MEETING OF
EUROPEAN NATIONAL PLATFORMS FOR DISASTER REDUCTION AND HFA FOCAL POINTS
within the Council of Europe EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement Permanent Correspondents Meeting
UNESCOICEF, Paris, 24-25 April 2008
Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization
36th General Assembly
Tunis, 19-21 March 2008Strengthening the legal frameworks for international response to disasters: -- The Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters --
30th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Commission C
Geneva, 28 November 2007
Mr. Sálvano Briceño
Director,
UN/ISDR
by Sálvano Briceño
Director
International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
United Nations
1
Excellencies, Ladiesyladies and gentlemen, colleagues,
I am very pleased to have the opportunity t is a great honopleasurer for me to attend to this meeting of European National Platforms for disaster reduction and HFA Focal Points for the Hyogo Framework. The close partnership with Council of Europe (EUR-OPA Major Hazard Agreement) and UNESCO has, once again, have greatly facilitated the organisation of this event. I would like to thank Mr. Iuliu Bara, Chair of the Committee of Permanent Correspondents for calling this meeting in conjunction withwith the EUR-OPA Permanent Correspondents meeting.
and address the on behalf of the ISDR and UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). 36th General Assembly of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Organization. At the outset, I would like to express my appreciations and thanks to Mr. Abdulla Al-Hazaa, Secretary General of the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization and Dr. Brahim Al-Gharbi, the President of the Tunisian Red Crescent Society for extending invitation to the Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and UN OCHA to participate at this important event.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you are all very well awarefamiliar, dDisasters are increasingly imposing considerable human and material loses on various communities, in particular in developing and least developed countriesaround the world. The statistics show that t Europe is vulnerable to a variety of natural hazards: floods, earthquakes, landslides, forest fires and extreme weather events. According to the European Union’s Green Paper on Climate Change Adaptation in Europe, we expect temperature is expected to rise byof 4-5 degrees C inEu the regionrope. Although human losses due to the impact of natural hazards is low Europe, countries’ economic vulnerability to hazards is still very high, with adverse impacts on the economy and on development of the countries. And Europe’s role in technology research and as a main actor in technical cooperation with developing countries will make it increasingly demanding for European governments to invest and give priority to reducing risk and vulnerability to disasters.
All this indicate that we still have a long way to go in reducing disaster risk.
at global level the number and negative impact of disasters have been increasing over the recent decades particularly in most vulnerable communities. The need to strengthen thecommunities’ resilience of nations and communities to natural hazards, in particular has never been such a high priority.
Disaster losses depend on the impact of a natural or human induced hazard and the level of the vulnerability, of people and populations to such hazards. It is crucial to recognize that human action and social systems can exacerbate the level of risks by not recognising vulnerability and not addressing the hazards faced. The level of risk is hence directly related with the number of cities and communities that are exposed to hazards and the degree of population and infrastructure exposed and their degree of safety.
response
Looking just at the number of disasters which are annually responded by the National Red Crescent and Red Cross Societies, the International Federation of Red Crescent and Red Cross Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross presents the scope of challenges which nations and communities are facing. It is indeed very encouraging to see that the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in general, and the Red Crescent and Red Cross Societies of the region have developed strong capacities for disaster preparedness and response, based on which they are providing valuable disaster relief and humanitarian assistance to the victims of disasters as we have witnessed in several disaster relief operations in the region.
Despite the essential importance and also valuable results of disaster preparedness and response, we know that we can further reduce the casualties and damages of disasters by reducing vulnerabilities of nations and communities before hazards impact.
By reducing vulnerabilities in communities we will be able to reduce the risk and negative impact of natural hazards. It was based on this concept that the international community has endorsed the has endorsed a global movement for disaster risk reduction. The United Nations General Assembly launched in 1999 the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) as a global movement to address disaster risk reduction, in order to support more comprehensive, longer term and coordinated approach in efforts disaster risk reduction at all levels and by all stakeholders, sectors and disciplines. It established a small secretariat, the UN/ISDR with base in Geneva and now with a regional office in Cairo for West Asia and North Africa. Subsequently at the 2nd World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, 18-22 January 2005, more than 160 governments of the world adopted a major international instrument to guide work on disaster risk reduction called: “The Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015): Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities against Disasters”.
Just as tThe adoption of Hyogo Framework whas been a turning point in international policy developmentevolution o of disaster risk reduction at global level, its implementation is still requiring a great deal of support if its objectives are to be met by 2015.
