A big step in reducing the risk of disasters (GS Paper 3, Disaster Management)
Context:
- World is at the midpoint of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which is the global road map for reducing disaster risks and losses.
- The progress is not satisfactory however, with a renewed sense of urgency and a people-centred approach, disaster losses by 2030 can be reduced significantly.
Recent Disaster
- In July, three continents were gripped by heat waves. Massive forest fires have ravaged parts of Greece and Canada.
- Recently, the river Yamuna breached the highest flood level, recorded 45 years ago, and inundated parts of Delhi.
About Sendai Framework (2015–2030):
- It is an international document that was adopted by the UN member states at the 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan.
- Endorsed by the UN General Assembly in June 2015, it is the successor agreement to the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005–2015) - the most encompassing international accord to date on DRR.
Priority Areas and Global Targets under the Sendai Framework:
- Understanding disaster risk;
- Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk;
- Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience;
- Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to "Building Back Better" in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group:
- One good news is that countries are finally coming around to the value of disaster risk reduction, which India has elevated as a priority for G20 through its presidency of the group. Specifically, India has established the first G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group.
- Countries that make up the G20 hold around 85% of the global GDP and about two-thirds of the world population. The priorities identified by the G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group form the basis for the Communiqué being negotiated in Chennai.
- These are in direct support of the calls to action of the May 2023 Political Declaration of the UN General Assembly on the midterm review of the Sendai Framework.
The five priorities outlined:
- Global coverage of Early Warning Systems
- Increased commitment towards making infrastructure systems disaster resilient
- Stronger national financial frameworks for DRR
- Strengthened national and global disaster response system
- Increased application of ecosystems-based approaches to DRR
- Early warning systems
Early warning and early action systems:
- Inclusive and multi-hazard early warning systems are among the most effective means of reducing disaster deaths and economic losses.
- During Cyclone Biparjoy, effective systems for end-to-end early warning and action helped achieve zero deaths from the event in India.
- Preparedness of the power sector helped reduce the disruption time in power supply in the aftermath of the cyclone.
- They are working to realise the goal of the UN Secretary General’s Early Warnings for All Initiative, which seeks to create universal coverage for everyone by the end of 2027.
Resilience of infrastructure to withstand climate and disaster risks:
- From New Zealand, which saw the flooding of Auckland airport, to the U.S., where a pharmaceutical plant was destroyed by a tornado, every country can benefit from assessing and enhancing the resilience of its critical infrastructure.
- Infrastructure has a long life cycle, and if built well, can lock-in resilience as opposed to risk. That same infrastructure also becomes the lifeline of recovery during a crisis.
- Hence, infrastructure, whether economic or social, is ultimately about people and it must lead to sustainable development outcomes for them.
- That is why India launched with the UN in 2019 the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, to spur policy development and capacity support for disaster resilient infrastructure, especially in developing countries.
New approach to financing disaster risk reduction:
- Developing a new approach to financing disaster risk reduction is needed to transform risk reduction plans into concrete actions.
- This effort must be led by finance and economy ministries in collaboration with the private sector because the current funding deficit for disaster risk reduction is too large for governments to manage alone, and many of the risks generated are by the private sector.
Way Forward:
- G20 nations like Indonesia and India have used risk metrics to allocate resources at the sub-national and local levels for disaster risk reduction. These need to be studied and scaled.
- Building on these areas of work, scaling up ecosystem-based approaches and enhancing national and local response capacities will be the responsibility of the next G20 presidents.
