response to a disaster. And every Red Cross and Red Crescent National Society is a neutral auxiliary to its government, meaning their volunteers and staff are active from the earliest moments in a crisis.
In 2010, when an unprecedented earthquake struck Haiti, it was local volunteers who were first on the scene. Since then, the British Red Cross has been working closely with the Haitian Red Cross to help survivors recover.
Prepared before disaster strikes
© Katrina Crew/BRC
As Oxfam’s report emphasises, there is an increasing need for emergency resources to be closer to where disasters happen.
Around the world the Red Cross has 187 National Societies and each has its own emergency supplies stored in-country. However, when large-scale disasters happen there can of course be a need for international assistance.
At the British Red Cross our aim is to buy and store goods locally so as to speed up our response, boost local economies and ensure assistance is relevant to local society and culture. For instance, we store emergency relief items in warehouses in Kuala Lumpur and Panama, which are strategically positioned close to areas more prone to disasters.
If we don’t have what is needed in our pre-positioned stock another approach we use, as for example in our response to the current food crisis in east Africa, is to release cash to buy items in-country or nearby. This is an efficient way of responding and supports the local economy.
When responding to an emergency, the Red Cross co-ordinates with affected governments the UN and other humanitarian organisations – however co-ordination in the chaos of a disaster is always a challenge and all actors have a responsibility to improve ways of working together more effectively.
Reducing the risk of disasters
© BRC/ Sarah Oughton
Investment in reducing the risk of disaster is a core part of British Red Cross work. When we plan a recovery programme to help people get back on their feet, we also look for ways to lessen the impact of future disasters. In Haiti, we’ve seen how improving the ways we communicate with people affected by disasters is vital to ensuring that communities are at the heart of andengaged in their own recovery.
However, it’s not only in the aftermath of disasters that we help communities be better prepared. Bangladesh is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, but the work that the government, the Red Cross and other organisations have done to helpcommunities at risk of cyclones get prepared has had a huge impact in recent years. In part, this work can be attributed for the fact that in 2007 Cyclone Sidr resulted in more than 3,300 people losing their lives, where as in 2009 when Cyclone Aila struck the number of lives lost – while still too many – was reduced to 190, although 300,000 lost their homes and livelihoods.
When disasters strike humanitarian aid is essential and the generosity of donors at such times helps save lives. Although the emphasis remains on responding to crises, as Oxfam’s report points out, there is not enough investment in preventing and reducing the risk of disasters.
Read in detail at :- http://cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23221
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Campaign cities share ideas for protecting world’s ancient sites
Campaign cities share ideas for protecting world’s ancient sites
Photo credit
By Dizery Salim
Geneva, 4 January 2011 – Byblos, with its ancient port dating back 5,000 years, is dotted by Phoenician, Roman and medieval ruins along the waterfront that municipal authorities now fear are in danger from sea storms.
“Heavy waves hit the heart of the harbour directly, damaging it,” explained Lisa Abou Khaled, from the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Disaster Risk Management Unit.
When Byblos city official Tony Sfeir met counterparts from Venice at the Third Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in May – convened by the UN disaster risk reduction office, UNISDR – he realized that the two cities faced the same dangers and obstacles.
Like Byblos, Venice is a UNESCO World Heritage site, has a local economy related to tourism and to port activity, and share similar water-related risks. At the time of the Global Platform, Venice had just been recognized by UNISDR as a role model city for cultural heritage protection for its defence system against tidal floods.
Renowned for its beauty, Venice is frequently flooded because unstable inlets open the lagoon to excess water when the mean sea level rises higher than 80 centimetres. Six times in the past 10 years, the water rose exceptionally high – over 140 centimeters – carrying silt and moisture, which experts say are putting the physical survival of the city at risk.
In June 2011, Mayor Ziad Hawat decided to invite the Italian delegation for a two-day workshop to find ways to protect Byblos’ historical sites along the waterfront.
Photo credit
By Dizery Salim
Geneva, 4 January 2011 – Byblos, with its ancient port dating back 5,000 years, is dotted by Phoenician, Roman and medieval ruins along the waterfront that municipal authorities now fear are in danger from sea storms.
“Heavy waves hit the heart of the harbour directly, damaging it,” explained Lisa Abou Khaled, from the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Disaster Risk Management Unit.
