Transcript a time for re-energized disaster risk reduction actions

A TIME FOR RE-ENERGIZED
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
ACTIONS
2015-2020 AND BEYOND
Walter Hays, Global Alliance for
Disaster Reduction, Vienna,
Virginia, USA
MARCH 15, 2015: THE SECOND
WORLD CONFERENCE ON
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
CONVENED IN SENDAI, JAPAN
WILL RE-INVIGORATE THE
HISTORIC GLOBAL ENDEAVOR
STARTED IN 1990 BY THE UNITED
NATIONS
FACT:THE WORLD CONFERENCE
WILL CALL FOR RENEWED ACTION
• Each country will
be asked to play
a major role in
the post-conference call for a
“Global Tsunami
of Action”
FACT: THE GOAL IS CLEAR AND
STILL THE SAME:
REDUCTION OF GLOBAL
VULNERABILITIES AND
ACCELERATION OF DISASTER RISK
REDUCTION
THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF
“THE BEST POLICIES AND BEST
PRACTICES”
A DISASTER is still----- the set of failures that occur when
the continuums of: 1) people, 2)
community (i.e., a set of habitats,
livelihoods, and social constructs),
and 3) recurring events (e.g., floods,
earthquakes, ...,) intersect at a point in
space and time, when and where the
people and community are not ready.
FACT:NATURAL HAZARDS STILL
CAUSE MEGA-DISASTERS
• FLOODS
• SEVERE
WINDSTORMS
• EARTHQUAKES
• DROUGHTS
• VOLCANIC
ERUPTIONS
• ETC.
FACT:THE PEOPLE CONTINUUM IS
GROWING WITH TIME
• 7 + BILLION
distributed
throughout the
world; many in
vulnerable,
high-risk communities
FACT:MANY COMMUNITIES ARE PARALYZED BY FOUR WEAKNESSES
• IGNORANCE
• APATHY
• DISCIPLINARY
BOUNDARIES
• LACK OF POLITICAL WILL
INTERSECTION OF THESE
CONTINUUMS IS INEVITABLE
MOST FUTURE
INTERSECTIONS WILL CAUSE
A DISASTER, OR A MEGADISASTER, UNLESS - - -
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IS THE WAY FORWARD
CARIBBEAN
BASIN
NORTH
AMERICA
SUB-SAHARA
AFRICA
200 NATIONS AND 7+
EUROPE
MEDITERRANEAN
BILLION PEOPLE
SOUTH
AMERICA
ISLAND
NATIONS
ASIA
FACT: EVERY COMMUNITY CAN REDUCE
THE VULNERABILITIES TO - - • GOVERNMENT
CENTERS
• DWELLINGS
• SCHOOLS
• HEALTH CARE
FACILITIES
• BUSINESSES
• INFRA-STRUCTURE
• ETC
THE GOAL: ADOPT
BEST POLICIES AND BEST PRACTICES
INNOVATIVE ACTIONS: CREATE, ADJUST,
AND REALIGN PROGRAMS, PARTNERS AND
PEOPLE UNTIL YOU HAVE CREATED THE
PARADIGM SHIFTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO
MOVE TOWARDS DISASTER RISK
REDUCTION
A DISASTER
FAILURES IN POLICIES
•FLOODS
•SEVERE WIND
STORMS
•EARTHQUAKES
…ETC
CAUSES
FAILURES IN PRACTICES
YOUR
COMMUNITY
BEST POLICIES AND
PRACTICES
DATA BASES
AND INFORMATION
DISASTER RISK
REDUCTION
HAZARDS:
GROUND SHAKING
GROUND FAILURE
SURFACE FAULTING
TECTONIC DEFORMATION
TSUNAMI RUN UP
AFTERSHOCKS
• ADOPTION
•IMPLEMENTATION
BEST POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
Anticipatory Preparedness
Adoption and Implementation of Modern
Engineering Building Codes & Standards
Timely Early Warning and Evacuation
Timely Emergency Response (including
Emergency Medical Services)
Cost-Effective Recovery/Reconstruction
LIKE A CHAIN: A COMMUNITY HAS
WEAK LINKS TO STRENGTHEN
BEST POLICIES AND BEST
PRACTICES
WILL IDENTIFY/CLOSE
KNOWLEDGE DIVIDES AND GAPS,
AND
IDENTIFY/FIX WEAK LINKS IN THE
PEOPLE/COMMUNITY
CONTINUUMS
BEST POLICIES AND BEST
PRACTICES WILL
CALL FOR STRATEGIC
PLANNING AND
INNOVATIVE USE OF
TECHNOLOGY
LIKE AN INFINITE SERIES: A CONTINUUM
OF INNOVATION NEVER ENDS