Given that the global scientific community know so much of the processes and mechanisms of hazards; and globally there are the resources to prepare and adapt, how is it possible that so many people still suffer unnecessary from hazards?
“The little improvement we gained with hard work over the years was again back to zero because of the flooding” – Celia from the Philippines, a COMPASS 2015 contributor.
COMPASS 2015 perhaps provides an answer why Celia and many millions continue to suffer from preventable disasters every single day.
Global damage from flooding could cost coastal cities as much as US$1 trillion per year — and developing countries will be hardest hit, a study warns.
According to the paper published today in Nature Climate Change, a "risk sensitive planning" strategy is needed to protect coastal cities, which are increasingly at risk because of climate change, subsidence and a growing population.
The researchers looked at the 136 largest coastal cities in the world and found that cities in developing countries are particularly vulnerable to flood losses as they often lack resources for long term planning.
Invest today for a safer tomorrow - resilient people, resilient planet:
The proceedings of the Fourth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction highlight the four days of deliberations, discussions and presentations via various forums, which called for a shared vision and commitment for the next 30 years – a trans-generational compact for the sustainability of development.
Is there a relationship between these changes in climate and the increase in natural disasters in Asia and the Pacific? This Asian Development Bank economics working paper considers three main disaster risk factors: rising population exposure, greater population vulnerability, and increasing climate-related hazards, that are behind the increased frequency of intense natural disasters.
The most significant association is found to be between the increase in natural disasters and population exposure, represented by population densities.
Much more is needed to make international disaster risk reduction (DRR) efforts long-lasting and effective. Key to this improvement is shifting the balance from financing standalone projects towards integrating risk into the heart of vulnerable countries’ development.
This change in direction is clear in the mid-term review of the Hyogo Framework for Action – the global community’s 2005-2015 blueprint for advancing DRR.
In a little over 18 months, a grand gathering will meet in Japan to review 10 years of this framework, and decide on the future of global efforts to reduce