When Byblos city official Tony Sfeir met counterparts from Venice at the Third Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in May – convened by the UN disaster risk reduction office, UNISDR – he realized that the two cities faced the same dangers and obstacles.
Like Byblos, Venice is a UNESCO World Heritage site, has a local economy related to tourism and to port activity, and share similar water-related risks. At the time of the Global Platform, Venice had just been recognized by UNISDR as a role model city for cultural heritage protection for its defence system against tidal floods.
Renowned for its beauty, Venice is frequently flooded because unstable inlets open the lagoon to excess water when the mean sea level rises higher than 80 centimetres. Six times in the past 10 years, the water rose exceptionally high – over 140 centimeters – carrying silt and moisture, which experts say are putting the physical survival of the city at risk.
In June 2011, Mayor Ziad Hawat decided to invite the Italian delegation for a two-day workshop to find ways to protect Byblos’ historical sites along the waterfront.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Crisis Mapping and Disaster Risk Reduction
Crisis mapping has emerged in the last five years as a dynamic and open way to visualize and report on crisis and disasters. With increasing internet connectivity, mobile phone use, and user-generated content, 'crowdsourcing' is gaining traction by taking advantage of information communication technology (ICT) that allows communities and networks to answer some of the world’s most pressing issues.
Held for the first-time ever in Europe, the 3rd International Conference on Crisis Mapping (ICCM) was one example of how new technologies and growing networks of tech-savvy individuals and organizations can help to prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters.
“ICT tools, such as those used by Crisis Mappers, help us understand what is happening on the ground and who’s affected following a disaster. The tools combined with user-generated content also provide an insight into vulnerabilities and risks that a community faces pre-disaster,” says Margareta Wahlström, the UN’s disaster risk reduction chief.
“Given our ability as a society to generate, manage, and distribute information, the potential for understanding disaster risks from a global to local level is encouraging. In particular, how crowdsourcing can be used for early warning, risk identification, and as a disaster risk management tool.”
One of the main ingredients to understanding disasters and taking preventative measures or responding quickly and effectively is accounting for disaster losses and managing data and information, whether crowdsourced or centrally managed.
Speaking at a pre-ICCM2011 event on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Ryan Lanclos, Manager of Esri’s Emergency Management & Disaster Response Industry said: “GIS-based hazard and risk analysis should be fundamental to an organization’s daily work. It helps us understand our vulnerabilities and prioritize where to focus mitigation efforts to reduce the impact of future disasters.”
“The key to this insight is data – we have to continually collect, manage and update our organizational data to feed our analysis. When we do this well and collaborate appropriately with partners who can complete our data puzzle, this pre-disaster analysis not only helps us prepare but also to respond effectively following a disaster.”
Initiatives such as Ushahidi, ArcGIS.com, Sahana, Google Crisis Response, as well as the UN Secretary-General’s innovative Global Pulse project provides outlets for individuals and organizations to engage with each other to capture real-time issues and risks – ultimately to save lives and strengthen resilience to shocks and disasters.
In his keynote address for ICCM2011, Sanjana Huttotuwa, Special Advisor to ICT4Peace Foundation, emphasized that technology is “democratizing analysis” by allowing people to communicate what they see and hear on the ground that can have an impact pre- and post-disaster. He says that the trend cannot be ignored as it is a defining moment in our lifetime.
Read in detail at :- http://cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23007
Held for the first-time ever in Europe, the 3rd International Conference on Crisis Mapping (ICCM) was one example of how new technologies and growing networks of tech-savvy individuals and organizations can help to prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters.
“ICT tools, such as those used by Crisis Mappers, help us understand what is happening on the ground and who’s affected following a disaster. The tools combined with user-generated content also provide an insight into vulnerabilities and risks that a community faces pre-disaster,” says Margareta Wahlström, the UN’s disaster risk reduction chief.
“Given our ability as a society to generate, manage, and distribute information, the potential for understanding disaster risks from a global to local level is encouraging. In particular, how crowdsourcing can be used for early warning, risk identification, and as a disaster risk management tool.”
One of the main ingredients to understanding disasters and taking preventative measures or responding quickly and effectively is accounting for disaster losses and managing data and information, whether crowdsourced or centrally managed.
Speaking at a pre-ICCM2011 event on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Ryan Lanclos, Manager of Esri’s Emergency Management & Disaster Response Industry said: “GIS-based hazard and risk analysis should be fundamental to an organization’s daily work. It helps us understand our vulnerabilities and prioritize where to focus mitigation efforts to reduce the impact of future disasters.”