As a reminder, t. The key messages of the Hyogo Framework are to respond to disasters more effectively by considering disaster risk reduction as a higher priority and part of long term development plans, by developing capacities to reduce vulnerabilities of communities and by linking disaster preparedness and response to disaster prevention and risk reduction plans and processes. The Hyogo Framework is being used to identify regional priorities and plans worldwide.
LadiesLadies and gentlemen,
We arehave witnessing in Europe an increasing number of initiatives at the local, national, regional and international level addressing disaster risk reduction.
Local authorities including regional governments, are engaging more actively now in developing DRR strategies. At the national level, the commitment of the nNational pPlatforms areto the topic is ensuring stronger coordination at the national level. W, we are pleased to see that in Europe thea number of National Platforms established is increasing. Collaboration among National Platforms and HFA focal Points isn getting stronger with the development of establishment of an European Network of National Platforms ensuring stronger engagement on disaster risk reduction issues at the European level. Within the EU/EC a number of initiatives are developing there has been the development of a number of initiatives among different DGs aiming at reducing vulnerability to disasters. My colleague Paola Albrito will provide more details later on in the meeting.
I attendedwas recently at the Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Preparedness and Prevention in South Eastern Europe organised by the South Eastern European Co-operation Process in collaboration with the Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative (DPPI), were Ministers agreed on the need to address vulnerability at the regional level and with the development of a bi-annual workplan from DPPI. The level of support and commitment was really impressive.
We shall hear more about these updates during the next two day.
These commitments are of great inspiration for the UN/ISDR system and its partners to work together in reducing vulnerability to disasters. One key recommendation of the Hyogo Framework is to adopt a people-centered approach in disaster risk reduction. Moreover, it has given the due attention to the role of public and community based organizations in disaster risk reduction, particularly in developing and promoting a culture of safety against disasters which includes all types of measures required for building and strengthening the resilience of people against disasters, hence less vulnerability, hence less negative impact of disasters.
Recent trends and experiences in natural disasters have significantly influenced UN OCHA decision to establish in 2007 a dedicated entity for disaster preparedness, the Emergency Preparedness Section (EPS). EPS is to lead work to reinforce systematic disaster response preparedness across OCHA and to assist the international humanitarian community and disaster-prone countries, by providing guidance and support to those implementing disaster response preparedness initiatives. EPS also advocates for effective disaster preparedness planning and funding, and provides guidance for preparedness and contingency planning within the Hyogo Framework for Action, priority 5. In doing so, OCHA closely works with ISDR Secretariat and UNDP.
The Guidance and Indicator Package for Implementing Priority 5 of the HFA exists now as a version 1 for consultation. Concerned governments are encouraged to use it (and possibly also provide feedback on its usefulness). UN OCHA stands ready to support interested Governments and other humanitarian stakeholders to implement this Package. To this end a cooperation with DPPI for SEE and its Disaster management training programme will be enhanced.
The ISDR strongly believes that the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement have an essential role to play in disaster risk reduction in particular at community level. It was based on this such capacity that the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies which is also a member of ISDR Management Oversight Board (ISDR/MOB) has taken the lead on community based disaster risk reduction at international level, and the ISDR has already started a practical cooperation with the IFRC in several regions including Middle East and North Africa. We are also very much aware of the capacity and role of national Red Crescent and Red Cross societies in this region and began a dialogue with the Secretariat of the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization to explore potentials and opportunities for cooperation in the region. We believe that the role of national Red Crescent and Red Cross societies in developing disaster risk reduction capacities at community level and their support to building a culture of safety and resilience against disasters is essential for the success of disaster risk reduction at national, regional and international levels.
I will be pleased to share as much information as possible and exchange with you during these two days with a view to strengthening our team efforts in implementing the Hyogo Framework and consolidating the ISDR at all levels.I wish you a very prod
I wish you a very productive meeting.
As you may be aware, the IFRC and UN/ISDR recently launched a Global Alliance for Community-based Disaster Reduction to support the above efforts, I encourage you to support and get actively involved in implementing it.
At the end, I would like to reiterate the wish and preparedness of UN/ISDR, UN OCHA and the wider ISDR system we represent for closer cooperation with the national Red Crescent and Red Cross societies, the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization and IFRC on disaster risk reduction in the region. Our newly opened Regional Office for West Asia and North Africa in Cairo is ready to fully support this cooperation.
Once again I express my gratitude and appreciation for extending the invitation to ISDR and OCHA for attending and addressing this meeting and wish you all a very successful General Assembly.
Thank you.
Dear Chairperson, Representatives of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure and honour to address the 30th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
At this important forum I would like to emphasise a few points.
