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APDIM Discussion on Disaster Risk Information Management in Asia and the Pacific: Developing Capacities and Enhancing Collaboration

Sources: Asian and Pacific Centre for the Development of Disaster Information Management

Date: January 2021

The Asian and Pacific Centre for the Development of Disaster Information Management (APDIM) organized a virtual discussion on Disaster Risk Information Management in Asia and the Pacific: Developing Capacities and Enhancing Collaboration.

One hundred leaders, senior government representatives and disaster risk reduction practitioners from the academia and research institutes such as AIT, IIEES and the University of Tehran,  as well as senior managers and experts from the United Nations and the International Organization including ESCAP, ESCWA, WMO, ITU, WMO, FAO, UNDRR, UNDP, ADPC, ADRC, ADB and the European Commission, discussed leveraging collaboration on disaster risk information management in Asia and the Pacific joining the conversation from different corners of the world, including Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Islamic Republic of Iran, India, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Spain, Tajikistan Thailand.  

At the webinar, Ms. Letizia Rossano, Director of APDIM highlighted that in the past year, APDIM aimed at having a better understanding of the supply and the demand for disaster risk information management through a specific assessment which informed the development of its new multi-year programme of work.  She said: “APDIM plans to work with countries who ask for technical support to facilitate the sharing of data at the national level in a way that fits that particular country’s needs in disaster risk governance and disaster risk information management.”

Senior government officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Afghanistan and Nepal highlighted how important it is for countries in the region to address disaster risk information management. Several expressed appreciation for APDIM’s plans to establish a regional risk data platform to host data and information at the regional level while also supporting countries establishing their own national disaster risk data portals to support risk-informed decision making. 

The Preliminary Assessment of the Gaps and Needs for Disaster Risk Information and Data Management Platforms in Asia and the Pacific Region was of critical importance to Nepal said the Chief Executive of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority of Nepal, Mr. Anil Pokhrel, he stated: “through this study, Nepal learned the importance of having risk data hosted at the national level and understood the need to look at federal, provisional local and district levels.”

The discussion brought to light the importance of effective collaboration between scientists and administration/Government for application of risk data processes, analytics, and its usages, considering that the primary producer and the end-users of data are not the same.

The value of APDIM’s role was pointed out highlighting its unique position to consolidate, analyse and share disaster risk data and information in the region with special attention to the socio-economic impact of disasters.  The discussion referred to COVID-19 as a very good example which showed the need for anticipating future risks for planning and undertaking measures with a multisectoral approach to disaster risk management.

Findings of Preliminary Assessment of the Gaps and Needs for Disaster Risk Information and Data Management Platforms in Asia and the Pacific Region

Presented by Sahar Safaei, Director and Principal Consultant at Sage on Earth Consulting Ltd.

Sahar provided a brief background and overview of the assessment scope, shared some of the findings, key results, and suggestions. Disaster risk assessments and data management platforms are tools to serve the process of identifying risks and risk drivers in order to design and implement effective disaster risk management policies and investments. The research conducted in this study reconfirmed the persisting challenges in using risk information, including risk assessments, in public policies and plans. 

Based on preliminary research with inputs from regional entities and national institutions from four Bangladesh, Islamic Republic of Iran, Nepal, and Tajikistan. The report provides an overview of available risk datasets covering the Asia and Pacific region or a sub-region, shares the findings on challenges, gaps in supply, and demand from national and regional entities, and provides five suggestions for the way forward to support countries in enhancing understanding disaster risk and using risk information for disaster risk reduction.

Read the Assessment Report

Watch the Recording

Progress on the Sand and Dust Storms Risk Assessment in Asia and the Pacific

Presented by Nicholas Middleton, Fellow in Physical Geography, St Anne’s College, University of Oxford and Amin Shamseddini, Programme Officer, APDIM

Nick and Amin explained that the overall aim of the Sand and Dust Storms Risk Assessment is to increase the understanding of the impact of this phenomenon with a view to facilitate conversations at regional level towards increased resilience. The initial findings of the assessment underscored that there is a significant gap between the research and knowledge at technical level and its application at the policy and investment level. 

The study was described as “pioneering” because of the lack of socio-economic analysis of the impact of sand and dust storms in the region with the broad geographic and sectoral scope of this assessment: 7 sectors are analysed in the study each adopting specific thresholds and indicators.

This assessment is strategically important for APDIM not only because of the actual issue at hand, but also because of the remarkable technical contributions of APDIM partners, informing its global and sector specific methods of analysis.  APDIM hopes to replicate this model of broad collaboration with international scientific partners in the future. 

Watch the Recording

Guidelines on Monitoring and Reporting the Impacts of Sand and Dust Storms through the Sendai Framework Monitoring

Presented by Auriane Denis Loupot, Independent Consultant

Auriane’s noted that the Guideline is a response to the need to quantify the impact of sand and dust storms on people, societies, and economies. In the absence of disaster-impact data sets for sand and dust storms, the Sendai Framework monitoring process and its tool provide an opportunity for Member States to collect and gather historical data on sand and dust storms to build an evidence base which can, in turn, inform policymaking.  

The guideline seeks to support Member States to operationalize and standardize the collection and reporting of historical data on sand and dust storms; it provides information on the key issues to take into account in the collection of sand and dust storms data, the types of data that should be collated, existing methodologies and potential stakeholders to engage with. They adapt and complement the comprehensive UNDRR Technical Guidance for monitoring and reporting against global targets of the Sendai Framework by adopting a hazard specific approach to the Sendai Framework monitoring.

Read the Guidelines

Watch the Recording

 

Posted on 31 January 2021 (the webinar was held on 25 January)

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