1. Building Regional Capacity for DRR : ESCAP Activities Sanjay K Srivastava, Ph D Regional Adviser – Disaster Risk Reduction Information Communication Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Division (IDD) srivastavas@un.org ISDR Asia Partner Meeting March 24-26, 2010, Bangkok

2. ESCAP is the regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia-Pacific region 62 Governments - from Turkey in the west to Kiribati in the east, and from the Russian Federation in the north to New Zealand in the south The largest United Nations body serving the Asia-Pacific region with over 600 staff ESCAP has more than five decades of experience integrating disaster risk management with economic and social development at the regional level...Regional approach for cooperation specific focus on Asia Pacific Least Developed Countries (LDCs), SID, Landlocked Countries..

3. 1957 Mekong River Commission (MRC) Four members – Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam and Thailand Implemented flood management 1957 Mekong River Commission (MRC) Four members – Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam and Thailand Implemented flood management 1968 - WMO/ESCAP Typhoon Committee (TC) 14 Members from South East, East Asia Promoted Strategies to minimize the loss of lives and properties due to Typhoon 1968 - WMO/ESCAP Typhoon Committee (TC) 14 Members from South East, East Asia Promoted Strategies to minimize the loss of lives and properties due to Typhoon 2008 - Committee on ICT - Focus on Disaster Management 2008 - Committee on ICT - Focus on Disaster Management ESCAP Roadmap 2005 – ESCAP Tsunami Regional Trust Fund Established Regional Integrated Multi-hazard Early Warning System – RIMES (26 Countries) 2005 – ESCAP Tsunami Regional Trust Fund Established Regional Integrated Multi-hazard Early Warning System – RIMES (26 Countries) 2009 – Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction 1973- WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclone (PTC) 8 Member Countries -Bay Of Bengal and Arabian Sea Focus on early warning ’ 1973- WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclone (PTC) 8 Member Countries -Bay Of Bengal and Arabian Sea Focus on early warning ’ 1994 - Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development (RESAP) - 22 Members; Focus on Disaster Mgnt Issues -Intergovernmental Consultative Committee Regional Working Groups 1994 - Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development (RESAP) - 22 Members; Focus on Disaster Mgnt Issues -Intergovernmental Consultative Committee Regional Working Groups Disaster Management & Risk Reduction - Regional Cooperation

4. Enabling Roles TC/PTC RESAP Framework for Regional Cooperation Supportive Role Creation of Networks for Capacity Building and Info Exchange Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction Committee on ICT ESCAP ICT & DRR Division Substantive Servicing Information Exchange Technical Assistance DRR Specialized Advisory Services to member States Inter-agency Partnerships.. ESCAP : Creation of Clusters for Regional Cooperation RIMES Integration of DRR in Economic & Social Development Integration of DRR in CCA and vice-versa

5. Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) Regional coherence, synergy and maximum combined impact from the efforts of UN agencies ESCAP - the secretariat of the Asia-Pacific RCM Post Cyclone ‘Nargis’ Response - Tripartite Partnership UN – ASEAN and Govt of Myanmar Expedited the flow of aid in desperate need and to begin quickly reconstruction Part of Post Nargis Joint Assessment Facilitation of Recovery/Rebuilding RCM Working Group on Environment and Disaster Management with focus on CCA & DRR integration ISDR Asia Partners (IAP) ESCAP ISDR joint initiatives on DRR & CCA

6. ESCAP: Resource Mechanism for Regional Cooperation Tsunami Regional Trust Fund (Administered by ESCAP) Support a series of activities towards establishing a comprehensive, “end-to-end” early warning system in the region Strengthen national and regional capacities in early warning Multi-donor Fund (Thailand, Sweden, Nepal, Turkey) Grant funding to Governments, intergovernmental and other not-for- profit organizations UN partners: IOC UNESCO, ISDR, OCHA, UNDP, UNEP, WMO Overall Framework End-to-end early warning Multi-hazard approach Regional focus Geographical scope – Indian Ocean and South-East Asia

7. Status of Fund Utilization 53 proposals received, with total budget of about US$ 61 million 14 projects approved, with total budget of about US$ 10.8 million (over 80%) About US$ 2.6 million available for programming ESCAP: Resource Mechanism for Regional Cooperation Priority Areas Risk and vulnerability assessments Standard Operating Procedures Response capacity (through regional initiatives) Public awareness Drills—regulations and standards for evaluation Improve effectiveness of warning messages Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES) Regional Tsunami Watch, Disaster Risk Information, Capacity Building: Meteorological Agencies … Established in April 2009 (USD 4.5 million from Trust Fund), signing Agreement, by Cambodia, Comoros, Lao PDR, Maldives, and Seychelles (21 other countries are in progress)

8. ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee and Panel of Tropical Cyclone are the regional bodies of the WMO tropical cyclone programme in Asia and the Pacific ESCAP: Building the Capacity for Cyclone/Typhoon Early Warning Source: WMO

9. ESCAP Strategy: Disaster Management and Risk Reduction ESCAP resolution 64/1 established a Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction as a regional platform to assess existing challenges, formulate regional perspectives, and facilitate discussions on collective efforts and actions required. Resolution 64/2: ESCAP was tasked by the Commission to work closely with UN/ISDR in supporting the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action in the region. Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (CDRR) Integrated with: Regional Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific (RESAP) Activities, The Trust Fund supported Initiatives, WMO/ESCAP Typhoon committee and Panel on Tropical Cyclone Strengthening regional cooperation for the improved management of disasters and associated socio-economic risks and to promote application of information and communications technology for socio-economic development in the ESCAP region. Improved capabilities for integration of ICT in the field of multi-hazard assessment, preparedness, early warning and response to disaster risks Committee on Information and Communication Technology (CICT)

