Disaster Risk Reduction course for SIDS & LDC

Introduction

In recent years, the nature and effects of disasters have changed. The December 2004 devastating tsunami event in South Asia showed that well-developed risk awareness could have saved many human lives. Recent catastrophes such as the Myanmar cyclone and Sichuan earthquake in 2008, the typhoons in Taiwan, Philippines and Vietnam, the earthquake in Sumatra in 2009, as well as the 2011 Thai floods and the triple events in the Japan Tohoku earthquake and nuclear plant melt down have brought huge strains to governments’ budgets and resources.  Disaster risk reduction and building resilience are thus imperative for any future development agenda. 

Singapore is located in a low seismicity region within the Eurasian Plate.  The magnitudes of earthquakes in scenario analysis are large, but they are located more than 450 km away from Singapore. Thus, the ground motions should have been attenuated significantly when they arrive the bedrock beneath Singapore. Singapore is taking a whole-of-government approach in formulating cost-effective and adaptation solutions and risk reduction measures to address climate change and natural hazards. An Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change was formed in late 2007 to oversee the formulation of a national programme on climate change adaptation and mitigation, disaster risk reduction measures and the building of resilience in the community.  

Course Objectives

The course will provide participants with an opportunity to:

• Understand the implications of coherence of the Sendai Framework, Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and integration of disaster risk reduction in development processes and investments
• Explore tools and cases that can help in the integration of disaster risk reduction into development policy and investment, development of strategies and plans for disaster risk reduction

This course shares Singapore’s experiences in disaster risk reduction and the government approach in formulating adaptation measures and building resilience in the community. 

The focus would not be just on theory but also on institutional development and capacity building to implement plans.  The course would also cover Singapore’s policies and implementation systems in sustainable urban planning and development. It will also discuss the principles, strategies and policies in the Masterplan  2014 and the government’s commitment, plans,  targets and projects in the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint 2015 and the government efforts in strengthening governance and building capacity.