Disaster Risk Reduction: A Major Achievement in the Last Six Months

1. A major achievement of the ISDR Secretariat in the last six months 24 October 2002 IATF-6 Preliminary version Geneva, July 2002

2. Launch and outreach- preliminary version • -5 August: Press conference in Geneva • -9 August: Launch ceremony and press conference in Tokyo • 2000 printed books, 1000 CD roms, Web-siteSent to:UN country offices and agencies, all missions, national platforms, contributors, and experts • Dissemination at meetings and conferences such as WSSD; Wilton Park; AUDMP in Bali; COP8

3. Current trends in impact of disasters Less people dead by disasters, but increased number of disasters, economic losses and affected population. Source: OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database

4. AWARENESS for change in behaviour • CONTEXT • SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT • Social-cultural • Political • Economic • Ecosystems • KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT • Education, training • Research • Information • Networking • RISK FACTORS • - Vulnerability • Social • Economic • Physical • Environmental • - Hazards • Geological • Hydrometeological • Biological • Environmental • Technological • PUBLIC COMMITMENT • Global, regional, national, local • Institutional framework • Policy development • Legislation and codes • Community actions Vulnerability/ capabilities analysis RISK ASSESSMENT Hazard analysis • APPLICATION OF • RISK REDUCTION MEASURES • Environmental management • Land use planning • Protection of critical facilities • - Structural Measures • Application science & technology • Financial and economic tools RECOVERY RESPONSE DISASTER IMPACTS PREPAREDNESS • EARLY WARNING FRAMEWORK FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION ISDR global review of disaster reduction, 2002

5. Learning risk reduction from practices in the past – some examples Terraces built500 years agoby the Incas, on steep slopes to conserve the scarce soil and water. Similar millennary constructions in the mountain provinces of Indonesia and the Philippines Protection from floods, like the embankments in Shanghai and Singapore, and sea dykes in the Netherlands In Viet Nam, strengthen irrigation channels and sea dykes prior to the start of every annual cyclone season Traditional housing building techniques to withstand floods in coastal areas, in the Pacific and elsewhere

6. Chapter 1 Living with risk - focus on disaster risk reduction 1.1 Setting the scene - understanding disaster risk reduction 1.2 Contexts and processes linked to disaster risk reduction: sustainable development Chapter 2 Risk awareness and assessment 2.1 Understanding the nature of risk 2.2 Emerging trends in disaster impact, hazards and vulnerability patterns 2.3 Risk assessment

7. Chapter 3 Policy and public commitment: the foundation of disaster risk reduction 3.1 Institutional frameworks: Policy, legislation and organizational development for national and local decision-making 3.2 Regional cooperation, interaction and experience 3.3 Community action Chapter 4 Building understanding: development of knowledge and information sharing 4.1 Information management and communication of experience 4.2 Education and training 4.3 Public awareness

8. Chapter 5 A selection of disaster reduction applications 5.1 Environmental management 5.2 Land use planning 5.3 Protection of critical facilities 5.4 Networking and partnerships 5.5 Financial and economic tools 5.6 Early warning systems Chapter 6 Related international commitments and the UN role in disaster risk reduction 6.1 Selected international development agendas and commitments 6.2 UN agencies and scope of activities

9. Chapter 7 Challenges for the future Current development practices do not necessarily reduce communities’ vulnerability to disasters. • Proposes a monitoring framework to assess progress over time. • To be further developed into a monitoring, review and assessment tool for all actors. The Chinese characters: Crisis = threat + opportunity As conditions change, so can attitudes. New thinking must provide the solution.

10. Next steps

11. Snapshots from feedback • Very positive reception and welcomed as unique compilation of overview of the complete disaster reduction sphere • Many training institutions and universities asking permission to use • Add section on “how to use” • Balance between trend analysis, explanation and examples – could be more clear • Suggestion to add dimension of human security, local authorities, enhance climate change part, wider geographical coverage of examples, include section on research.

12. NEXT STEPS: Enhance ISDR information clearinghouse and monitoring, review and assessment function • Final version for wide dissemination before mid 2003, plus targeted- thematic booklets • Elaboration of executive summary for decision makers and awareness purpose • Translation in several languages • Backbone for continued and systematic monitoring, review and assessment function – support the Yokohama review process