Time to get serious with disaster risk reduction

On June 3, the 193 members of the United Nations (UN) adopted by consensus a UN General Assembly resolution titled "Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030."

Regrettably, this significant global document has received modest attention in the mass media.

The resolution is the main outcome of the third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR), which was the highest-level specialized meeting on natural calamities in the history of multilateral diplomacy. Indeed, over 100 world leaders and ministers, including 25 heads of state and government and dozens of ministers, representing 187 countries, attended the Sendai Conference in Japan, while around 40,000 persons participated in about 350 interesting side events.

The deliberations and the major outcome of the WCDRR are considered to be of vital interest for millions of people around the world. Official data illustrate tragic realities: Over a 10-year period, natural disasters had catastrophic consequences on more than 700,000 people who lost their lives, over 1.4 billion injured and over 23 million left homeless. More than 1.5 billion people overall were affected by disasters, with women, children and other vulnerable persons disproportionately harmed.

It was pointed out during the deliberations that the total economic loss was more than $1.3 trillion. Moreover, between 2008 and 2012, 144 million people were displaced by disasters. It was generally recognized that disasters, many of which are exacerbated by the negative impact of climate change, are increasing both in frequency and intensity and seriously impede progress towards sustainable development. In this regard, Asia has the sad reputation of being the world's most disaster-prone continent. In addition, there is even no regionally agreed set of statistics in Asia about what really constitutes a natural disaster or how to properly account and assess the terrible consequences of disasters on population.

From its inaugural session, the WCDRR was persuasively invited by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to act in a spirit of global solidarity to make our world safer for all. It should be recalled that in accordance with the consistent UN doctrine, solidarity and moral responsibility must be the guiding light of national and international policy. These are not just ethical imperatives, but also prerequisites for a prosperous, peaceful and secure world based on true partnership.

Practice shows that in some cases solidarity is promptly demonstrated by many states who offer generous assistance to countries devastated by natural or man-made disasters. The global reaction to the national tragedy generated by the terrible earthquakes in Nepal has illustrated the fact that solidarity is alive.

However, many solidarity actions are not sufficiently organized and coordinated at the global level. This is the reason for which the Sendai Conference estimated that in the context of increasing global interdependence, concerted international cooperation, an enabling international environment and an adequate means of implementation are needed to stimulate and contribute to developing the necessary knowledge, capacities and motivation for disaster risk reduction at all levels, in particular in the case of developing countries.

Seven global goals

Tragedies produced by natural disasters are clear proof that global solidarity must not be understood as a simple pumping of funds to alleviate the suffering of the victims of calamities. Developed countries are expected and requested to use in a more efficient way their technical potential in the detection, early warning and adequate management of naturally-caused emergencies.

The 25-page "Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030" is a comprehensive strategic document containing seven global goals. It aims to "substantially" reduce global disaster mortality, the number of victims and the volume of economic losses in terms of global gross domestic product by 2030.

Consensus was achieved in order to reduce disaster damage, enhance support for disaster-prone developing economies and increase the number of countries that have disaster risk reduction strategies and early-warning systems.

Special attention was paid in the document to the least-developed countries, small island states and African countries which are among the most vulnerable states to natural disasters.

Regrettably, developed countries could not agree to mention specific percentages or figures for how much they should increase financial support for developing states.

A positive outcome of the Sendai Conference was the clear request addressed to the UN General Assembly to integrate into its post-2015 strategy for sustainable development the seven goals mentioned above in order to reduce risk for loss of life, livelihood and critical infrastructure from disasters, through enhanced national planning and international cooperation.

From a diplomatic perspective, it should be recalled that the WCDRR stimulated intense negotiations and debates to finalize the recommendations reflected in the Sendai Framework. Five ministerial round tables focused on important topics such as "Reconstructing after Disasters: Building Back Better"; "International Cooperation in Support of a Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction"; "Governing Disaster Risk: Overcoming Challenges"; "Reducing Disaster Risk in Urban Settings"; and "Public Investment Strategies for Disaster Risk Reduction."

Changing solidarity into real power

The WCDRR received encouraging intellectual contributions from parliamentarians, civil society, national platforms for disaster risk reduction, local government representatives, scientific institutions, the private sector, from specialized UN agencies and many intergovernmental organizations. It is relevant to mention that the Public Forum of the Conference had 143,000 visitors during the WCDRR.

In the course of numerous side events, children, youth and women representatives called for new avenues to participate in decision-making related to budget allocations, volunteering, global solidarity and inter-generational equity. Special emphasis was put on the necessity to change solidarity into real power by expanding support efforts in responding to the voices of disaster-affected women.

In order to be translated into reality, the Sendai Framework demands strong commitment and political leadership from all 193 UN member states. It must be considered as a truly action-oriented document, able to inspire further efforts to be systematically undertaken by the world community of nations which is dramatically confronted today with a multitude of global perplexities and vulnerabilities.

It is in this context that a short but well-articulated political declaration was adopted by the WCDRR in support of the implementation of the Sendai Framework and containing an appeal for unceasing and tireless collective efforts to make the world safer from the risk of disasters in the decades to come for the benefit of the present and future generations.

At the sub-regional level, it is interesting to note that the ten members of Asean are in the process of charting the Asean Post-2015 Vision, which will further underline the importance of becoming a community that is resilient with enhanced capabilities to collectively respond in a timely manner to emerging trends and challenges for the common good and one that empowers peoples and institutions to become fully responsive, adaptive and prepared to address natural and human-induced disasters, as well as negative consequences of climate change. This orientation is in full harmony with the provisions of the Asean Charter which specifically refers to the need to strengthen existing bonds of regional solidarity, while stipulating that in the conduct of their external relations Asean member states shall, on the basis of unity and solidarity, coordinate and endeavor to develop common positions and pursue joint actions.

At the continental level, India announced that in 2016 it will host the first Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in order to finalize and adopt a regional implementation plan of the new post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction, as a key element of the global and regional efforts to give tangibility to global solidarity in one of the most sensitive and demanding chapters of international cooperation.