A report by the International Scientific Council (ISC), made up of scientific organizations, concludes that it is “very unlikely” to meet the targets set in 2015 to reduce casualties and damage from climate disasters, such as earthquakes, floods or storms, reinforced by global warming.
In the document, published this Tuesday, the scientists warn of insufficient preparation, worldwide, to deal with this type of disaster, to which governments usually react only when they occur, they ask scientists to rethink the management of risks, and consider that it is “very unlikely” that the objectives will be achieved.
In 2015, the international community adopted the objectives of the Sendai Framework to prevent new disaster risks and reduce existing ones by 2030 through the implementation of economic, structural, legal, social, health, cultural, educational, environmental, technological, political and institutional.
Since 1990, more than 10,700 disasters, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, droughts, floods, extreme temperatures, storms, have affected more than 6 billion people worldwide, according to United Nations data.
Floods and storms head the list, multiplied by climate change, representing 42% of the total.
These disasters “undermine development progress that has been difficult to achieve in many regions of the world,” the report said.
In a statement, the ISC chair, biomedical scientist Peter Gluckman, notes that, “As the international community mobilizes rapidly in the aftermath of disasters, such as the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, very little long-term attention and investment is directed term”. planning and prevention. long-term,” whether it’s by enforcing building codes or setting up early warning systems.
“The multiple challenges of the past three years have highlighted the fundamental need for better preparedness for future disasters,” added Mami Mizutori, UN Special Representative for Risk Reduction.
“We need to strengthen infrastructure, communities and ecosystems now, instead of rebuilding them later,” he added.
The report draws attention to a resource allocation problem, showing that only 5.2% of aid to developing countries for disasters between 2011 and 2022 was dedicated to risk reduction, with the rest allocated to post-disaster reconstruction.
The ISC also calls for early warning systems, noting that warning of a storm 24 hours in advance can reduce damage by 30%.
Another report, released in late January by the United Nations General Assembly, also noted that countries were “not on the right track” to meet the Sendai targets.
The number of people affected each year by weather disasters is increasing, as is direct damage, which averages $330 billion (€310 billion) per year between 2015 and 2021.
Source: TSF
