UN urged to create global fund for disaster prevention | Global development The NGO Islamic Relief has urged the UN to establish a global contingency fund for disaster prevention as it is cheaper to help prepare for floods and drought than spend billions on emergencies. In a report on Monday, Feeling the Heat, the charity also called on governments and aid agencies to completely rethink their priorities and put disaster risk reduction at the heart of all aid programmes. "We need to give poor countries a fighting chance against climate change by investing in things like drought-resistant crops, rebuilding flood-prone houses on higher ground and preserving food and seeds for when disaster strikes," says Shahnawaz Ali, head of climate change and disaster resilience for Islamic Relief Bangladesh. "If we do that, we will not only save lives but save a lot of money on emergency aid." Islamic Relief is the latest aid group to argue that prevention is better than cure. There have been international efforts to shift aid priorities towards risk reduction.
Rio’s call to action on disaster risk reduction By Dizery Salim RIO DE JANEIRO, 22 June 2012 - The largest UN summit ever organized closes today with an urgent worldwide call for accelerated implementation of the international blueprint for disaster risk reduction agreed by all UN member States seven years ago. Against a backdrop of 1.3 million deaths, 4.4 billion people affected and $2 trillion in economic losses from disasters since the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, Heads of State and high-level representatives urged States, international financial institutions, international organizations and civil society "to accelerate implementation" of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters. Margareta Wahlström, UN Special Representative for Disaster Reduction, who is in Rio de Janeiro for the summit, commended the declaration's focus on future risk levels. "So far in our initial consultations, people tell us we have to focus on the integration of climate adaptation and risk reduction.
Crisis Mapping for Disaster Preparedness, Mitigation and Resilience Crisis mapping for disaster preparedness is nothing new. In 2004, my colleague Suha Ulgen spearheaded an innovative project in Istanbul that combined public participation and mobile geospatial technologies for the purposes of disaster mitigation. Suha subsequently published an excellent overview of the project entitled “Public Participation Geographic Information Sharing Systems for Co-mmunity Based Urban Disaster Mitigation,” available in this edited book on Geo-Information for Disaster Management. Suha’s project included a novel “Neighborhood Geographic Information Sharing System,” which “provided volunteers with skills and tools for identification of seismic risks and response assets in their neighborhoods. There’s no reason why a similar approach could not be taken today, one that uses a dedicated smart phone app combined with integrated gamification and social networking features. Like this: Like Loading...
Resilient cities 2012: 3rd global forum on urban resilience & adaptation - Training & Events Type: Meeting or ConferenceDate: 12-15 May 2012Location: Germany (Bonn) Description Resilient Cities 2012, 3rd Global Forum on Urban Resilience and Adaptation Continuing the journey towards a more sustainable and resilient urban future, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability together with the City of Bonn and the World Mayors Council on Climate Change is hosting Resilient Cities 2012, 3rd Global Forum on Urban Resilience and Adaptation from 12 to 15 May 2012 in Bonn, Germany, preceding and during the UN Bonn climate talks scheduled for 14-25 May 2012. Resilient Cities 2012 will enhance exchange, learning, networking, debate and policy development on approaches and solutions to climate change for cities and municipalities. Join the Resilient Cities platform: register now at www.iclei.org/resilient-cities! Additional information How to register Register online Documentation Related Links Keywords
Disaster Resilience Natural hazards such as hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes can lead to disasters when they strike vulnerable communities. Vulnerability is a product both of physical exposure to hazards and of a community's capacity to cope with and recover from its impacts—i.e., its resilience. For the poorest, access and control over resources are important determinants of vulnerability and resilience, shaping both their exposure to hazards and their capacity to cope with and recover from natural disasters. Extreme weather events and other natural hazards can damage the land, sea, forest and other resources vital to people's livelihoods. For vulnerable communities, the threats will likely increase as climate change leads to an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Publications
Top scientist appeals for better communication of risk Professor Sir John Beddington, the UK government's chief scientific adviserBy Dizery Salim RIO DE JANEIRO, 21 June 2012 - The UK's Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir John Beddington, used yesterday's UNISDR "Resilient Cities" event at Rio+20 to make an urgent appeal for scientists to use plain language if they are to play a larger role in policymaking on climate change. "The next fifteen years are really problematic. We'll have a billion more people on the planet. Those people will be living in cities that are vulnerable and on top of that climate change will be happening," he said. "Climate change and better weather technology allow us to predict extremes well in advance and to do it well. Addressing the event, "Resilient Cities: Local Action to Achieve Sustainable Development", Sir John said there was a strong role for science to play in disaster risk reduction and resilience building, including prediction and the use of historical data in designing cities in vulnerable areas. Ms. Ms.
