Role of Role of WMOWMO in in Natural Disaster Risk ReductionNatural Disaster Risk Reduction

Ivan Obrusník, Ivan Obrusník, Czech Hydrometeorological Institute Czech Hydrometeorological Institute

WMO Natural Disaster WMO Natural Disaster Risk ReductionRisk Reduction (D(DRRRR) Program) Program

(originally Disaster prevention and Mitigation(originally Disaster prevention and Mitigation

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• Established by the XIV. WMO Congress in 2003Established by the XIV. WMO Congress in 2003• Strategy approved by the WMO EC LVI in June 2004Strategy approved by the WMO EC LVI in June 2004• First urgent tasks:First urgent tasks: - - preparation for the Wpreparation for the WCDRCDR in Kobe in Kobe 20052005 - To enhance involvement of WMO and NMHSs in- To enhance involvement of WMO and NMHSs in DR activities at international and national levelsDR activities at international and national levels - To - To establishestablish the network of expertsthe network of experts - To - To develop informational materialsdevelop informational materials and and a Website a Website - T- To enhance the crosscuttingo enhance the crosscutting coordination coordination withinwithin the the WMO WMO SecretariatSecretariat, Programs and Technical, Programs and Technical ComissionsComissions

WMO Programmes

World Weather Watch ProgramWorld Weather Watch Program

WMO Space Program WMO Space Program Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Program Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Program

Education and Training Education and Training ProgrammeProgrammeTechnical Cooperation Technical Cooperation ProgrammeProgramme

Regional ProgrammeRegional Programme

WorldWorldClimateClimate

ProgrammeProgramme

AtmosphericAtmosphericResearch Research

and and EnvironmentEnvironmentProgrammeProgramme

ApplicationsApplicationsofof

MeteorologyMeteorologyProgrammeProgramme

HydrologyHydrologyandand

WaterWaterResourcesResourcesProgrammeProgramme

WMO/OMM

NMHSsNMHSs

•  To encourage and assist Members in developing/enhancing NMHSs contributions to national disaster preparedness programs in a more integrated manner, especially in coordination with national civil defense/disaster coordination Office. NMHSs should be the authoritative voice in issuing weather warning for public safety at the national level. • To ensure that activities and results of relevant WMO Programs are fully used in the process of WMO’s participation in the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR

objectives are:

Goal 1:Goal 1: Promote greater emphasis on proactive strategies Promote greater emphasis on proactive strategies for prevention and preparedness on the basis of a for prevention and preparedness on the basis of a multi-multi-hazard frameworkhazard framework

WMO will pursue this through intergovernmental WMO will pursue this through intergovernmental programs in partnership with international organizations; and its programs in partnership with international organizations; and its own information and public awareness activities. It will own information and public awareness activities. It will demonstrate the benefits of investments in hydrometeoro-demonstrate the benefits of investments in hydrometeoro-logical services critical to all stages of a proactive risk logical services critical to all stages of a proactive risk management strategy — especially the management strategy — especially the benefits of risk benefits of risk assessment and early warning systems at the national levelassessment and early warning systems at the national level..

As part of WMO’s participation in ISDR, it will promote As part of WMO’s participation in ISDR, it will promote raising awareness at the ministerial level of the relation raising awareness at the ministerial level of the relation between preventive, proactive risk management strategies and between preventive, proactive risk management strategies and economic development. It will also economic development. It will also increase awarenessincrease awareness among among the public and decision makers of the causes and the public and decision makers of the causes and consequences of natural hazards. consequences of natural hazards.

Goals of the WMO Disaster Risk Reduction ProgramGoals of the WMO Disaster Risk Reduction Program

• Goal 2:Goal 2: Ensure that WMO core technical and scientific Ensure that WMO core technical and scientific capabilities, particularly for risk assessment and early capabilities, particularly for risk assessment and early warning systems, are integrated optimally in all relevant warning systems, are integrated optimally in all relevant phases of disaster risk management at the international, phases of disaster risk management at the international, regional and national levelsregional and national levels

Through a user-driven approach and in partnerships Through a user-driven approach and in partnerships with key organizations, WMO is analysing the scientific and with key organizations, WMO is analysing the scientific and technical information needs of various components of the technical information needs of various components of the disaster risk management decision-making chain. It is disaster risk management decision-making chain. It is identifying and strengthening the relevant capabilities and identifying and strengthening the relevant capabilities and activities within its own programs. In conjunction, WMO is activities within its own programs. In conjunction, WMO is establishing a comprehensive establishing a comprehensive set of best practices, related to set of best practices, related to utilization of scientific and technical information in disaster risk utilization of scientific and technical information in disaster risk reduction.reduction.

It will factor those results into development of integrated It will factor those results into development of integrated products and services for the various stages of disaster risk products and services for the various stages of disaster risk management. WMO will do these through management. WMO will do these through close close collaboration with the natural disaster risk collaboration with the natural disaster risk management communitymanagement community..

