UNISDR seeks disaster risk reduction commitment from Asian governments

Geneva – As a region hard hit by weather-related events, UNISDR is urging Asian government ministers meeting at the Fourth Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction this Monday to incorporate disaster risk reduction as part of their national policies to cope with climate change, and with it, more predicted floods, cyclones and drought.

“Disaster risk reduction offers concrete solutions to deal with current weather variability and is an essential part of climate change adaptation,” said Margareta Wahlström, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction.

“The conference is expected to take stock of current actions taken by Asian countries to adapt to climate change and will call for more regional cooperation to implement technical and tangible solutions to face increasing risks associated with climate change,” she said.

The four-day meeting hosted by South Korea’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) comes only months after the worst floods in Pakistan’s history, which saw one-fifth of the country under water and affected 20 million people and caused more than $43 billion in damage. Floods in China and Vietnam also caused many fatalities and extensive damage.

The Fourth Asian Ministerial conference, which convenes from 25-28 October 2010, is expected to adopt a five-year regional roadmap on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, which will include capacity building activities, enhanced information sharing and solutions to manage climate risks using various technologies.

The Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction provides a venue for governments to reaffirm their commitments to the Hyogo Framework of Action – a ten year plan of action to reduce disaster losses – and to exchange hard-earned experiences on successful practices and innovative approaches to disaster risk reduction at the national and local levels.

Expected outcomes of the conference include a declaration of commitment with an action plan, scientific and political recommendations, and a regional partnership for disaster risk reduction for climate change adaptation.

For more information on the Conference, please visit: http://www.amcdrrkorea.org