“The key to this insight is data – we have to continually collect, manage and update our organizational data to feed our analysis. When we do this well and collaborate appropriately with partners who can complete our data puzzle, this pre-disaster analysis not only helps us prepare but also to respond effectively following a disaster.”
Initiatives such as Ushahidi, ArcGIS.com, Sahana, Google Crisis Response, as well as the UN Secretary-General’s innovative Global Pulse project provides outlets for individuals and organizations to engage with each other to capture real-time issues and risks – ultimately to save lives and strengthen resilience to shocks and disasters.
In his keynote address for ICCM2011, Sanjana Huttotuwa, Special Advisor to ICT4Peace Foundation, emphasized that technology is “democratizing analysis” by allowing people to communicate what they see and hear on the ground that can have an impact pre- and post-disaster. He says that the trend cannot be ignored as it is a defining moment in our lifetime.
Read in detail at :- http://cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23007
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
"Encouraging progress", NEW!
Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme talks about Nepal's progress in meeting MDGs and the challenges ahead.
Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme talks about Nepal's progress in meeting MDGs and the challenges ahead.
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Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and former prime minister of New Zealand is in Nepal this week to inspect development projects. Clark spoke to Nepali Times about Nepal's progress in meeting Millennium Development Goals and the challenges ahead.
Nepali Times: With only four years to go for the MDG target date, how would you rate the chances of developing countries to meet the goals?
Helen Clark: Over the past decade, notable progress has been made on each individual MDG, including in many least developed countries and under very challenging circumstances. Business as usual, however, won't get the world all the way to achieve the MDG targets. The right mix of policies, targeted technical assistance, institutional capacity, adequate funding, and strong political commitment are necessary to accelerate progress. UNDP supports country-led development based on inclusive growth strategies which benefit the poorest and most vulnerable.
And how does Nepal's performance compare with the others?
Despite political and economic challenges, Nepal has made MDG progress over the past decade. According to the 2010 MDG progress report, Nepal is on track to achieve most targets, with a few exceptions, if the current trends in progress continue. Achievements in reducing child mortality and improving maternal health are particularly encouraging. Poverty has gone down significantly, and Nepal is close to reaching the 2015 MDG poverty target. Nepal has already achieved gender parity in primary school enrollments, but the gender gap remains high at secondary and tertiary education levels. As a former political leader in my own country, I am particularly happy to note that one-third of the seats in the Constituent Assembly are now held by women. Nepal has had the foresight to integrate the MDGs into its national development strategies, as reflected in its Three Year Plan, and I have confidence that Nepal will continue its MDG progress.
A lot of the problems in the developing world need long-term structural and governance solutions, but aren't the needs are so immediate.
Development is a long term process. UNDP works for decades in countries and helps them build the capacity to lift human development. Some face greater challenges than others, but all can succeed. It is important to align meeting short term needs with the longer term direction established, in other words, each step taken should be in support of the goals to be achieved over time.
UN staff were among the thousands who died in the Haiti earthquake last year. What lessons has the UN learnt about disaster preparedness and response from that event?
Haiti was a tragic reminder of the importance of building resilience to disaster. Disaster risk reduction measures, ensuring that humanitarian response systems are ready, and imagining the unimaginable all need to be undertaken. Effective governance is needed to achieve this, of the kind which ensures building codes are in place and enforced, land use plans are carefully thought through, and creates a clear sense of duty of care among elected and appointed public officials. International support is needed for both the humanitarian and development aspects of this work.
Any particular effect this has had in helping Nepal prepare for a disaster that one day is sure to come?
Given the high earthquake risk and other hazards in Nepal, UNDP has been working with the government on disaster risk reduction for many years. A recent result of that work was the establishment with the Home Ministry of a National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). We already see concrete results: when an earthquake struck the east of Nepal recently, the national and district level emergency operation centres reacted within one hour. That was a huge improvement compared to the level of preparedness only one year ago. UNDP and a range of partners also helped the government develop a new National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management which was approved in 2009. It signals an important shift in policy from focusing mainly on relief and response to a more balanced approach to risk reduction overall. The key challenge now is to implement this ambitious new strategy with a sense of urgency
A Nepal Risk Reduction Consortium came into being in 2009 under government leadership, bringing together the UN system, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, the Red Cross Movement, the European Commission, and the governments of the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Australia, to accelerate and expand risk reduction measures in Nepal. The Consortium has already raised more than $60 million for school and hospital retrofitting, emergency preparedness, building code enforcement, community preparedness, and many other measures. The Consortium is seen as a model of how to get organised to tackle disaster risk more effectively in countries like Nepal.
