DSG/SM/1749
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks on the opening ceremony of the seventh Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, in Bali, Indonesia, as we speak:
I wish to convey the appreciation of the United Nations to President Joko Widodo and the Government and folks of Indonesia for internet hosting the 2022 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. I’d additional prefer to congratulate and respect Indonesia for the measures taken to deal with the COVID-19 response that has allowed us to satisfy as we speak in particular person for this convention with over 7,000 registered. We applaud the management of Indonesia for its vaccines programme, maintaining us protected.
Indonesia is a essential associate that has a lot to show the world about disaster threat discount. Your willingness to host this essential gathering is a testomony to the main function that you just play in sustainable growth and Climate Action. Thus, I’m happy to see growing collaboration between United Nations businesses to deal with the rising disaster and local weather dangers in fragile contexts and to strengthen the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. This is the place the susceptible have essentially the most threat of being left behind.
This is the primary Global Platform for the reason that onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It takes place as international crises are multiplying, with devastating results, notably on the poorest and most susceptible. People world wide are experiencing the impression of the local weather emergency every day. The battle in Ukraine is contributing to sky-high meals and vitality costs, with critical implications for the worldwide monetary system. At the identical time, we face the fixed risk of different disasters, too.
If issues proceed as they’re, we are going to expertise 1.5 medium- to massive‑scale disasters each single day by 2030. As it stands, disasters are already wreaking havoc on our efforts in the direction of the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Our choices and actions can inadvertently affect our threat and publicity. This seventh session of the Global Platform, below the theme “From Risk to Resilience: Towards Sustainable Development for All in a COVID-19 Transformed World”, due to this fact takes on further significance.
Over the subsequent three days, we’ve got a novel alternative to contemplate the perfect coverage choices to maneuver from threat to resilience, and to take essential steps to make sure that the restoration from COVID-19 places us on observe for a protected and sustainable future. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Goals present us with a complete framing. But, we have to act with urgency and at scale.
First, we should flip the teachings discovered from the pandemic, the most important international disaster in dwelling reminiscence, into motion. We should safe higher coherence and implementation of the humanitarian-development nexus. That means enhancing threat governance. Because, regardless of our efforts, threat creation is outpacing threat discount. We don’t but have the governance frameworks in place to handle dangers, whether or not from a world pandemic or a tsunami, and to mitigate their impression. The 2022 Global Assessment Report that I lately launched in New York units out methods through which governance methods can evolve to raised tackle systemic dangers. It makes clear that in a world of uncertainty, understanding and lowering threat is key to reaching sustainable growth.
Second, we have to spend money on stronger information capabilities. Through new multilateral devices, together with the United Nations Complex Risk Analytics Fund, we wish to help information ecosystems that may higher anticipate, forestall and reply to advanced threat — earlier than they flip into full-blown disasters. This contains collectively growing threat evaluation, and investing in coordination and information infrastructure that allows knowledge-sharing and joint anticipatory motion. Such investments will us assist us navigate advanced dangers earlier, sooner and in a extra focused and environment friendly method.
Third, we have to deal with the least developed international locations and small island growing States that endure disproportionately when disasters strike. Disasters in these international locations can wipe out many years of growth progress and financial progress in a single occasion, with very critical long-term financial and social penalties. We urgently must step up worldwide cooperation for prevention and disaster threat discount in essentially the most susceptible international locations and for essentially the most susceptible communities, together with ladies and ladies, folks with disabilities, the poor, marginalized and remoted.
One concrete instance is the supply of early warning methods — a possible and efficient adaptation measure that gives greater than a 10-fold return on funding. Although simply 24 hours warning of a storm can cut back the injury brought on by 30 per cent, lower than half of World Meteorological Organization (WMO) member States have such methods in place. The Secretary-General has requested WMO to current an motion plan on the subsequent United Nations Climate Conference, in Egypt in November, geared toward guaranteeing that each particular person on earth is roofed by early warning methods inside 5 years.
Fourth, public and monetary sectors have to be threat proofed. We must “think resilience”, account for the actual value of disasters and incentivize threat discount, to cease the spiral of disaster losses. We additionally must issue disaster threat discount into our monetary frameworks. Alternative measurements, past gross home product (GDP), ought to take account of disaster threat and resilience. The Multidimensional Vulnerability Index is one such metric.
The world is seeking to this discussion board for management, knowledge and experience. The choices you’re taking can play a big half in stopping one other calamity just like the COVID-19 pandemic. We can — and we should — put our efforts firmly behind prevention and threat discount, and construct a protected, sustainable, resilient and equitable future for all. I thanks.
For info media. Not an official document.