Over 40% of the world's disasters in the past decade had hit the Asia and the Pacific, making the region the most disaster prone in the world, according to a latest UN report.
Over the last decade, the region was struck by 1,625 disasters that claimed the lives of around half a million people, according to the report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).
More than 1.4 billion people were also affected by these natural disasters, constituting 80% of those affected globally. The region has incurred substantial economic damage of more than half a trillion dollars over the same period, accounting for close to half the global total, the report stated.
The 2015 Asia-Pacific Disaster Report was launched yesterday at the Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies at University of Dhaka.
The report revealed how the region’s existing risks were being exacerbated and new risks being created by rapid economic growth, rising population, and burgeoning cities, as well as the consequent impact these interrelated processes have on environmental buffers.
However, the report applauded Bangladesh for its sustained success in disaster risk reduction, including through improved weather forecasting, Cyclone Preparedness Programme, the Chars Livelihood Programme, and micro insurance initiatives that act as social safety nets.
On the cautious side, however, the report underlined the country’s high exposure to hazards and increasing vulnerability of its people and the economy.
The report highlighted that the majority of the disasters in Asia-Pacific were cross-border in nature, mentioning that only by coming together in the spirit of cooperation can the Asia-Pacific region hope to become truly disaster resilient.
Shamika Sirimanne, director of the ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division of ESCAP, mentioned: “Achieving the sustainable development goals in Asia and the Pacific will depend critically on greater resilience to disasters.”
“The ESCAP’s report provides the much-needed balanced perspective for Bangladesh towards further improving the disaster management system in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030,” said Shahid Ulla Mia, additional secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.
UNDP Country Director for Bangladesh, Pauline Tamesis, reaffirmed the need to continue addressing disaster risks under the overall 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“The Asia Pacific Disaster Report provides the valuable regional context to the ongoing efforts in Bangladesh,” she said.
Prof Khondoker Mokaddem Hossain, founding director of the DU institute, stressed the importance of addressing the vulnerability as a key solution to risk reduction in developing country like Bangladesh.
Dhaka to join Global Climate March
To ensure a safe and clean Bangladesh, thousands of people are expected to join a Climate March on the streets of Dhaka tomorrow, just a day before world leaders meet in Paris for the COP21 climate summit.
The march in Dhaka is part of a global effort to organise the largest climate mobilisation the world has ever seen. Millions more are also expected to join the Global Climate March in different cities across the world tomorrow.
The march in Dhaka will start from the Central Shaheed Minar at 11am and head to Shahbagh via Doyel Chattar and High Court intersection.
Sharif Jamil, coordinator of the march in Dhaka, told a press conference yesterday that nearly 250 organisations would march together on the day.
Human rights activist Sultana Kamal and Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon Secretary Abdul Matin also spoke at the press conference in capital's Dhaka Reporters Unity.
Global Climate March organisers say they have the best moment of the decade to pressure their leaders to avoid a catastrophic climate change.
“Together we can rise to the challenge and make this the biggest climate mobilisation ever”, said Emma Ruby-Sachs, a campaign director at Avaaz.org, a global advocacy organisation with 16 million members around the world.
She said currently 2,315 events in at least 150 countries are planned for the weekend of November 29.