1. Disaster Response is important, but on its own, it is not a solution for protecting lives and livelihoods from disasters.
Disasters affect us all. Whether directly or indirectly, no community is left untouched by the their devastating consequences. It is essential toWe need to work together to ensure that we are prepared in a way that will not only mitigate the damages and reduce losses and social, economic, and environmental disruptions and setbacks, but which will enable us to avoid these negative impacts by avoiding their occurrence of these negative impacts in the future. Is it but a dream to live a life free of the imminent threat of disasters? Should the ability to think beyond one’s daily survival be considered a privilege? Subsistence and the meeting of one’s basic physical needs are not enough to ensure human development. The concept of human development must be conceived in a way that intrinsically implies, within human rights, the right to a life free of danger and threat, the right to safety and the right to opportunities and aspirations about the future.
The recent Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh is yet another weighty warning of the urgent need for serious action to increase our efforts in Disaster Risk Reduction. Bangladesh iIs the most widely cited example of successful measures in disaster preparedness. However, the Cyclone Sidr wais a powerful reminder of how much more we still need to do, even in a country where excellent groundwork on DRR has been done in the last two to three decades.
You may recall that the 1970 Cyclone killed half a million people, and 130,000 people were killed in the 1991 Cyclone, mostly due to drowning from storm surges. Following the 1970 cyclone, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, and the Government of Bangladesh, with support from a number of donor countries, launched the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) to strengthen the disaster management capacity of the coastal people of Bangladesh. This included efforts to develop and strengthen the disaster preparedness and response capacity of coastal communities vulnerable to cyclones, to increase the efficiency of volunteers and officers, and to maintain and strengthen the CPP warning system and ensure effective response in the event of a cyclone. These measures, combined with the construction of cyclone shelters, have significantly reduced the impact of cyclonic disasters. Bangladesh has in fact done excellent work on disaster risk reduction with the help of the international community, without which the losses from Cyclone Sidr might have counted not in thousands of lives lost, but in hundreds of thousands.
Today Bangladesh is trying to recover from such atrying to recover from this disaster, while every day in many other places around the world, communities are struggling to resist the increasing impacts of nature. But this increased human suffering is not caused by natural hazards or climate change. The main cause is the increased and accumulated vulnerability of our societiesy – and this increasing vulnerability is mainly due to growing inequity and gap between rich and poor, the rapidly growing urban density and the depletion of valuable ecosystems around the world. These vulnerabilities inevitably reduce our resilience to the impact of disasters and climate change.
In this context, one of the most remarkable advancements in the humanitarian community in recent years is the growing understanding that if disasters are to be reduced, it is imperative for everyone to focus on reducing vulnerabilities and risks. By reducing vulnerabilities and risks, we can prevent small disasters and reduce the impact of big disasters.
However, the most common approach is still heavily focused on disaster relief and preparation for disaster response. While disaster preparedness and relief are necessary and important for reducing people’s suffering in the aftermath of disasters, more efforts urgently need to be made to build people’s and communities’ resilience to disasters.
Despite the priority given to disaster risk reduction by the 28th International Conference (reflected in the WDR 2004), most efforts are still geared towards mainly preparing for responding to the disasters.
2. The second point I want to emphasize here is that disaster risk reduction is not rocket science, and we all have risk reduction knowledge which we need to seriously apply to our social and economic activities.
All of us already have tremendous experience in disaster risk reduction. If we cross a road, we know that we have to look both ways in order to reduce the risk of being killed by an oncoming car. If we drive a car, we know to use a safety belt. We only need to apply this kind of basic common sense in our humanitarian and development work to reduce vulnerability and risks in our societies to disasters.
Disaster risk reduction is an issue that transcends borders while favouring economic prosperity and the safety and well-being of all human settlements. Disasters know no race nor creed, no class distinction nor religious beliefs. They are not natural but rather the culmination of a given hazard, natural, socio-natural or technological, exacerbated by unwise planning, rapid and uncontrolled growth, and environmental degradation. Thanks to recent advances in science and technology and the extreme dedication of professionals such as all of yourselves present here today, it is now within our means to manage and exchange data and information which allow us to reduce our exposure and vulnerability, take the necessary steps not only to be prepared for an emergency situation, but to learn from one another as to how they can be avoided almost entirely.
The fostering of exchanges such as this being supported here today, the institutional strengthening which it promotes and the sharing of experience and common goals, are the stepping stone to the use of knowledge and information as a solid foundation for strengthening a culture which embraces disaster risk reduction as an integral component of sustainable development, thus leading us on a path to a safer today and a better tomorrow.