Take necessary steps to reduce disaster risk

The increase in global temperature and warming has long been anticipated to have the most detrimental effects on the Asia-Pacific region. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) has predicted that by 2030, the frequency of disasters will increase by 40%.

According to a news article published today, Saturday, August 24, the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR-2024) was inaugurated on Thursday, August 22, in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. In his opening remarks, Marco Toscano-Rivalta, head of the UNDRR's Asia-Pacific Regional Office, stated that this forecast indicates that the countries of the Asia-Pacific region are drifting away from the targets set by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which was established globally in 2015.

The United Nations International Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction was held in 2015 in Sendai, Japan. The main goal of the Sendai Framework was to ensure sustainable disaster risk management and proper investment to mitigate the risk. Straying from this goal means increasing the frequency of disasters. With disasters increasing at this rate, the region faces a severe outcome. Recently, we have witnessed the devastating consequences of natural disasters in southeastern districts of Bangladesh. Districts like Feni, Noakhali, Comilla, Sylhet, and the Chittagong Hill Tracts have been severely affected by floods. People in these regions cannot recall experiencing such floods in recent memory. The primary cause of these floods is excessive rainfall, which is a result of the imbalance in nature. Additionally, this year we have experienced one of the most intense heatwaves in recent history.

So, what is the solution to protect ourselves from such disasters? Marco Toscano-Rivalta, head of the UNDRR's Asia-Pacific Regional Office, emphasized the need for enhanced regional preparedness and response to disasters. He said, "The fundamental issue is that we must double our efforts in disaster response and risk reduction activities."

Among UNDRR's technical and developmental support was the formulation of a three-tier roadmap for 2030 sustainable development for regional countries to reduce disaster risk. This includes implementing national disaster committees, assessing disaster risk and damage statistics, and planning accordingly, strengthening inter-institutional coordination, creating risk-aware budgets, and providing financial assistance to high-risk countries.

We know that Bangladesh is among the most vulnerable countries to long-term climate change-induced disasters. Bangladesh currently ranks seventh on this list. However, in terms of economic losses due to climate change-induced disasters, Bangladesh ranks fifth globally. Over the past 20 years, Bangladesh has faced 185 major climate change-induced disasters, including floods, cyclones, tidal surges, and landslides. These disasters have resulted in the deaths of nearly 20,000 people and caused economic losses amounting to nearly 4 billion USD. Many people have been displaced, but previous governments of Bangladesh have not effectively secured compensation from the United Nations.

We hope that the interim government will give maximum importance to disaster management. The interim government's Advisor for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, has called for a doubling of UN funding. She stated that climate change is a global crisis that requires urgent attention. She also highlighted various challenges Bangladesh faces due to climate change, such as water salinity, the Rohingya crisis, and climate migration. We hope the interim government will play a significant role in making Bangladesh a safer place by reducing disaster risks.