Mami Mizutori wrote that for an increasing number of people around the world, only when more funds are used to adapt and reduce disaster risks can they face more frequent and more extreme disasters.
Mami Mizutori is the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction and the head of the UN Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
This may be the biggest crisis facing humanity today, but climate change is not a one-time event or a linear process, and it has the same impact on the entire world.
On the contrary, climate change is manifesting as a series of humanitarian and ecological disasters, usually concentrated in areas that are already vulnerable to shocks and pressures.
Given IPCC warning A 1.5 degree Celsius increase in global temperature is almost inevitable, and a net-zero strategy alone will neither prevent the next climate catastrophe nor minimize its impact.
For an increasing number of people all over the world, only by using more funds to adapt and reduce disaster risks can it be possible to face the future of more frequent and extreme disasters.
Therefore, in view of the climate finance commitments made by the EU and other members of the G20 in the COP26 climate negotiations, half of the US$100 billion pledge must be invested in adaptation, disaster prevention and risk reduction should be an integral part of it.
For example, Africa, parts of Latin America, and Pacific and Caribbean island countries face disproportionately climate risks. The three countries of Puerto Rico, Myanmar and Haiti Most affected Affected by extreme weather events in the past two decades.
However, many of these countries also have Serious gap In various weather and hydrological observation networks, it can help predict climate-related disasters and can take preemptive actions, such as evacuation of affected areas.
Special funds for adaptation can support the development of multi-hazard early warning systems, help predict disasters before they strike, and prevent losses and damages. 26 million people Pushed into poverty every year.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the actual cost of the disaster to the global economy was estimated to be US$520 billion per year, but every US$1 invested in improving the resilience of critical infrastructure can save you Up to 4 USD Under reconstruction.
Investing in resilience and resilience can also reduce the secondary consequences of disasters, such as the increasing burden of climate migration.
three times Compared with last year’s violence and conflicts, more people were displaced by storms and floods, but only tenth International assistance can be used to respond to and prevent disasters.
In addition, a very small amount of official development assistance is used to protect development from disasters before disasters occur, thereby jeopardizing efforts to strengthen overseas resilience.
Using climate funds for disaster risk reduction can protect long-term development from climate and other disaster risks.
As the recovery of the pandemic has brought huge costs and burdens to the global economy, especially the economies of climate-fragile countries, the need for disaster prevention investment has become more urgent.
Risk is affecting everyone in every region of the world.Many countries are facing the dual impact of COVID-19 and climate-related disasters, including CroatiaAs the pandemic unfolded, several earthquakes occurred, raising concerns that the virus might spread in the shelter.
The link between humans and the health and well-being of the planet is inseparable; disaster prevention can bring multiplying benefits, just as climate change can bring multiplying threats.
The dialogue-and the urgency-did not end with COP26. As government officials from 55 countries in Europe and Central Asia prepare to gather in Portugal, European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction, They must put the common threats facing the global society at the forefront and center.
We must jointly mobilize the responsibilities and resources that the region must bear to solve these problems.
Investing in prevention can save lives, and we need to start investing now.
