Living with Risk: The need to build partnerships

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Results and way forwards in Europe
www.unisdr.org
Meeting of European NPs and HFA focal
points 24-25 April 2008
Paola AlbritoUN/ISDR secretariat Europe
Coordinator
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Overview of the presentation

• Accomplishments to be achieved and Regional
  Landscape
• Achievements
• Challenges/Way foreword

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1. Accomplishments to be achieved and Regional
Landscape

• In line with ISDR secretariat mission
  accomplishments to be achieved
• Enable national and regional partners
• Provide visibility to partners initiatives
• Strengthen coordination and exchanges among
  partners
• Build on existing institutions and capacity
• Attract attention of other partners and donors in
  SEE.
• Players
• Council of Europe EUR-OPA Agreement
• European Network of National Platforms
• Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative
• EU/EC
• CEUDIP OECD
• UN/ISDR system partners

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2. Achievements, Opportunities and challenges

• Council of Europe EUR-OPA Agreement
• Continuing the implementation of the Marrakech
  Work Plan aimed at supporting the implementation
  of the HFA and reducing vulnerability to disaster
  at the regional level
• Developed MoU with UN/ISDR some key activities
  within MoU
• - Collaboration on the Reviewing Progress
  in HFA implementation
• - Development and support of NPs to be
  Workshops
• - Supporting synergies between NPs and
  Specialized centers
• - Key involvement on the issue of Education
  and DRR
• - Call for key meetings to facilitate
  exchanges between NPs and HFA focal points in
  Europe 2nd European NPs and HFA focal points
  meeting (Paris 24-25 April 2008)
• UN/ISDR contribution/role
• - Provided the Review Progress in HFA
  implementation mechanism (on-line system) and
  indicators guidelines
• - Developed a two days workshop on how to
  establish National Platforms (linked to
  tool-kit)
• - Overall collaboration with EUR-OPA on DRR
  issues.

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• 2. Achievements, Opportunities and challenges
• EU/EC
• DG Environment Elaboration of Green Paper on
  Climate Change Adaptation
• DG Env. Civil Protection Unit Review on EU and
  Disaster Prevention and Preparedness and
  development of a strategy to be shared through a
  communicate by December 2008
• Under the Presidency of Slovenia Seminar on
  Strengthening Cooperation with Candidate
  Countries and Western Balkan Countries in the
  Field of Civil Protection, held in Bled from
  24-26 February 2008
• DG Enlargement Launching a programme on DRR in
  SEE. 2008-2011 (2 millions Euros each year)
• DG Dev Elaboration of EU Strategy for Disaster
  Risk Reduction in Developing Countries.
• DG Research project call made for European
  collaboration of NPs.
• Elaboration of comments to Green Paper on CC
  adaptation from NPs perspective and UN/ISDR
  secretariat. Exchanges on this topic on going
  with DG Environment Exchanges with CV Unit on
  "EU Initiative on Disaster Prevention". The
  UN/ISDR secretariat has provided information to
  the pool of consultants working on this task.
  Through Slovenia presidency stranger coordination
  with Western Balkans. Agreement on coordinating
  efforts within the training activities to include
  DRR issues. Created link and strengthened
  collaboration between DPPI and DG Enlargement
  (based on the active Slovenia Presidency and
  Croatia DPPI chearing) WMO and DG Enlargement.
  Stimulating resources for DPPI and WMO.

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• 2. Achievements, Opportunities and challenges
• UN/ISDR contribution/role
• DG Environment Submission of comments to Green
  Paper on CC adaptation exchanges and
  participation to key meetings related to this
  topic Facilitated exchanges between DG Environ
  and a Network of NPs
• DG Env. Civil Protection Unit Contribution and
  exchanges with consultants review on disaster
  Prevention and Preparedness Coordination and
  collaboration within the SEEDRMAP (Civil
  Protection Review in SEE) Exchanges with CV Unit
  on "EU Initiative on Disaster Prevention
• Bled meeting Participation to the event,
  agreement on coordinating efforts within the
  training activities to include DRR issues
• DG Enlargement Stimulated thought the SEEDRMAP
  the development of the DRR programme. Facilitated
  exchanges between DG Enlargement with DPPI and
  with WMO. (Identified as coordinating body and
  implementer of the initiative together with
  UNDP)
• DG Dev Provided comments to draft close
  circulation draft 0 strategy
• DG Research established exchanges and
  information sharing

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• Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative
• Signing of MoU among countries in SEE recently
  Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina have sign
  agreement.
• Implementing regional projects such as Earthquake
  Hazard Mapping in collaboration with partners
  such as NATO, DEMA etc
• Strong component related to Training over 12
  workshops organized in the region each year.
• Through its Secretariat at their Previous
  (Slovenia) and current (Croatia) chair very
  active in supporting events related to DRR a.i.
  Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Prevention and
  Preparedness.
• Ministerial meeting on Disaster Prevention and
  Preparedness Bulgaria 9 April 2008. Adoption of
  Ministers Joint Declaration on activities related
  to DPPI as per HFA
• SEEDRMAP DPPI key sub-regional organsation.

