A high level meeting held in New York to review the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (Sendai Framework) has concluded that progress is not satisfactory on six of the seven targets except on plans and strategies which were aimed to reduce losses and increase capacities to cut disaster risk, said the National Disaster Management Authority Member Secretary Kamal Kishore here on Thursday after the conclusion of the G20 Council’s 2nd Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group meeting held since May 23.
‘’Last week in New York, there was a high level meeting at the midpoint of the Sendai Framework to take stock of what is the progress. We have realised that out of the 7 targets except one target which is relating to plans and strategies, progress is not satisfactory on all of these. So in that context whatever G20 does becomes very important as if G20 succeeds in its DRR efforts as there are 20 largest economies then it will have positive effect for rest of the world,’’said Kishore who was accompanied by the NDMA Member Krishna Vatsa and BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation Director(Disaster Management). He added that the Sendai Framework was adopted by 187 countries.
‘’There are four priorities and 7 targets in the Sendai Framework. Firstly, Understanding risk where disasters can happen how much damage that they cause, how frequently they can happen, second was to improve disaster risk governance, have capacities, laws regulations, codes to address and mange the disaster risk, third was to invest in disaster resilience by making the right kind of allocation in different sectors and using the right kind of financial instruments to improve disaster risk management and the Fourth was to have system for more efficient disaster response including most efficient and better reconstruction and recovery after disaster so that when rebuilding takes place it should be better,’’said Kishore.
‘’The progress was to be measured against 7 targets out of these 7 targets four targets were related to reduction in losses, three related to increasing capacities,’’ noted Kishore.
‘’The loss reduction targets included reduction in mortality per 100000 people monopolised by population, reduction in number of people affected by disasters who lose their houses, properties, reduce economic losses and reduce loss to infrastructure and infra services. There was a time when a cyclone would come and there was no electricity for two months so how do you reduce that to two days from two months,’’ said Kishore.
Kishore further stated ,’’The remaining three targets included one is on how do we have better plans and strategies at all levels including national, state and local. In India all states have disaster management plans (DMP) 90% districts have DMPs and increasing the capacities. Second was increasing the coverage of early warning system for all hazards including cyclones floods and third was improving or increasing international cooperation in these areas.’’
Meanwhile, Dr PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, who led the Indian delegation at the New York review meeting last week, informed that the issue of disaster risk reduction is getting the requisite attention in the global policy discourse as both G20 and G7 have accorded priority to this issue. Dr Mishra also underscored the need to evolve a financial architecture that can address the entire spectrum of disaster risk reduction needs in a balanced way and specify the role of the State in strengthening early warning systems in times of disaster.
‘’Although the Sendai Framework as well as its predecessor, the Hyogo Framework, highlighted the importance of an all-of-society approach to disaster risk reduction, it is clear that states bear the primary responsibility for both stopping the creation of new disaster risks as well as reduction of existing disaster risks,” Mishra said.
While working on financing disaster risk mitigation and disaster preparedness, states must contend with complex challenges like how to increase the absorptive capacity to effectively utilise resources allocated for disaster risk mitigation.
Sendai Framework
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (Sendai Framework) was the first major agreement of the post-2015 development agenda and provides Member States with concrete actions to protect development gains from the risk of disaster.The Sendai Framework works hand in hand with the other 2030 Agenda agreements, including The Paris Agreement on Climate Change, The Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, the New Urban Agenda, and ultimately the Sustainable Development Goals.
It was endorsed by the UN General Assembly following the 2015 Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR), and advocates for:
The substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries.
It recognizes that the State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including local government, the private sector and other stakeholders.
