Da Nang hosted ASEM Meeting on disaster risk reduction and management
The ASEM Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officially opened in the central city of Da Nang on September 14.
Themed ‘Innovation and Technology for Resilience-Based Sustainable Development,’ the event, hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, brought together over 150 delegates from ASEM member countries and experts from UN agencies.
Speaking at the opening session, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Van Thang said that every year, Vietnam suffers the consequences of dozens of storms.
The impact of climate change and the development process had increased the risk of natural disasters, he said, adding that climate change and the rising sea level had directly threatened the sustainable development of Vietnam, particularly the Mekong Delta.
Thang also stressed the important role of science and technology in disaster risk reduction and management.
It was also necessary to enhance technology transfers in addressing economic disparity and disparity among countries in technological innovation and capacity for research, as well as to promote the use and expansion of thematic platforms of cooperation, such as global technology pools and global systems to share know-how, innovation and research and to ensure access to technology and information on disaster risk reduction, he noted.
The meeting aims to provide a platform for ASEM members to validate best practices in the application of innovation and technology in disaster management and to consolidate proposals for ASEM’s Post-2015 Vision and concrete measures to leverage innovation and technology in policy and practice for a better response to global climate change and disaster risk reduction and sustainable development.
According to the 2015 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction, more than 1.5 billion people have been affected by disasters in various ways and annual economic losses amount to an average of US$250 billion to US$300 billion.
For successful disaster risk reduction and resilience, innovation and technology has been recognised as essential by the international community. The UN’s Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction for 2015-2030 emphasised the need to enhance access to and support for innovation and technology, as well as long-term, multi-hazard and solution-driven research and development in the field of disaster risk management.
Exposure to risk from disasters has increased significantly due to climate change, population growth, rapid urbanisation and environmental degradation. In this regard, the World Conference in Sendai called for “a renewed sense of urgency” in addressing disaster risk reduction and building resilience in the context of sustainable development and climate change.
At the 10th ASEM Summit in Milan in 2014, leaders committed to strengthening their preparedness and response to disasters and to building resilience, including through awareness programmes, early warning systems, search, rescue and relief operations, to applying innovation and science and technology, and to reducing vulnerability to and losses caused by disasters.
Speaking at the opening session, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Van Thang said that every year, Vietnam suffers the consequences of dozens of storms.
The impact of climate change and the development process had increased the risk of natural disasters, he said, adding that climate change and the rising sea level had directly threatened the sustainable development of Vietnam, particularly the Mekong Delta.
Thang also stressed the important role of science and technology in disaster risk reduction and management.
It was also necessary to enhance technology transfers in addressing economic disparity and disparity among countries in technological innovation and capacity for research, as well as to promote the use and expansion of thematic platforms of cooperation, such as global technology pools and global systems to share know-how, innovation and research and to ensure access to technology and information on disaster risk reduction, he noted.
The meeting aims to provide a platform for ASEM members to validate best practices in the application of innovation and technology in disaster management and to consolidate proposals for ASEM’s Post-2015 Vision and concrete measures to leverage innovation and technology in policy and practice for a better response to global climate change and disaster risk reduction and sustainable development.
According to the 2015 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction, more than 1.5 billion people have been affected by disasters in various ways and annual economic losses amount to an average of US$250 billion to US$300 billion.
For successful disaster risk reduction and resilience, innovation and technology has been recognised as essential by the international community. The UN’s Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction for 2015-2030 emphasised the need to enhance access to and support for innovation and technology, as well as long-term, multi-hazard and solution-driven research and development in the field of disaster risk management.
Exposure to risk from disasters has increased significantly due to climate change, population growth, rapid urbanisation and environmental degradation. In this regard, the World Conference in Sendai called for “a renewed sense of urgency” in addressing disaster risk reduction and building resilience in the context of sustainable development and climate change.
At the 10th ASEM Summit in Milan in 2014, leaders committed to strengthening their preparedness and response to disasters and to building resilience, including through awareness programmes, early warning systems, search, rescue and relief operations, to applying innovation and science and technology, and to reducing vulnerability to and losses caused by disasters.
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