• Goal 3:Goal 3: Promote and enhance the role of National Promote and enhance the role of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services as a critical Meteorological and Hydrological Services as a critical component of the national risk reduction platforms, component of the national risk reduction platforms, particularly within developing countriesparticularly within developing countries

WMO will implement result-driven end-to-end projects WMO will implement result-driven end-to-end projects in different regions for different hazards. These activities will in different regions for different hazards. These activities will be carried out in working with WMO’s be carried out in working with WMO’s global networkglobal network of of World Meteorological Centres (WMCs), Regional World Meteorological Centres (WMCs), Regional Specialized Meteorological Centres (RSMCs) and the Specialized Meteorological Centres (RSMCs) and the NMHSs of its 187 Members, by leveraging WMO’s current NMHSs of its 187 Members, by leveraging WMO’s current activities as well as new initiatives.activities as well as new initiatives.

WMO will demonstrate the potential benefits in WMO will demonstrate the potential benefits in disaster risk management of its scientific and technical disaster risk management of its scientific and technical products and products and services that can be implemented through services that can be implemented through NMHSs at the national levelNMHSs at the national level. Through activities such as . Through activities such as sharing of best practices, technology transfer, training and sharing of best practices, technology transfer, training and capacity building, WMO will help the NMHSs deliver capacity building, WMO will help the NMHSs deliver products and services in an effective and timely manner to products and services in an effective and timely manner to meet national needs for hazard information.meet national needs for hazard information.

• Goal 4:Goal 4: Raise awareness to the magnitude of cost- Raise awareness to the magnitude of cost-benefits from investments in natural disaster prevention, benefits from investments in natural disaster prevention, particularly in particularly in early warning systemsearly warning systems

WMO will conduct WMO will conduct socio-economic studiessocio-economic studies to to demonstrate more clearly the minimal resources demonstrate more clearly the minimal resources needed in natural disaster prevention, in comparison needed in natural disaster prevention, in comparison to the much larger magnitude of funding involved in to the much larger magnitude of funding involved in response and recovery efforts. The studies will also response and recovery efforts. The studies will also address the social costs, such as those related to address the social costs, such as those related to deaths and damages, societal impacts of retarded deaths and damages, societal impacts of retarded economic growth, etc.economic growth, etc.

These activities will be carried out These activities will be carried out in in partnershippartnership with major economic development with major economic development commissions, insurance and re-insurance commissions, insurance and re-insurance companies, UN organizations, international and companies, UN organizations, international and regional development banks, relevant non-regional development banks, relevant non-governmental organizations, and other international, governmental organizations, and other international, regional and national organizations.regional and national organizations.

• Goal 5: Work together with international, regional Goal 5: Work together with international, regional and national partners and the private sector to and national partners and the private sector to build A Safer Worldbuild A Safer World

WMO, as a WMO, as a major partner in the ISDRmajor partner in the ISDR, is , is

addressing the addressing the weather, climate and waterweather, climate and water issues issues at the core of the culture of prevention with all the at the core of the culture of prevention with all the organizations within the ISDR.organizations within the ISDR.

WMO has also cemented partnerships with WMO has also cemented partnerships with other organizations within and in addition to the other organizations within and in addition to the United Nations system, in specific sectors such as United Nations system, in specific sectors such as health, transportation, energy, agriculture and health, transportation, energy, agriculture and forestry, water resource management, and tourism. forestry, water resource management, and tourism. DRR will work to strengthen the existing partnerships DRR will work to strengthen the existing partnerships and develop new onesand develop new ones

•  Regional expert groups (5 experts per WMO Region)• Network of focal points (located in NMHSs)•  Capacity building activities (training, workshops)• Strategy for the cooperation with other international organizations e.g. IATF (ISDR)• Establishment of a Natural Disaster Information System• Establishment of an inventory of relevant best practices (similar to WMO HOMS)• Emergency and Disaster Response Activities• EC AG on Natural Disaster Reduction and Mitigation as an advisory body to guide the program on all aspects of natural disaster prevention and mitigation.

Main goals and strategy:

Recent enlargement of EURecent enlargement of EU significant change – it could hsignificant change – it could help to improveelp to improve funding and level of funding and level of NMHSs and DR PlatformsNMHSs and DR Platforms (committees) in the (committees) in the new EUnew EU countriescountries

WMO can help with contacts to ECWMO can help with contacts to EC Possibilities of common programs (projects)Possibilities of common programs (projects):: early warning in NMHSs, early warning in NMHSs, numerical weather numerical weather or climate or climate modelingmodeling cooperation in disaster reduction e.g. CEUDIPcooperation in disaster reduction e.g. CEUDIP (training, early warning)(training, early warning) othersothers (?) (?) typical networking – suitable for EUtypical networking – suitable for EU funding funding