And, finally, impressions of your visit to Nepal this week?
We were very proud to have with us Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, who is the UNDP Goodwill Ambassador with us on our trip to Nepal this week. We have very vivid impressions of our visit here. It is an imposing landscape, and a challenge in development. We met the highest leaders in Kathmandu to women starting their own micro businesses in a village in western Nepal. It was very inspiring to see how much they could do with so little, and how giving young people skills can better the livelihoods of their families. In our visit to a maternity clinic we saw the role played by Nepal's female health volunteers and what was most significant to me was that that it was an example of a community that could articulate what they wanted from local leaders, and they said they wanted better maternity clinics. Back in Kathmandu we had two very significant meetings on Weaddnesday, one with CA members and a meeting with senior political leaders at the Prime minister's residence. It is enormously significant that they take the job of speedily completing the peace and constitution process seriously.
Read in detail at :- http://cdrn.org.in/index.asp
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Sustainability experts call on public to shape corporate reporting
Sustainability reporting experts at the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) are calling on all organizations and individuals to shape the future of corporate reporting by taking part in a survey open until 24 November 2011.
GRI produces the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework. GRI is now working on the next generation of its Sustainability Reporting Guidelines – G4. As part of the development process, the first Public Comment Period is now open for organizations and individuals to share their views and help shape the structure and content of G4.
Nelmara Arbex, Deputy Chief Executive of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), said: “This is the time for the public to share their thoughts and get G4 right. G4 will be based on GRI’s current Guidelines, but it also has to be shaped to be a platform for sustainability reporting over the next six to eight years.
“Should companies be required to report on a globally defined set of indicators? How can GRI offer guidelines that are easily linked to other frameworks? Should G4 be web based? And should G4 offer templates to help beginners, to decrease costs and link the reports directly to databases? This is your chance to answer these questions.”
John Elkington, member of GRI’s Board of Directors and Founding Partner and Executive Chairman of Volans, explained why people should respond to the survey: “Steve Jobs knew the value of an insanely great operating system. That’s what we are working towards with GRI’s new G4 Guidelines. This is your chance to shape the guidelines and help drive the green growth and wider sustainability transitions. Please help us get this right.”
The survey is available online until 24 November 2011. It is available in English, Portuguese (Português), Mandarin Chinese (简体中文), French (Français) and Spanish (Español) and can take 20 to 70 minutes to complete. You can only give feedback in one sitting, and your answers will count even if you do not complete the survey.
For details please log on to :- http://cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=22844
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
FedEx Express Delivers Relief Supplies to Sikkim Earthquake Victims
FedEx Express Delivers Relief Supplies to Sikkim Earthquake Victims
November 9, 2011 by admin
Filed under News Bites
FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp, has delivered 1,000 shelter tool kits to earthquake victims in Sikkim. The initiative to offer shelter relief to affected families was organised in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS).
FedEx Express transported the aid weighing approximately 25,000 pounds from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Delhi, India using the A310 aircraft. The kits were delivered to the IRCS representatives in Sikkim by a special ground delivery.
The relief aid of 1,000 shelter toolkits included tools and hardware that will enable victims and aid workers to help repair and reconstruct damaged and destroyed homes. The shelter kits were provided to the IRCS by the IFRC, and funded by the international organization’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF).
“The damage caused by the September earthquake in the Himalayan region necessitated an immediate humanitarian response. FedEx is honored to offer its humble support to victims of Sikkim. By delivering the shelter tool kits to affected families in the region, we stand in solidarity with our trusted partners, India Red Cross Society and the IFRC, as they honorably assist the community’s reconstruction process,” said Kenneth F. Koval, vice president, Operations, FedEx Express India.
“The earthquake in the Himalayan region has damaged and destroyed homes across four countries creating an emergency situation in hard-to-access regions,” said John Roche, Head of the IFRC’s India office. “Thanks to the assistance of FedEx, these shelter tool kits will help many who have been left homeless in Sikkim rebuild their lives.”
