A global review of disaster reduction initiatives - Welcome to the ...

3Living with Risk: A global review of disaster reduction initiatives114High level commitmentAt the Third Summit of the Americas held in QuebecCity, Canada in 2001, the assembled heads of statedeclared:“We commit to strengthening hemispheric cooperationand national capacities to develop a more integratedapproach to the management of natural disasters.We will continue to implement policies thatenhance our ability to prevent, mitigate and respondto the consequences of natural disasters. We agree tostudy measures to facilitate timely access to financialresources to address emergency needs.”A regional – hemispheric- conference focussing onrisk reduction practices was held in Costa Rica inDecember 2001, as a follow up to this Summit.Moreover, the relationship between environmentaldegradation and hazard incidence hasbeen increasingly brought to the forefront byinstitutions such as the Central American Commissionfor Environment and Development(CCAD), IUCN, IADB, CAF, the CaribbeanDevelopment Bank (CDB) and the WorldBank. Climatic variabilities as manifested byEl Niño/La Niña phenomenon has promptedthe World Meteorological Organization (WMO)together with regional organizations to gobeyond the scientific and technical researchconcerns and seek application of availableinformation for early warning and institutionalstrengthening for risk reduction.This commitment to a shift towards integratedrisk management to reduce the impact of disastershas several times been re-affirmed at thelevel of heads of state.Central AmericaThe impacts of consecutive major catastrophesbetween 1997 and 2001 have profoundlychanged the way disasters are conceptualizedin Central America (Panama, Costa Rica,Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador,Guatemala). The effects of the El Niño/LaNiña episodes of 1997/98 were the most severethis century. Hurricanes Georges and Mitch in1998 devastated the economies of the entireregion, in addition to causing much damage topersonal property from floods throughout thecountryside. The El Salvador earthquakes of2001 raised serious questions about the riskconsequences of land use and inadequate environmentalmanagement practices. The fact thathurricane Mitch damaged the interests of boththe poor population as well as the private commercialsector served to create a collective viewof the need for change.In addressing these conditions, the governmentsof the region, working together throughthe Coordinating Centre for the Prevention ofNatural Disasters in Central America (CEPRE-DENAC), have confirmed a political commitmentto risk reduction and reconstructionprocesses through social transformation. Theirexperience is a valuable example for theworld.However, challenges still remain in successfullymoving from the expression of politicalintentions to fundamentally changed policiesand practices. Advances will require enormousefforts at all levels of activity, including greatersocial consciousness, legislative and institutionalchanges, modified social practices, thereduction of corruption, and the mobilizationof private-sector and commercial interestgroups. The objetive is to instil a society-wideacceptance of sacrificing short-term gains inexchange for long-term sustained protectionfor social and environmental resources.This advance in political will has beenachieved through expanding regional integration.Governments and heads of state haveshown a readiness to proceed jointly, workingto achieve common purpose and throughshared resources. This is reflected by theendorsement of a Strategic Framework for theReduction of Vulnerability and Disasters in CentralAmerica, and the adoption of a Five YearPlan for the Reduction of Vulnerability and DisasterImpacts (1999-2004).The strategic framework identified six majorwork areas:• Strengthening national disaster organizations.• Developing early warning systems andstrategic plans.• Increasing research on hazards and vulnerability,including the promotion ofinformation exchange.