10. ‘Gateway’ Web portal Existing EO Repository Other Gateways International Charter: EO Products for Disaster Response ‘Sentinel’ Asia : EO Products & Services - Data and Applications UNOSAT Specialized EO Products UNSPIDER EO Products/Services UNISDR: Prevention web - Warehouse of DRR Info/knowledge UNOCHA: Reliefweb - Disaster response related info ESCAP Resources : Policy Papers/Reports Drought Network, APDR, Typhoon Committee & Cyclone Panel Resources Other Service Line: Advocacy & Networking Knowledge Management - Standards, Manuals… Advisory Services, Technical Assistance Capacity building.. ‘Gateway’ : Knowledge Sharing/Info Exchange EO Products/Services - National Efforts EO Products/Services - Other sources UNCT Reports - Warehouse of DRR and response related info/knowledge Country Reports Relief Agencies, Govts, Inter-governmental, INGOs/NGOs Reports

11. Central Focus: Securing Development in the face of Changing Climate -Input to Global Assessment Report 2011 -To be released 4th Asian Ministerial Conference on DRR, ROK, Oct 2010 Asia Pacific Disaster Report (APDR ) - ESCAP UN ISDR Partnership Effort Contents – based on Practices, Policy Trends, Lessons Leant by member States as well as major initiatives at Global level Hazards, Vulnerability and Risks – Trends and Analysis Economic and Social Analysis of Disasters Regional Cooperation – including South South Cooperation Disaster Recoverty Programmes Applications of Space, ICT for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Sound Practices and Lessons Learnt from Sub-regional and National Efforts

12. Asia Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Networks – support to DRR components, Regional Advisory Services DRR aspects of CCA – Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Capacity building for Damage and Loss Assessment (DaLA) – Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) DaLA/PDNA for low impact & high frequency disasters –focused on highrisk LLDC, LDCs and SIDs Investment Tracking on DRR promoting investment Risk Transfer and Resilient Sectoral Development Emerging Issues related to CCA and DRR Asia Pacific Disaster Report ECLAC Typhoon Committee, Panel on Tropical Cyclone Partnership for DRR Economic and Social Issues of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) DRR as entry point to Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Economic and Social Issues of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) DRR as entry point to Climate Change Adaptation (CCA)

13. Ongoing DRR Projects Regional cooperative mechanism on drought disaster monitoring and early warning Capacity Building for Early Warning Systems for Extreme Weather Events in Central Asia Supported by – PR China Products (Drought-prone ESCAP region of Central, East, South East and South Asia) Information sharing for capacity building Satellite data sharing for routine drought risk monitoring and early warning Provision of detailed satellite products for areas under drought risks Human resources development Supported by – Russian Federation Focus on multi-hazard assessment, preparedness, early warning and response to disaster risks with regards to extreme weather events in Central Asian region

14. ESCAP: DRR Strategic Pillars Substantive Servicing Information Exchange Inter-Agency Partnership DRR: Regional Advisory Services ICT & DRR (IDD) Division Regional Advisory Services : Under the Regular Programme of technical cooperation (Section 22) for UN Regional Commissions Activation of advisory services based on the specific request from ESCAP member States or Resident Coordinator, UN Country Team, Advisory services request to be addressed to Executive Secretary, ESCAP Regional Advisory Services Code of the Conduct -To be aligned with UN Country Team works -To be aligned with on-going/planned initiatives of the respective Govt. -Technical assistance for preparation of project proposals for donor’s funding support -Priorities attached to LDCs, LLDCs, SIDs, Country with Specific Needs

15. ESCAP Technical Assistance (2009) Samoa Tsunami 2009 Typhoon Ketsana Part of UN Country Team and World Bank Damage and Loss (DaLA) following ECLAC methods Recovery and Reconstruction Needs Assessment - Build, Back and Better than before visualization.. Capacity building for post-disaster recovery As part of UN Country Team and World Bank Damage and Loss (DaLA) following ECLAC methods Recovery and Reconstruction Needs Assessment Led Productive Sector Team for Post Disaster Needs Assessment leading to Disaster Risk Reduction Capacity building for post-disaster recovery Support to UN Country Team Maldives Developing United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) to address Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Building National Capacity for CCA and DRR Maldives Vulnerability

16. UN Fifth Committee Review on Regular Programme on Technical Cooperation (RPTC) Review of RPTC (Section 22), Nov 10, 2009 – Regional Advisory Services Technical assistance and expertise sharing have been quite effective, currently being used even by the Funds and Programmes, in support of country level work RPTC has been flexible, urgent and demand driven led to tangible benefits Review of RPTC (Section 22), Nov 10, 2009 – ESCAP Regional Advisory Services Result-based Approach and ‘guidelines’ to RPTC introduced by ESCAP recognized as the best practice among the Regional Commissions ESCAP spending more than 50% of RPTC resources at country level, as the means of optimizing the use of available programme resources Review of RPTC (Section 22), Nov 10, 2009 The Regional Commissions, as part of increasing visibility, understanding and Accountability of RPTC have launched their respective RPTC website (www.un.org/regionalcommissions)

17. Thank you Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction Meeting, March 2009 The UN General Assembly resolution 64/L.10 of 29 Oct 2009 … develop regional initiatives and risk reduction capacities of regional mechanisms.. and invites regional commissions to support the efforts of Member States in this regard;