Portrait of children in Pakistan. Photo: Curt Carnemark / World Bank

By David Singh

Geneva, 10 October 2017 - A new report by UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, on the Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction warns that annual average loss from disasters in less developed countries is accounting for more than 20 per cent equivalent of social expenditure.

The report (A/72/259), introduced yesterday by Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, Mr. Robert Glasser, to the UN General Assembly’s Second Committee (Economic and Financial), also drew attention to rapidly rising disaster-related costs spurred by failure to include risk in economic investments and because of climate change. Over the past two decades 1.35 million lives and $2.5 trillion have been lost to disasters, the report stated.

Mr. Glasser said the vast majority of major disasters are climate related and those events -- floods, drought and storms --have doubled over the last 4 decades. In that light he highlighted the Secretary General’s visit to the Caribbean last weekend where Mr. Guterres saw first-hand, the destruction caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.

According to the report, by 2050, urban populations exposed to hurricanes will increase from 310 million today to 680 million. Urban assets vulnerable to sea level rise and flooding could reach $35 trillion by 2070 – 10 times more than the current levels.

Mr. Glasser said that “in the light of this disturbing picture it is apparent that delivering on the promise of the 2030 Agenda will only be possible if we cut greenhouse gases as rapidly as possible in line with the Paris Agreement and reduce climate and disaster risk in accordance with the ambitious global targets agreed by Member States in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.”

The report stated that the Sendai Framework Monitor, a management tool that will systematically track progress against the indicators on disaster losses for the seven global targets of the Sendai Framework, will be launched on-line early in 2018.