Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2022

In Context

• Recently, the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2022 (GP 2022) took place in Indonesia.

About

• The theme of 2022 was ‘From Risk to Resilience: Towards Sustainable Development For All in a COVID-19 Transformed World’. 
• It is an important first milestone in the mid-term review of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030).
• The outcome of GP2022 was summarised in the co-chairs’ Bali Agenda for Resilience.

Key outcomes

• Approach to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR):
  • Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) must be at the core of development and finance policies, legislation and plans to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
  • The real cost of disasters is that of inaction, which must be weighed against investments in DRR.
• Climate change and the ecosystem building:
  • Current greenhouse gas emission levels far exceed their mitigation, resulting in an increase in frequency and intensity of catastrophic events.
  • Ecosystems should be considered as critical infrastructure and recognised for their basic services, bringing environmental, socio-economic and cultural benefits.
  • DRR and climate change adaptation have the common objective of reducing vulnerability and enhancing capacity as well as resilience.
• Inclusivity and the role of society:
  • There is a need for a whole-of-society approach to disaster risk reduction (DRR), ensuring no one is left behind.
  • A participatory and human rights-based approach in DRR planning and implementation is crucial as people are affected differently by disasters.
  • The development of multi-hazard early warning systems, inclusive of communities most at risk.
• COVID 19 recovery:
  • The need for a transformative recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, to build back better, greener and more equitably.
  • Recovery and reconstruction are most successful when they are community-driven and support existing local structures and resilience-building mechanisms.
• Understanding risk:
  • Risk understanding remains limited, particularly regarding emerging and future hazards, with government policies largely reactive.

Issues and challenges

• The whole-of-society approach might ensure resources but will not necessarily ensure focus on the most vulnerable communities and places. 
• The element of call for action – leaving no one behind might ensure the focus but not the resources. 
• Corporates will look for maximising the profit, disregarding its effect on the environment. 
  • There have been numerous examples for this in the entire world. 
  • There are DRR components in investments which far outweighs its negative impact.

Suggestions & way ahead

• Budgetary requirements:
  • There is a requirement of greater budgetary allocation at central and state levels and revision of national / state disaster response funds norms to allot more resources at gram panchayat level. 
  • This is important because only if resources are there, then the district administration would have more resources to act on both at the planning level and action level.  
  • These include evacuation, maintenance of cyclone shelters as well as proper, adequate and timely compensation and so on. 
• Transparency mechanisms:
  • We need to standardise transparency mechanisms to include transparency boards, clearly mentioning the cost, quality and quantity of relief items, social audits and citizens’ reports. 
  • This needs to be the standard practice in all relief operations, both by government and civil society actors.
• Rural infrastructure and traditional knowledge:
  • We need to build rural infrastructure in the disaster-prone areas in the country but not at the cost of livelihood recovery (climate-resilient, sustainable livelihoods) and meeting of the immediate needs. 
  • The tribal communities in India adopt such low-cost traditional technologies that help them mitigate the impact of natural disasters like drought.
• Environmental protection is the key:
  • Governments should strictly impose the law and international conventions related to environmental protection.

Source: DTE