Exchange of views with the European Parliament: ‘The EU approach to disaster risk reduction, prevent or react?’

This event in provided a forum for discussion which will focus on the EU approach to disaster prevention and will build upon the ongoing efforts made at the EU level. The debate was based upon the following questions:
- Do the UN and the EU have the right structure in place to coordinate preventive mechanisms? What more can be done by the EU to maximize its added-value in disaster prevention?
-The economy of disasters: how can we get smarter with our money?
-Political will: from words to actions. What is the role of national governments within Europe in moving forward DRR policies?
The speakers were Kristalina Georgieva, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Margareta Wahlström, UN Special Representative of the Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction and
Mr. Marcus Oxley, Chairman of the Global Network of Civil Society Organizations for Disaster Reduction.
The debate which followed the presentation raised questions and comments by Members of the European Parliament on issues related to the role of forestation in reducing disasters, the need for increased public awareness on and increased investment in DRR, the impact of disasters on the achievements of MDGs and the interconnection of DRR with other development topics and the ensuing rationale for Policy Coherence for Development, as well as the necessity to include prevention in the EU legislative proposal for renewing the EU civil protection Mechanism and the role of conditionality of aid vis-à-vis DRR measures.