“The human race has never before faced such large and complex threats. The doubling of extreme weather events over the last twenty years is further evidence that we need a new approach to managing disaster risk if we are to limit disaster losses. Economic losses are making it an uphill battle to hold on to development gains in low and middle income countries,” said SRSG Mizutori.

“At the same time, the resilience gap between rich and poor is made worse by poorly-planned urbanization, environmental degradation and population growth in disaster exposed areas which add to a complex cocktail of risk which drives internal displacement and migration in search of a better life.”

ADOPTING THE SENDAI FRAMEWORK

The report urges governments to put the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction into action, shifting focus from disaster management to reducing risk.

Adopted by UN Member States in 2015, the Sendai Framework aims to reduce the impact of disasters in terms of mortality, numbers of people affected, and economic loss. It requires governments to understand disaster risk, strengthen disaster risk governance, invest in resilience, and enhance disaster preparedness. According to the last Global Assessment Report in 2015, annual global investments of USD 6 billion in appropriate disaster risk reduction strategies would generate total benefits of USD 360 billion each year.

“We must recognize that an international development financing system that allocates approximately 20 times the funding to emergency response, reconstruction, relief and rehabilitation activities rather than prevention and preparedness, acts counter to sustainability principles,” SRSG Mizutori added.

COMPLEX INTERACTIONS

The complexity of our global economy and the interactions between human and natural systems means that one disaster can quickly provoke another. Population growth and rising consumption are set to put more pressure on the world’s ecosystems than ever before. Drought is likely to emerge as a complex risk due to its wide-ranging, slow building, and cascading impacts.

Drought can affect agriculture, water supply, energy production, transport, tourism, health, biodiversity, and ecosystems.  A special report on drought will be published in 2020.

To read the whole report and access all materials visit: https://gar.unisdr.org

Date:

15 May 2019

Sources:

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)