DATE / TIME:

2019•10•29    14:00 - 17:30

Location:

Tokyo

On 29 October 2019, UNU-IAS will hold an event marking International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR) 2019, to promote implementation of the global Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 (SFDRR). Focusing on the theme “build to last”, it will explore the impact of resilient critical infrastructure on human safety and well-being, and consider the role of the insurance industry and the consequences for critical infrastructure when it is not risk informed. Experts from ASEAN countries will present the current state of their country’s level of infrastructure resilience, as well as observations on critical infrastructure as part of the disaster risk reduction strategy of Japan.

This event is part of a series of activities across the globe to mark IDDR (13 October), and promote a global culture of disaster reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness. It is an opportunity to acknowledge the progress being made toward reducing disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods, and health, as outlined in the SFDRR. This year IDDR highlights the importance of target (d) of the SFDRR, which seeks a reduction in damage to critical infrastructure by 2030.

For UNU-IAS this will also be the final activity of a capacity building programme organised during 21–29 October. The Japan Study Visit component of ASEAN’s AHA Centre Executive Programme (ACE Programme) 2019 brings together 18 mid-level managers from the national disaster management agencies/ministries of all 10 ASEAN countries and the AHA Centre. The participants visit, observe, and exchange knowledge and experiences on disaster risk management with key government ministries, research institutes, private companies, and civil society organisations in Japan.

Background

One metric which illustrates the extent of the challenge is the scale of insured economic losses over the three years since the SFDRR was launched in 2015. Those three years are all in the top five for insured losses over the last thirty years, including the record-breaking year of 2017 which came to $135 billion bookmarked by $50 billion in insured losses in 2016 and $80 billion in 2018. Overall insurance industry estimates of direct economic losses during those three years comes to $665 billion. A considerable proportion of those losses comes from infrastructure failures in high-income countries. It is also worth noting that these years have coincided with new records on global warming; the last five years have been the hottest years on record globally. According to the UN Office for DRR, an estimated US$90 trillion will be invested in infrastructure by 2030. Hence, if infrastructures are built to last, this is a great opportunity to avoid the creation of new risk and to adapt to extreme weather events. It will increase the possibility of eradicating poverty in low- and middle-income countries by reducing economic losses.

Language

This event will be held in English, with no interpretation provided.

Registration

To register for this event, please click the “Register” button above. On-site registration will also be available.