Rio+20 Side Event:
Disasters have devastating impacts on people, environments and economies Our world is changing and becoming more vulnerable: the frequency and intensity of disasters has increased dramatically over recent decades and we are facing new global challenges and emerging risks.
Disaster risk reduction and building a culture of resilience, central elements of sustainable development policies, need to be addressed with a renewed sense of urgency at all levels. The EU is calling for strong focus on disaster risk reduction in the outcome document of the Rio Summit.
The event will outline a number of areas where the EU, in partnership with other international actors has been developing its policies on disaster risk reduction, contributing to sustainable development objectives:
• Understanding risks, and the way to address them – what knowledge do we need to set the baseline?
• Strengthening risk assessment and mapping and integrate it into planning process.
• Addressing the economics of disasters: research shows that investments in preparedness and prevention make economic sense. How to generate resources in times of economic crisis and create incentives for citizens, the private sector and public authorities?
• Integrating disaster risk reduction across the board on the way we approach other policies: sustainable cities, urban planning, infrastructure, education, oceans…
• Building resilience: risk reduction and climate change adaptation must become an integral part of our development policy.
• Developing new tools to support policy making, including early warning systems.
Ian Clark, Head of Unit, unit policy and implementation frameworks, DG Humanitarian aid and civil protection, European Commission
Cristiana Pasca Palmer, Head of Unit, unit climate change, Environment, natural resources, water, DG Development and Cooperation, European Commission
Helena Molin-Valdes, Deputy Director UNISDR, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
Jutta Thielen-del Pozo, Desk Officer, Climate Risk Management Unit, Institute for Environment and sustainability, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
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