The convergence of the Covid 19 pandemic with natural hazards aggravated by climate change has altered and widened the “high-risk landscape” of disasters across Asia and the Pacific, a new report released Wednesday by the U.N. regional commission there says.
“The string of record-breaking weather events show that we do not have the luxury of “waiting this out”Mami Mizutori
“The string of record-breaking weather events show that we do not have the luxury of “waiting this out” waiting for the time and to accept that “measures need to be taken now to meet these risks, as stated Mami Mizutori, UN Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reducer.
Rai shared India’s experience of coping with the Covid-19 challenge, saying that the country was actively contributing to resolving the global challenge and will continue to cooperate with the international community.
The minister also said that India had the foreseeable path to fund all aspects of a disaster risk management cycle.
Rai also pointed to the Unescap’s 2019 Asia-Pacific Disaster Reduction Report, which shows a marked rise in flood-induced losses, with problems expected to intensify by 2030.
At the current levels, the annual average of catastrophic losses stands at $780 billion, which in the worst case might almost double to about $1.4 trillion.
Rai called on Unescap to take some steps to address flooding in a changing climate, saying that the Regional Platform for Cooperations against flooding and drought in high-risk crisis areas was integral to Unescap’s core mandate.
He also proposed the establishment of a regional co-operation mechanism to deal with cross-border floods, and pledged that India’s authorities would provide all appropriate support for this effort.
"The string of ‘record-breaking’ events show that we do not have the luxury of ‘waiting this out’: action must be taken now to address these risks"
– Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and @HeadUNDRR Mami Mizutori #DRWeek2021 pic.twitter.com/Lwpo34hqds— United Nations ESCAP (@UNESCAP) August 25, 2021