“The families in Sikkim needed urgent assistance in a difficult situation and FedEx is glad that we can leverage our infrastructure and network to provide them speedy access to these much-needed relief supplies,” said Ramesh Kumar Singam, managing director, Federal Express Malaysia and Brunei.
FedEx Express maintains a longstanding commitment to disaster relief. The company donated more than five million pounds (approximately 2,300 tons) of charitable shipping last year alone, equivalent to 87 Boeing 757 aircraft of donated aid.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
World’s fastest growing populations increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change
World’s fastest growing populations increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change – 4th global atlas reports
Calcutta, Dhaka, Jakarta and Manila rated ‘extreme risk’ in study of climate change vulnerability
26/10/2011
The fourth release of Maplecroft’s Climate Change and Environment Risk Atlas includes a new Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) that analyses and maps climate change vulnerability down to 25km² worldwide. It reveals that some of the world’s fastest growing populations are increasingly at risk from the impacts of climate related natural hazards including sea level rise.
Many of the countries with the fastest population growth are rated as ‘extreme risk’ in the CCVI, including the strategically important emerging economies of Bangladesh (2nd), the Philippines (10th), Viet Nam (23th), Indonesia (27th) and India (28th).
Climate change and population growth form the two greatest challenges facing the world over the next century. This issue of population growth is driven home by this week’s announcement by the UN’s State of the World’s Population Report 2011 revealing that the world’s population has now reached 7 billion people.
The Climate Change Vulnerability Index features subnational maps and analysis of climate change vulnerability and the adaptive capacity to combat climate change in 193 countries. It features an improved methodology analysing the exposure of populations to climate related natural hazards and sensitivity of countries in terms of population concentration, development, natural resources, agricultural dependency and conflict.
At a national level, the CCVI rates 30 countries at ‘extreme risk,’ with the top 10 comprising of Haiti, Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Cambodia, Mozambique, DR Congo, Malawi and Philippines. Of these Bangladesh and the Philippines are among the world’s fastest growing economies with growth rates of 6.6 and 5% per annum, respectively.
Subnational analysis reveals vulnerability of fastest growing cities
The value of Maplecroft’s research is much better appreciated at a subnational level, where risks to towns, cities, economic zones and individual company assets can be identified through interactive maps, which chart vulnerability, exposure and sensitivity to climate change down to 25km² worldwide. For instance, extreme hotpots of vulnerability can be seen in the South West of Brazil and coastal regions of China, but both countries are rated ‘medium risk’ by the CCVI at the national level.
Vulnerability on this scale is illustrated particularly well when looking at the effects of climate change on the megacities of Asia; some of which have the highest rates of population growth, along with extreme vulnerability to climate change.
Of the world’s 20 fastest growing cities, six have been classified as ‘extreme risk’ by the CCVI, including the major Asian economic centres of Calcutta in India, Manila in the Philippines, Jakarta in Indonesia and Dhaka and Chittagong in Bangladesh. Addis Ababa in Ethiopia also features. A further 10 are rated as ‘high risk’ including Guangdong, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Karachi and Lagos.
Population growth in cities combined with socio-economic factors increase climate risks
According to Maplecroft, population growth in these cities combines with poor government effectiveness, corruption, poverty and other socio-economic factors to increase the risks to residents and business. Infrastructures, which cannot cope at 2011 levels, will therefore struggle to adapt to large population rises in the future, making disaster responses less effective, whilst at the same time these disasters themselves may become more frequent. This has implications for buildings, transportation routes, water and energy supply and the health of the residents.
“Cities such as Manila, Jakarta and Calcutta are vital centres of economic growth in key emerging markets, but heat waves, flooding, water shortages and increasingly severe and frequent storm events may well increase as climate changes takes hold” states Principal Environmental Analyst at Maplecroft Dr Charlie Beldon. “The impacts of this could have far reaching consequences, not only for local populations, but on business, national economies and on the balance sheets of investors around the world, particularly as the economic importance of these nations is set to dramatically increase.”
