Local Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction: Capacity Development for Making Cities Resilient - Catbalogan, Philippines
Background
The world is changing with an increasing global population growth rate and urbanization. Since 1990, the number of mega-cities has nearly tripled. In 2014, over half of the world’s population lived in cities, and by 2050 it is estimated that 66 per cent of the world’s population will be urban.
Given the rapid urbanization of cities and the increasing concentration of assets in urban areas, it is critical for local governments to develop local disaster risk reduction strategies and be prepared to effectively respond to disasters triggered by natural hazards. When disaster strikes, local governments are the first line of defense and thus in a position to implement local plans that minimize destruction of life and economic assets and launch a quick recovery.
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 adopted at the Third UN World Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan provides strong guidance to support national and local efforts to build resilience to disasters within the context of sustainable development. Understanding disaster risk requires building awareness and knowledge of disaster risk through training and education of government officials, civil society, and other stakeholders.
The newly adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promotes resilience and disaster risk reduction as a foundation of sustainable development. It calls for strengthening the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, to reduce risk, increase resilience and adapt to climate change. More specifically, the Agenda sets a goal of substantially increasing the number of cities that have adopted and implemented disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation policies by 2020.
Therefore, in order implement the Sendai Framework and make progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda, concrete actions must be taken to increase local disaster risk reduction strategies and to localize relevant national and regional strategies.
In this regard, building resilience and adapting to climate change is crucial for cities. Efforts to build resilience in cities can benefit from integrating disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation with existing efforts in disaster risk reduction and other similar planning processes.
This capacity building training workshop will provide:
- an opportunity for cities and local governments to enhance capacities in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction with a focus on local disaster risk reduction plans, development and implementation.
- a platform to exchange in-depth learning from experts in the related area and to share good practices among participants
- a venue for city-to-city cooperation in building resilience in cities by integrating disaster risk principles into local DRR and CCA planes, programmes and initiatives
Workshop Objectives and Expected Outcomes
Objectives:
Overall, the training course will provide an opportunity to local governments in the city of Catbalogan, Philippines to:
- Increase political commitment and social demand for disaster resilient development and adaptation to climate change, aiming for sustainable development.
- Learn about the Making Cities Resilient Global Campaign and how its tools, materials and approaches may be used to build local resilience to disasters.
- Build capacities of experts and officials at local level with a focus on City Resilience Action Plans development and implementation based on MCR Campaign 10 Essentials to make their cities resilient to disasters.
Expected Outcomes
- Trained cadres of national and cityhigh level city officials
- Draft City Resilience Assessment Reports
- Draft City Resilience Action Plans