2. Achievements, Opportunities and challenges
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• UN/ISDR Contribution/Role
• SEEDRMAP WB-UN/ISDR initiative in partnership
  with DPPI, WMO, EU/EC, CofE EUR-OPA and others.
  Publications available on SEE and DRR SEE Desk
  Assessment Risk Review Insurance and
  Re-Insurance Hydrome Review and Overall SEEDRMAP
  strategy paper. Review undergoing on Civil
  Protection WB-UN/ISDR in close consultation with
  EU, EU Presidency OCHA, Italian NP. Projects
  under development. DPPI identified as key
  coordination partners in the SEEDRMAP.
• Created opportunity of collaboration between DPPI
  and CADRI on training material and workshops
  facilitation stimulated the participation of
  Swedish SRSA, UNICEF and OCHA
• Development of SEE region workshop on NPs
  exchanges ongoing on possible date, interest
  expressed by Bulgaria in hosting the workshop
• Support to DPPI on development of database of
  experts and training component related to
  education and DRR
• Supported (part of Preparatory Committee) the
  organization of a sub-regional Ministerial
  meeting (SEE Ministerial Conference on Disaster
  Preparedness and Prevention) (9th April 2008).
  Bulgaria as strong and capable Chair and Hosting
  of meeting
• Expressed available support in the development of
  the DPPI bi-annual workplan
• Collaboration with SRSA and Italy to explore
  possibilities technical expert in SEE and
  Training Support (SRSA for DPPI)

2. Achievements, Opportunities and challenges
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• A European Network of NPs
• - Coordinated feedbacks and provided comments
  to the Green Paper on Climate Change Adaptation
• Developed Project Proposal to respond to the call
  of DG Research on DRR Coordination Mechanisms in
  Europe such as NPs
• Organized the Divonne Les Bains meeting (French
  NPs key organizer) 5-6 Dec. 2007 on Disaster Risk
  Reduction and Emergency Response Two separate
  words in Europe?
• Snowed an interest on Twinning of NPs
• Presented and participated at a number of key
  European meeting to advance the DRR agenda
• Involvement with EUR-OPA on meeting and way
  forward for Reporting in Europe (UN/ISDR
  secretariat February 2008)
• UN/ISDR secretariat contribution/role
• - Facilitation of information among Network
  and NPs, HFA focal points and other partners
  EU/EC
• Constant exchanges with Chair of Network on
  updates related to Europe and DRR
• Participation of key meetings

2. Achievements, Opportunities and challenges
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• Central European Disaster Prevention Forum
  (CEUDIP)
• Under initiative of the Czech NP on DRR
  took the initiative in the establishment and
  activities of the Central European Disaster
  Prevention Forum (CEUDIP) with a permanent
  Secretariat in Prague.
• Last meeting took place under in Bonn
• UN/ISDR secretariat contribution/role
• - participated to meeting including providing
  updates related to other initiatives or tools
  developed.
• OECD
• Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the OECD
  Guidelines on integrating Climate Change
  Adaptation into Development Cooperation
• Supplementary Guidance on Strategic
  Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Disaster Risk
  Reduction (DRR)
• Active on issue of insurance and DRR
• UN/ISDR secretariat contribution/role
• Exchanging with OECD on the above developments

2. Achievements, Opportunities and challenges
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• Other contributions
• Develop networking of information sharing
  (e-mail) with the European NPs, HFA focal points,
  regional and sub-regional organizations and
  partners (updates related to the global and
  regional level activities)
• Global and within region establish UN/ISDR
  website for Europe
• UN Regional coordinator meeting Collaboration
  with UNICEF. Within the informal inter agency (ad
  hoc) CEE/CIS emergency focal points meeting
  succeeded in having a day focus on DRR issues and
  to look at common activities within the context
  of ISDR joint workplan (Jan. 21-22)

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• SEE UNICEF and UN/ISDR collaboration (Focus on
  SEE/CIS). Review finalizes on DRR activities in
  the region and focus on education. Used to
  develop agreement between UNICEF/UNISDR
  secretariat (June 2008)
• Updates on HFA Focal points and NPs in Europe.
  (draft to be presented at the April meeting)
• Moldova Conference 9-10 October 2008
• UK Health Protection Agency and Proposal to EU
  Network on DRR and Health

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• Challenges and next steps
• There more then one organizations present in
  Europe with different regional coverage/focus.
• Funds dedicated to DRR need to increase at the
  national and European level
• Coordination and information sharing is key to
  make sure that the different regional actors do
  not duplicate and build on each other
  opportunities (role UN/ISDR secretariat)
• Play it strategically considering the key
  opportunities in Europe is a must
• Stimulate the use of Regional, Sub-Regional
  organization and capacities to better understand
  what it means DRR

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Thank you
United Nations, secretariat of the International
Strategy for Disaster Reduction International
Environment House II 7-9 Chemin de Balexert, CH
1219 Chatelaine Geneva 10, SwitzerlandTel 41
22 917 8908/8907Fax [phone]isdr_at_un.org