A TIME FOR REENERGIZED DISASTER RISK REDUCTION ACTIONS

A TIME FOR RE-ENERGIZED DISASTER RISK REDUCTION ACTIONS 2016 -2020 AND BEYOND Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, Vienna, Virginia, USA

MARCH 15, 2015: THE SECOND WORLD CONFERENCE ON DISASTER RISK REDUCTION CONVENED IN SENDAI, JAPAN WILL RE-INVIGORATE THE HISTORIC GLOBAL ENDEAVOR STARTED IN 1990 BY THE UNITED NATIONS

FACT: THE WORLD CONFERENCE CALLED FOR RENEWED ACTION • Each country is invited to play a major role in the post-conference call for a “Global Tsunami of Action”

FACT: THE GOAL IS CLEAR AND STILL THE SAME: REDUCTION OF GLOBAL VULNERABILITIES AND ACCELERATION OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF “THE BEST POLICIES AND BEST PRACTICES”

A DISASTER is still----- the set of failures that occur when the continuums of: 1) people, 2) community (i. e. , a set of habitats, livelihoods, and social constructs), and 3) recurring events (e. g. , floods, earthquakes, . . . , ) intersect at a point in space and time, when and where the people and community are not ready.

FACT: NATURAL HAZARDS STILL CAUSE MEGA-DISASTERS • FLOODS • SEVERE WINDSTORMS • EARTHQUAKES • DROUGHTS • VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS • ETC.

FACT: THE PEOPLE CONTINUUM IS GROWING WITH TIME • 7 + BILLION distributed throughout the world; many in vulnerable, high -risk communities

FACT: MANY COMMUNITIES ARE PARALYZED BY FOUR WEAKNESSES • IGNORANCE • APATHY • DISCIPLINARY BOUNDARIES • LACK OF CAPACITY

INTERSECTION OF THESE CONTINUUMS IS INEVITABLE MOST FUTURE INTERSECTIONS WILL CAUSE A DISASTER, OR A MEGADISASTER, UNLESS - - -

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IS THE WAY FORWARD CARIBBEAN BASIN NORTH AMERICA SUB-SAHARA AFRICA 200 NATIONS AND 7+ EUROPE MEDITERRANEAN BILLION PEOPLE SOUTH AMERICA ISLAND NATIONS ASIA

FACT: EVERY COMMUNITY CAN REDUCE VULNERABILITIES IN NEW/EXISTING - - • GOVERNMENT CENTERS • DWELLINGS • SCHOOLS • HEALTH CARE FACILITIES • BUSINESSES • INFRA-STRUCTURE • ETC

LIKE A CHAIN: A COMMUNITY HAS WEAK LINKS TO STRENGTHEN

THE GOAL: ADOPT BEST POLICIES AND BEST PRACTICES INNOVATIVE ACTIONS: CREATE, ADJUST, AND REALIGN PROGRAMS, PARTNERS AND PEOPLE UNTIL YOU HAVE CREATED THE PARADIGM SHIFTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO MOVE AWAY FROM FAILED POLICIES AND PRACTICES TOWARDS PROVEN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION ONES

A DISASTER FAILURES IN POLICIES • FLOODS • SEVERE WIND STORMS • EARTHQUAKES …ETC CAUSES FAILURES IN PRACTICES YOUR COMMUNITY DATA BASES AND INFORMATION BEST POLICIES AND PRACTICES DISASTER RISK REDUCTION HAZARDS: GROUND SHAKING GROUND FAILURE SURFACE FAULTING TECTONIC DEFORMATION TSUNAMI RUN UP AFTERSHOCKS • ADOPTION • IMPLEMENTATION

BEST POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION Anticipatory Preparedness Adoption and Implementation of Modern Engineering Building Codes & Standards Timely Early Warning and Evacuation Timely Emergency Response (including Emergency Medical Services) Cost-Effective Recovery/Reconstruction

LIKE AN INFINITE SERIES: A CONTINUUM OF INNOVATION NEVER ENDS

BEST POLICIES AND BEST PRACTICES WILL IDENTIFY/CLOSE KNOWLEDGE DIVIDES AND GAPS, AND IDENTIFY/FIX WEAK LINKS IN THE PEOPLE/COMMUNITY CONTINUUMS

BEST POLICIES AND BEST PRACTICES WILL CALL FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING AND INNOVATIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY