15 Apr 2015 | News

Countries endorse post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction

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A post-2015 Disaster Risk Reduction Framework that aims to reduce ‘substantially’ the global disaster mortality and the number of people affected by disasters by 2030 was endorsed at the third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) in Sendai, Japan. The framework provides a roadmap for the DRR activities for the next 15 years and guidelines for its implementation.

Key stakeholders working in DRR from all around the world gathered in Sendai from 14-18 March 2015 to take stock of the progress made from 2005 to 2015 since the conference in Kobe, Japan, on the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA). Organized by the International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (ISDR) and the government of Japan, the conference provided a platform to share experiences gained at regional and national levels through 35 working sessions, more than 300 public events, and various exhibitions.

ICIMOD’s Director of Strategic Cooperation, Basanta Raj Shrestha, and Mandira Singh Shrestha, Programme Coordinator HYCOS, participated in the event and shared mountain perspectives on disaster risk reduction. They also provided inputs to a number of working sessions and had meetings with several agencies to enhance partnership on DRR.

In the public event organized by Nansen Initiative titled ‘Displacement and the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction: What are the Inter-linkages between DRR and Human Mobility?’, ICIMOD highlighted the issue of migration as an adaptation measure and the use of remittances for improving the lives and livelihoods of communities. Displacement and other forms of human mobility in the context of disasters have been noted only recently within national, regional, and international disaster risk reduction plans and frameworks.

At the Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction organized by the Asian Disaster Reduction Centre and UNISDR, ICIMOD representatives shared the problems of increased risk and vulnerability in the HKH region and highlighted the need for use of advanced technologies, tools, and techniques in early warning systems for DRR, last mile connectivity, and continued capacity building. The role and a deeper engagement of the private sector in risk reduction and risk prevention efforts was also emphasized.

At a session on ‘Climate Services and Applications for Disaster and Climate Risk Management in a Changing Environment’ organized by Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC), ICIMOD and other panel members highlighted the importance of climate services and showcased applications that have been developed to reduce loss of lives and damage to property. Speaking at the session Basanta Shrestha stated how ICIMOD is working with regional and international partners to address mountain development challenges and providing information services in a variety of topics like glaciers and snow dynamics, status of glacial lakes and GLOFs, regional flood outlook, disaster information management system, agriculture information, forest fire detection and monitoring with sms alerts, and community-based early warning system. He highlighted the importance of science and technology and gave examples of the products created by ICIMOD for improving climate services by hydromet agencies.

ICIMOD was present at the ignite stage sharing the work on the promotion of regional cooperation through the development of a flood information system in the HKH region. ICIMOD also co-organized two working sessions on application of earth observation technologies for disaster risk reduction and building resilient future for rural areas.