Disaster Risk Reduction Disaster impacts have persistent, long-term negative effects on poverty and human development that undermine the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). While development has the potential to significantly reduce disaster risk, inappropriate development choices can also exacerbate vulnerabilities and aggravate the negative effects of disasters. Disaster risk reduction aims at addressing the underlying risk factors in order to reduce avoidable loss of life, property and livelihoods. Reducing vulnerabilities, mitigating disaster impacts and improving UNCTs responses to future disasters correlate strongly with fostering the MDGs and safeguarding development gains. In 2007, the UN Secretary-General’s Policy Committee recommended that more need to be done to further mainstream disaster risk reduction and the Hyogo Framework for Action into the UN system policies and practices. UN country teams have a critical role to play in taking this agenda forward at the country level.
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities - Speech by Line Vennesland, member of the Committee on Sustainable Development of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe - 12th Ministerial Session EUR-OPA - Facing increased dis 12th Ministerial Session EUR-OPA - Facing increased disasters and promoting prevention and response in a context of climate change Session on ‘Placing people at the heart of resilience’ Themes ‘the human dimension’ and ‘disaster reduction and human rights’ St Petersburg, Russian Federation, 28 September 2010 Speech by Line Vennesland, member of the Committee on Sustainable Development of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe “Human rights and the resilience of territories” Mr President, Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a great honour for me to address this Ministerial Session of the countries participating in the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement. This Session is taking place in a particular context, in the wake of unprecedented forest fires in this country. The main theme of this Session is ‘Placing people at the heart of resilience’. In the Congress, we strongly believe that there is a natural link between the two. Thank you.
What is Disaster Risk Reduction? Disaster risk reduction (DRR) There is no such thing as a 'natural' disaster, only natural hazards. Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) aims to reduce the damage caused by natural hazards like earthquakes, floods, droughts and cyclones, through an ethic of prevention. Disasters often follow natural hazards. Disaster risk reduction is about choices. Disaster risk reduction is the concept and practice of reducing disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyse and reduce the causal factors of disasters. "The more governments, UN agencies, organizations, businesses and civil society understand risk and vulnerability, the better equipped they will be to mitigate disasters when they strike and save more lives" -- Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-GeneralLearn more Disaster risk reduction is everyone's business. Disaster risk reduction includes disciplines like disaster management, disaster mitigation and disaster preparedness, but DRR is also part of sustainable development.
Why animals matter in a disaster WSPA protects the welfare of animals in disaster situations because we believe they can suffer and feel pain. Our work benefits the human victims of disasters by saving fragile rural livelihoods and loved companions. In much of the developing world, animals and people are closely reliant. The people are often totally dependent on their animals to cultivate land and provide food and transport. Approximately one quarter of the global poor keep livestock, according to United Nations figures. Jobs and the economy.Food security.Physical security.Health.Culture. Recognising this, WSPA works to prepare communities for the effects of disasters on their animals and minimise the potential suffering. If disaster strikes Animals are often displaced or abandoned in disaster zones, and suffer terribly from injuries and disease. Conflict may arise between animals and humans – limited food and aid after a disaster may not be able to sustain both. Helping animals helps people
Publication on Inclusive Disaster Risk Management | CBM International Disasters have a huge impact on human infrastructure, lives and livelihoods. They can result from natural causes (earthquakes, floods, cyclones, etc.) or from human-influenced factors (like climate change and conflicts), which can lead to food insecurity and displacement of large populations. While it remains crucial to understand and reduce the human effect in creating disasters, natural causes will continue. The key in diminishing their impact is to reduce people’s vulnerability. Persons with disabilities are often overlooked throughout the disaster management cycle and especially during relief operations, and are seldom considered as important actors in conflict prevention even though they are often more exposed during conflicts and displacement.