Rapidly growing cities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to disastersin the East Asia-Pacific region due to poor planning, with economiclosses increasing dramatically as the region grows wealthier, says a newWorld Bank report.
Policymakers can make a significantdifference to ensure that progress in development and poverty reductionare not lost by acting now to build resilience, said the report entitled“Strong, Safe and Resilient - A Strategic Policy Guide for DisasterRisk Management in East Asia and the Pacific”.
Investing indisaster preparedness from strengthening hazard forecast services torestoring natural ecosystems, can be surprisingly cost-effective, itadded.
“East Asia-Pacific is the region that is mostaffected by cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes and floods. To confrontthese disaster challenges, governments need to be prepared for theunexpected and undertake major investments in disaster risk managementand resilience,” the WB’s press release on June 3 quoted WB East Asiaand Pacific Vice President Axel van Trotsenburg as saying.
Theyshould make disaster risk management part of poverty alleviation andsustainable development because the poor are disproportionately affectedby disasters, he added.
“We are working with governments andpartners to strengthen financial resilience against disasters,” said theWB’s East Asia and Pacific Chief Economist Bert Hofman.
Moreneeds to be done to improve catastrophe risk modelling tools to helpgovernments assess budgetary impacts of disasters, and to developdisaster risk financing strategies, he said.
The WB hassuggested short, medium and long-term solutions for the countries in theregion to minimise the impact of disasters, focusing on forecasting andinvesting in early warning systems, strengthening cooperation,improving infrastructure and urban planning.-VNA
Policymakers can make a significantdifference to ensure that progress in development and poverty reductionare not lost by acting now to build resilience, said the report entitled“Strong, Safe and Resilient - A Strategic Policy Guide for DisasterRisk Management in East Asia and the Pacific”.
Investing indisaster preparedness from strengthening hazard forecast services torestoring natural ecosystems, can be surprisingly cost-effective, itadded.
“East Asia-Pacific is the region that is mostaffected by cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes and floods. To confrontthese disaster challenges, governments need to be prepared for theunexpected and undertake major investments in disaster risk managementand resilience,” the WB’s press release on June 3 quoted WB East Asiaand Pacific Vice President Axel van Trotsenburg as saying.
Theyshould make disaster risk management part of poverty alleviation andsustainable development because the poor are disproportionately affectedby disasters, he added.
“We are working with governments andpartners to strengthen financial resilience against disasters,” said theWB’s East Asia and Pacific Chief Economist Bert Hofman.
Moreneeds to be done to improve catastrophe risk modelling tools to helpgovernments assess budgetary impacts of disasters, and to developdisaster risk financing strategies, he said.
The WB hassuggested short, medium and long-term solutions for the countries in theregion to minimise the impact of disasters, focusing on forecasting andinvesting in early warning systems, strengthening cooperation,improving infrastructure and urban planning.-VNA