Climate Change Vulnerability Index 2012
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Extreme risk | |
| High risk | |
| Medium risk | |
| Low risk | |
| No Data | |
| Rank | Country | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haiti | Extreme |
| 2 | Bangladesh | Extreme |
| 3 | Zimbabwe | Extreme |
| 4 | Sierra Leone | Extreme |
| 5 | Madagascar | Extreme |
| Rank | Country | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Cambodia | Extreme |
| 7 | Mozambique | Extreme |
| 8 | DR Congo | Extreme |
| 9 | Malawi | Extreme |
| 10 | Philippines | Extreme |
© Maplecroft, 2011
Manila most exposed to flooding and typhoons
Manila, the commercial centre of the Philippines, is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to a combination of exposure to hazards, poor socio-economic factors and a low capacity to adapt. The city is predicted to grow by 2.23 million residents between 2010 and 2020 an increase of nearly 20%. It is particularly at risk of flooding and typhoon activity, having the highest exposure to these events out of the twenty growth cities. In July 2010 Typhoon Conson hit near to Manila killing 146 and affecting over half a million people. Events such as this could well increase in frequency and severity, which should make improvements to the adaptive capacity of the city a priority for the national government of the Philippines.
Poorest sections of society bear brunt of exposure to climate related hazards
“The expansion of population must be met with an equal expansion of infrastructure and civic amenities. As these megacities grow, more people are forced to live on exposed land, often on flood plains or other marginal land, adds Dr Beldon. “It is therefore the poorest citizens that will be most exposed to the effects of climate change, and the least able to cope with the effects.”
This is witnessed by the large slum populations, which are present in many of the rapidly growing cities and where residents frequently have fragile livelihoods and poor access to basic resources, such as clean water. In Calcutta, which is predicted to increase by 3.1 million people to18.7 million by 2020, approximately one third of the current population live in slums. Calcutta is highly exposed to sea level rise and coastal flooding and the predicted population growth will place more people within these vulnerable areas.
Thailand flooding illustrated the risks to business
Thailand, another rapidly growing economy is presently bearing the brunt of climate related disasters. Since July over 350 people have died in the floods. The credit rating agency Moody’s estimated that the floods would cost Thailand more than $6.5 billion. The Central Government has cut economic growth forecasts accordingly. The concentration of technical firms in flood affected areas could well result in wider disruptions to global supply chains; Thailand is the world’s largest producer of hard-disk drives. In the face of climate change businesses with global supply chains and investors would do well to learn from Thailand’s recent flood experience.
To read the complete document please log onto :- http://cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=22726
Monday, October 24, 2011
‘Drop, cover and hold on in case you feel a tremor’
The Aga Khan University (AKU) on Thursday conducted an earthquake drill as part of disaster preparedness at all its centres in the country, during which hundreds of AKU faculty, staff, students and volunteers followed a quake preparedness protocol – ducking under tables, desks and other sturdy pieces of furniture and holding on for a minute.
‘Drop, Cover and Hold On in case you feel a tremor’ was the message given to participants of an earthquake preparedness drill organised by the Aga Khan University (AKU) at all its locations in Pakistan.
According to experts, more than a third of all earthquakes between 1991 and 2005 around the world occurred in Central and South Asia.
The quakes in Sarez, Tajikistan (1911); Gujarat, India (2001); Naryn, Kyrgyzstan (2002); and Azad Kashmir, Pakistan (2005) are the examples of the seismic hazards that exist in the region and their devastating consequences.
The drill on Thursday was part of the Aga Khan Development Network’s ShakeOut Campaign across Central and South Asia, covering Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Tajikistan.
On hearing an alarm, hundreds of AKU faculty, staff, students and volunteers followed a quake preparedness protocol – ducking under tables, desks and other sturdy pieces of furniture and holding on for a minute, practicing what to do and where to take shelter in case an earthquake strikes.
“It is crucial to remind ourselves that we live in a seismically-active part of the world, and must regularly practice how to respond during earthquakes. The Drop, Cover and Hold On technique is highly effective in reducing injuries caused by non-structural
hazards,” said Dr Firoz Verjee, coordinator of the AKDN’s Disaster Risk Management Initiative.
“Drills keep people active and build awareness,” says the chair of AKU ShakeOut Campaign Task Force, Nadeem Mustafa Khan “This was indeed a learning experience for all.”
‘Drop, Cover and Hold On in case you feel a tremor’ was the message given to participants of an earthquake preparedness drill organised by the Aga Khan University (AKU) at all its locations in Pakistan.
According to experts, more than a third of all earthquakes between 1991 and 2005 around the world occurred in Central and South Asia.
