1. Asia & Pacific Regional Expert Group on Disaster-related Statistics Expert Forum for producers and users of climate change- related statistics Geneva, 2-3 September 2015 Daniel Clarke, Statistician, UN-ESCAP clarke@un.org

2. ESCAP Resolution 70/2 (2014) “Stressing the importance of disaggregated data related to disasters in enabling a comprehensive assessment of the socioeconomic effects of disasters and strengthening evidence-based policymaking at all levels for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation” Recommends “monitoring more effectively the resilience of member States to disasters, including through the development of a core set of disaster-related statistics in close coordination with the Committee on Statistics” Establishes an expert group comprising statisticians and disaster risk reduction experts to work towards developing a basic range of disaster-related statistics

3. Economic & Social Commission for Asia & the Pacific Recommendations from the Regional Expert Group Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction Committee on Statistics

4. A “Core Set” Implies need for an internationally recognized measurement framework, including technical guidance and coherent use of terminology for the users and producers of the statistics Coherent information for 3 major phases o disaster risk management: i.Peace time; risk identification, risk prevention ii.Disaster occurence; impact mitigation; imperative is to gather information and react quickly iii.Medium term to Long-term recovery; re- establish resilience in affected communities, address long-term impacts;

5. Expert Group Activities To begin its work, the Expert group decided to prioritize 2 types of core measurement topics: Disaster occurrences and Direct or immediate impacts Group established 3 technical task groups to address core methodological issues (next slide) towards international guidance Coordination with other groups and alignment with the Sendai Framework and UN Sustainable Development Goals Survey Collecting information on experiences and practices in countries. Scope of questionnaire built on key existing references, e.g.: IRDR Peril Classification & Hazard Glossary and impact definitions cited at www.desinventar.net/

6. Some core Methodological Issues 1.Classification of types of disasters (or hazards) 2.Framework and agreed glossary for direct or immediate disaster impacts 3.Defining disaster occurrences as discrete events, which can thus be linked to a specific scope of impact statistics and specific and detailed geographic and temporal data