Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2022

• 19 Jul 2022

For Prelims: Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, UN, UNGA, Sendai Framework, Sustainable Development Goals, GreenHouse Gases

For Mains: Significance of Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, Challenges in DRR, Role of Climate Change in Disaster Risk, Related Government Initiatives

Why in News?

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

• The outcome was summarised in the Bali Agenda for Reilience

What do we need to know about Global Platform 2022?

• Theme:
  • From Risk to Resilience: Towards Sustainable Development For All in a Covid-19 Transformed World.
• About Global Platform:
  • It was the first global gathering for disaster risk reduction (DRR) actors since the Covid pandemic, and fell exactly midway between the UNFCCC COP26 and UNFCCC COP27 negotiations.
  • It is a biennial multi-stakeholder forum, a critical component of the monitoring and implementation process of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030).
    • The UN General Assembly recognizes the same.

What are the Important Outcomes of the Global Platform for DRR 2022?

• There is a need for a whole-of-society approach to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), ensuring no one is left behind
• 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).
• Current greenhouse gas emission levels far exceed their mitigation, resulting in an increase in frequency and intensity of catastrophic events.
• DRR and climate change adaptation have the common objective of reducing vulnerability and enhancing capacity as well as resilience.

What is GP 2022 Suggestions for Resilience Building?

• Greater resources for grounded local action, government support and strict enforcement of law and international conventions:
  • This calls for greater budgetary allocation at central and state levels, revision of national/state disaster response funds norms which were there from 2015-2020, more resources at gram panchayat level and so on.
• Greater focus on building resilience and sustainable livelihoods focusing on community level:
  • 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.
• Greater accountability and transparency in relief and rehabilitation efforts:
  • 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.
• Other Suggestions:
  • Third World countries are fighting to revive their economy after Covid-19.
    • There is a need to focus on the most vulnerable and their awareness, mobilisation as well as leadership in rebuilding.
  • There should be sufficient groundswell at the community level to influence the policy makers to include DRR in all its investments.
  • Women, persons with disability, uncared aged, people affected by war and conflicts and informal labour are some of the vulnerable groups which need to be mobilised, led and heard with sensitivity.

What are the Initiatives for Disaster Risk Reduction?

• Global:
  • Sendai Framework:
    • It was adopted at the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, held in 2015 in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan.
    • The Sendai Framework is the successor instrument to the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)
    • The present Framework applies to the risk of small-scale and large-scale, frequent and infrequent, sudden and slow-onset disasters caused by natural or man-made hazards, as well as related environmental, technological and biological hazards and risks.
    • It aims to guide the multi hazard management of disaster risk in development at all levels as well as within and across all sectors.
  • The Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS):
    • The specialized Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) an initiative under World Meteorological Organization, saves lives, assets and livelihoods through increased access to early weather warnings and risk information for people in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
  • Green Climate Fund’s Sectoral Guide on Climate Information & Early Warning Systems:
    • It provides an overview of country needs and evidence-based programming experiences in the relevant sector.
    • It also aims to identify opportunities for high impact, change investments in each sector, to guide proposal development for the GCF, in line with its investment criteria during its first replenishment period 2020-2023.
• India’s Initiatives:
  • Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure Society (CDRIS):
    • CDRI is a global partnership of national governments, United Nations agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and academic and research institutions.
    • It aims to increase the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks, thereby ensuring sustainable development.
  • National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP):
    • Its primary purpose is to coordinate response to natural or man-made disasters and for capacity-building in disaster resiliency and crisis response.
    • It lays down policies, plans and guidelines for Disaster Management to ensure timely and effective response to disasters.

Source: DTE