The quakes in Sarez, Tajikistan (1911); Gujarat, India (2001); Naryn, Kyrgyzstan (2002); and Azad Kashmir, Pakistan (2005) are the examples of the seismic hazards that exist in the region and their devastating consequences.
The drill on Thursday was part of the Aga Khan Development Network’s ShakeOut Campaign across Central and South Asia, covering Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Tajikistan.
On hearing an alarm, hundreds of AKU faculty, staff, students and volunteers followed a quake preparedness protocol – ducking under tables, desks and other sturdy pieces of furniture and holding on for a minute, practicing what to do and where to take shelter in case an earthquake strikes.
“It is crucial to remind ourselves that we live in a seismically-active part of the world, and must regularly practice how to respond during earthquakes. The Drop, Cover and Hold On technique is highly effective in reducing injuries caused by non-structural
hazards,” said Dr Firoz Verjee, coordinator of the AKDN’s Disaster Risk Management Initiative.
“Drills keep people active and build awareness,” says the chair of AKU ShakeOut Campaign Task Force, Nadeem Mustafa Khan “This was indeed a learning experience for all.”
Read the full document at :- http://cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=22699
Thursday, April 7, 2011
African Working Group agrees to implement the Strategy for disaster risk reduction
Nairobi, Kenya - The inaugural meeting of the reconstituted African Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction (AWGDRR) ended on Thursday, 31 March, with delegates agreeing to accelerate the implementation of the extended programme of action for the implementation of the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (2006-2015), in line with the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA).
The meeting took place after the Executive Council of the African Union had endorsed the Report of the Second African Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in April 2010, where it also endorsed the extended programme of action.
“The endorsement indicates Africa’s strong political commitment to bring about a substantial reduction of social, economic and environmental impacts of disasters on African people and economies,” said Pedro Basabe, Head, UNISDR Africa.
The programme covers emerging trends and challenges, making links between disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation. It also touches on the importance of increasing investments in disaster risk reduction.
Attending the event was Abebe Haile Gabriel, Director for Rural Economy and Agriculture Africa Union Commission (AUC), and Mohamed Ali, Assistant Minister of State for Special Programmes, who accentuated the importance of AWGDRR as a coordinating body.
“We need to emphasize the need to move from institutions towards concrete implementation through coordinated action,” added Mr. Basabe.
The meeting kicked off in the wake of climatic hazards and urbanization challenges that have dominate the disaster profile of Sub-Saharan Africa, affecting, on average, around 12.5 million people per year.
The meeting was held alongside the formal launch Making Cities Resilient Campaign, of which three cities, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Kampala (Uganda) and Yaoundé (Cameroon) and Narok (Kenya) signed up. By signing up to the campaign, participating mayors and local government officials commit to “Ten Essentials” to make their cities resilient against disaster. Over 600 local government authorities from all over the world have joined this campaign since it began in May 2010.
The meeting was organised jointly by the Africa Union and the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR). Also at the meeting, the Group agreed on new terms of reference, and discussed the Africa position paper to be presented during the Third Session of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction in May 2011.
The meeting took place after the Executive Council of the African Union had endorsed the Report of the Second African Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in April 2010, where it also endorsed the extended programme of action.
“The endorsement indicates Africa’s strong political commitment to bring about a substantial reduction of social, economic and environmental impacts of disasters on African people and economies,” said Pedro Basabe, Head, UNISDR Africa.
The programme covers emerging trends and challenges, making links between disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation. It also touches on the importance of increasing investments in disaster risk reduction.
Attending the event was Abebe Haile Gabriel, Director for Rural Economy and Agriculture Africa Union Commission (AUC), and Mohamed Ali, Assistant Minister of State for Special Programmes, who accentuated the importance of AWGDRR as a coordinating body.
“We need to emphasize the need to move from institutions towards concrete implementation through coordinated action,” added Mr. Basabe.
The meeting kicked off in the wake of climatic hazards and urbanization challenges that have dominate the disaster profile of Sub-Saharan Africa, affecting, on average, around 12.5 million people per year.
The meeting was held alongside the formal launch Making Cities Resilient Campaign, of which three cities, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Kampala (Uganda) and Yaoundé (Cameroon) and Narok (Kenya) signed up. By signing up to the campaign, participating mayors and local government officials commit to “Ten Essentials” to make their cities resilient against disaster. Over 600 local government authorities from all over the world have joined this campaign since it began in May 2010.
