I think it will be a good move on the part of like minded Asian countries to get together to form a joint task force to manage disaster.
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NEW DELHI: India is working closely with China and other countries of the Asia-Pacific region in setting the agenda for the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction (DRR) that will replace the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) at the UN's conference on DRR starting next week in Sendai, Japan.
New Delhi is taking a lead role in the region with home minister Rajnath Singh co-chairing the Asian ministerial conference ahead of signing of the new UN framework. The Asian meet will be co-chaired by UN head of DRR, Margareta Wahlstrom, and will have ministers from China, Malaysia, Korea, Indonesia and Thailand as other members.
The UN framework will set ambitious targets for member countries to make a paradigm shift towards a new development model that prevents and reduces disaster risk and strengthens resilience.
Wahlstrom said the post-2015 UN framework will set "action-oriented guidance to governments, private sector and civil society in general on how best to tackle the underlying drivers of risk such as poverty, climate change, poorly planned urban growth, land use and the decline of protective eco-systems." The Sendai declaration will act as a policy framework to be adopted by signatory countries and commitments from governments towards DRR initiatives.
It is important for New Delhi to have the framework agreement modelled to its needs as it could impact infrastructure projects worth $1 trillion targeted to be built in the next five years.
India has already shifted its focus towards DRR initiatives by making a provision of over Rs 55,000 crore (about $9 billion) towards disaster management fund for states as part of the 14th finance commission grants. In the new devolution plan, states will be free to spend on building resilience based on local needs.
Wahlstrom said: "Climate-related disasters account for over 80% of all disaster events and contribute enormously to economic losses and short and long-term population displacement." She emphasized on stricter building guidelines as at least 70% of all disaster-related deaths are caused by earthquakes alone. More than 155 million people have suffered displacement since 2008, she said.
"We now have ten years of experience in implementing the HFA which has guided global efforts to reduce disaster risk since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami," the UN head of DRR said.
"Despite many successes and greatly improved performance in disaster management it is sobering to note that 7,00,000 people have died in disaster events over the last ten years," Wahlstrom said, expressing concern at economic losses in major disasters, estimated at more than $1.4 trillion in the last decade.
At the inter-governmental meeting in Bangkok last year, India had agreed on the development of an Asia-Pacific regional implementation plan and committed specific actions to enhance resilience at local levels; improve public investments; and enhance private sector role and Public-Private Partnership to build an enabling environment and partnerships for resilient business and risk-sensitive investments.
India China plan disaster management agenda - The Times of India
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NEW DELHI: India is working closely with China and other countries of the Asia-Pacific region in setting the agenda for the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction (DRR) that will replace the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) at the UN's conference on DRR starting next week in Sendai, Japan.
New Delhi is taking a lead role in the region with home minister Rajnath Singh co-chairing the Asian ministerial conference ahead of signing of the new UN framework. The Asian meet will be co-chaired by UN head of DRR, Margareta Wahlstrom, and will have ministers from China, Malaysia, Korea, Indonesia and Thailand as other members.
The UN framework will set ambitious targets for member countries to make a paradigm shift towards a new development model that prevents and reduces disaster risk and strengthens resilience.
Wahlstrom said the post-2015 UN framework will set "action-oriented guidance to governments, private sector and civil society in general on how best to tackle the underlying drivers of risk such as poverty, climate change, poorly planned urban growth, land use and the decline of protective eco-systems." The Sendai declaration will act as a policy framework to be adopted by signatory countries and commitments from governments towards DRR initiatives.
It is important for New Delhi to have the framework agreement modelled to its needs as it could impact infrastructure projects worth $1 trillion targeted to be built in the next five years.
India has already shifted its focus towards DRR initiatives by making a provision of over Rs 55,000 crore (about $9 billion) towards disaster management fund for states as part of the 14th finance commission grants. In the new devolution plan, states will be free to spend on building resilience based on local needs.
Wahlstrom said: "Climate-related disasters account for over 80% of all disaster events and contribute enormously to economic losses and short and long-term population displacement." She emphasized on stricter building guidelines as at least 70% of all disaster-related deaths are caused by earthquakes alone. More than 155 million people have suffered displacement since 2008, she said.
"We now have ten years of experience in implementing the HFA which has guided global efforts to reduce disaster risk since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami," the UN head of DRR said.
"Despite many successes and greatly improved performance in disaster management it is sobering to note that 7,00,000 people have died in disaster events over the last ten years," Wahlstrom said, expressing concern at economic losses in major disasters, estimated at more than $1.4 trillion in the last decade.
At the inter-governmental meeting in Bangkok last year, India had agreed on the development of an Asia-Pacific regional implementation plan and committed specific actions to enhance resilience at local levels; improve public investments; and enhance private sector role and Public-Private Partnership to build an enabling environment and partnerships for resilient business and risk-sensitive investments.
India China plan disaster management agenda - The Times of India
