Global Assessment Report launches in full swing
Regional and national launches of the Global Assessment Report: Risk and Poverty in a Changing Climate are in full swing, with strong attendances and significant interest in the findings of this landmark document.
To date, launches have taken place in: Bali, Indonesia (May 18 with ASEAN and World Bank); Saudi Arabia (19 May); Tokyo (May 22 with the UNU and Government of Japan); Bangkok, Thailand (May 25 with regional offices of UN agencies); Washington DC (May 26 with World Bank, US Government and the Inter-American system); Nepal (27 May); New York (27 May), Geneva UNEP (29 May), London (June 3, with DFID and UK based NGOs); Oslo (June 4 with Government of Norway and Norwegian Geotechnical Institute).
Already scheduled are those in: Paris (June 8 with UNESCO), Tehran, Iran (8 June); Bonn (11 June), Global Platform, Geneva (16-19 June), Peru (29/30 June); Argentina (4 July); and Dushanbe, Tajikistan (7 October) - and more are planned.
"The Report has been very well received wherever it has been presented," says lead editor Andrew Maskrey. "Interest has been high with some searching questions."
The worldwide launch of the Report took place in Manama, Bahrain on 17 May. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon unveiled the document at an impressive ceremony in the presence of Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, Abdulrahman Al Attiyah, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, together with a range of regional and international dignitaries.
In his Foreword to the 200-page Report which draws together reviews, trend analysis and data from across the disaster risk reduction arena, the UN Secretary-General wrote: “While we cannot prevent natural phenomena such as earthquakes and cyclones, we can limit their impacts. The scale of any disaster is linked closely to past decisions taken by citizens and governments – or the absence of such decisions. Pre-emptive risk reduction is the key. Sound response mechanisms after the event, however effective, are never enough.”