The meeting was organised jointly by the Africa Union and the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR). Also at the meeting, the Group agreed on new terms of reference, and discussed the Africa position paper to be presented during the Third Session of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction in May 2011.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Statement by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction on World Meteorological Day
Statement by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction on World Meteorological Day
Type:Statements & speeches
Date:23 Mar 2011
Source:United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Secretariat (UNISDR)
Language:English
Geneva, Switzerland - Today’s observance of World Meteorological Day with its theme of “Climate for You”, highlights the direct link between climate change, weather variability and the increase in the frequency as well as severity of weather related natural hazards.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a strong and active partner of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) whose critical role and work are central to reducing the impact of disasters. These efforts are key contributions to human, social and economic safety. We fully support WMO’s long-term objective: that of halving by 2019, the 1994-2003 ten-year average of deaths caused by disasters of meteorological and hydrological origin.
The risks presented by climate variability as well as the severity and frequency of disaster impacts, are key themes in the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) -- the world’s only blueprint for staving off losses caused by natural hazards. Yet, the earthquakes and floods in Haiti, New Zealand, Pakistan and Australia in 2010 and early 2011, as well as the devastating tsunami in Japan this month, are some recent and harsh reminders of the debilitating effects of disasters on lives and the socio-economic fabric of societies. More is required, for example, in the area of early warning mechanisms and on strengthening national institutions for weather forecasting services.
Our recently launched report, ‘Mid-Term Review of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters’, reviews the last five years' progress on strengthening disaster risk reduction. The report underscores areas where work is most needed to ensure that gains from the past five years translate into substantial reduction of disaster losses in the following five and beyond. The report contains the views of governments themselves, expressed to other governments, about the kinds of immediate actions they and other stakeholders must take to produce tangible progress on the HFA by 2015. We are convinced of the importance of this report, and hope that it will inspire action around the world.
In this context, the Third Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, a high-level event scheduled from 8-13 May 2011 (in about 45 days) in Geneva, will actively reach out to a new and diverse range of leaders and decision-makers to stimulate commitment and concrete investment in disaster risk reduction.
Margareta Wahlström
Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction
(Photo credit: WMO)
Available here
World Meteorological Day 2011 - Climate for you
Related Links
Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 Mid-Term Review
The Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction
Type:Statements & speeches
Date:23 Mar 2011
Source:United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Secretariat (UNISDR)
Language:English
Geneva, Switzerland - Today’s observance of World Meteorological Day with its theme of “Climate for You”, highlights the direct link between climate change, weather variability and the increase in the frequency as well as severity of weather related natural hazards.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a strong and active partner of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) whose critical role and work are central to reducing the impact of disasters. These efforts are key contributions to human, social and economic safety. We fully support WMO’s long-term objective: that of halving by 2019, the 1994-2003 ten-year average of deaths caused by disasters of meteorological and hydrological origin.
The risks presented by climate variability as well as the severity and frequency of disaster impacts, are key themes in the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) -- the world’s only blueprint for staving off losses caused by natural hazards. Yet, the earthquakes and floods in Haiti, New Zealand, Pakistan and Australia in 2010 and early 2011, as well as the devastating tsunami in Japan this month, are some recent and harsh reminders of the debilitating effects of disasters on lives and the socio-economic fabric of societies. More is required, for example, in the area of early warning mechanisms and on strengthening national institutions for weather forecasting services.
Our recently launched report, ‘Mid-Term Review of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters’, reviews the last five years' progress on strengthening disaster risk reduction. The report underscores areas where work is most needed to ensure that gains from the past five years translate into substantial reduction of disaster losses in the following five and beyond. The report contains the views of governments themselves, expressed to other governments, about the kinds of immediate actions they and other stakeholders must take to produce tangible progress on the HFA by 2015. We are convinced of the importance of this report, and hope that it will inspire action around the world.
In this context, the Third Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, a high-level event scheduled from 8-13 May 2011 (in about 45 days) in Geneva, will actively reach out to a new and diverse range of leaders and decision-makers to stimulate commitment and concrete investment in disaster risk reduction.
Margareta Wahlström
Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction
(Photo credit: WMO)
Available here
World Meteorological Day 2011 - Climate for you
Related Links
Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 Mid-Term Review
The Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction
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