GANDHINAGAR: The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Working Group has taken a crucial step in advancing the global agenda for disaster preparedness.
The three-day meeting held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat was attended by 88 delegates from G20 nations, invitee countries, and international organizations. The deliberations which concluded on April 1, focused on the progress made in implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
During the meeting, Member Secretary of the National Disaster Management Authority Kamal Kishore delivered the opening remarks, emphasising the importance of prioritising deliverables to bring them into motion.
Climate resilient infra
Among the proposed deliverables were a focus on disaster and climate-resilient infrastructure, inventory of risk assessment tools for infrastructure, and good practices for financing Build Back Better. The importance of public financing by local governments, international aid, and private sector finance for DRR was also discussed.
One of the highlights of the meeting was the session on ecosystembased approaches to DRR, which concluded with a commitment from the G20 DRR Working Group to explore new and innovative ways of implementing these approaches. This commitment is a significant step towards achieving the Sendai Framework’s goals and building resilience to disasters globally.
India’s commitment
The DRR Working Group meeting showcased India’s commitment to disaster preparedness. India’s approach to disaster management prioritises community-based efforts, as demonstrated by the achievement of two districts in the eastern state of Odisha being recognised as “Tsunami Ready” by Unesco’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission in 2020, making India the first country in the Indian Ocean Region to attain such a high level of disaster preparedness at the community level.
