Spain calls for action on disaster risk

Host Spain told the 5th annual European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (EFDRR) today that it had a great opportunity to influence the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction. Noting that the cost of natural disasters is rising sharply across the globe, Spain’s Deputy Interior Minister Luis Aguilera Ruiz, urged delegates to make the most of the opportunity of the three-day gathering to share experiences and to work towards a revised and effective international programme of disaster reduction. The EFDRR, the last in a series of major regional meetings, comes just five months before the 3rd UN World Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan, which aims to adopt a revised version of the existing global blueprint, the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA).

HEARINGS OF THE NEW EUROPEAN COMMISSION IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: ECALL AND 112 ON THE AGENDA

SUPPORT FOR ECALL AND 112 DURING THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HEARINGS 2014

EU - EENA is encouraged that the topics of the European Emergency Number 112 and eCall were raised by the European Parliament during the Hearings of the European Commission candidates (EP Hearings 2014), and welcomes the initiative of the European Parliament to address these important issues. Mrs. Elzbieta Bienkowska, candidate Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, was asked to give her opinion on eCall and its significance. She confirmed her support and willingness to advance on eCall. It was acknowledged that eCall is a tool that can save many lives in the EU and that is should be prioritised by the new European Commission.

From adversity to opportunity: How the aftermath of a disaster can lead to a safer future

In May, the Balkan region experienced its heaviest rainfall in 120 years. Water flowing over riverbanks inundated farms, homes, and entire communities, while thousands of landslides wreaked havoc on the area’s infrastructure. Nearly 1.6 million people were affected by the severe downpours, which continued over a week. Dozens of people perished in Serbia, where some cities were more than 90 percent underwater and tens of thousands of people were forced to evacuate. In Bosnia, flooding caused nearly $2.7 billion in damages—a major setback to its growing economy.

UN HAILS GREATER MANCHESTER AS A ROLE MODEL FOR TOTAL RESILIENCE

Greater Manchester today becomes [8.9.14] the first UK city to join the UN’s Making Cities Resilient Campaign and has been recognized as a “Role Model for Total Resilience” because of its focus on implementing the Campaign’s entire ten-point checklist for building resilience to disasters. Margareta Wahlström, the head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), said: “Today is a milestone for the Making Cities Resilient Campaign which we launched four years ago and which has over 2,000 members across the globe. The UN is happy to welcome the UK’s second largest conurbation into the campaign as an example of a city where land use, planning and disaster risk reduction go hand-in-hand. The Greater Manchester Resilience Forum is a text-book model of how to design a multi-agency partnership coordinating civil contingencies activity for a large urban area.

Prevention and preparedness can reduce impact of disasters says new report

London - While not all disasters can be avoided, effective planning and preparedness can help mitigate their impact.

These are among the key findings from Learning from Megadisasters, a joint report by the World Bank Group and the Government of Japan released today that focuses on the disaster and risk management lessons learned from Japan’s megadisaster: the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. This was the first disaster ever recorded that included an earthquake, a tsunami, a nuclear power plant accident, a power supply failure, and a large-scale disruption of supply chains – with global consequences for several industries. Over the last 30 years, natural disasters are estimated to have caused $4 trillion in economic losses. Poor communities are often hit the hardest and take the longest to recover from disasters. The report points out that, given the prospect of more extreme weather events, the world must shift from a tradition of response to a culture of prevention and resilience.

European ministers call for accountability in reducing disaster losses

Efforts to ensure political commitment to a new global agreement on reducing disaster losses have received a major boost as representatives from 40 European countries agreed to a series of sweeping recommendations designed to build resilience to disasters. Europe experienced over 40 major disaster events last year affecting millions. Major flood and hailstorm events generated $25 billion in economic losses. The first-ever European Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction was hosted yesterday by the Italian Minister of Interior, Angelino Alfano, who said: “We need to focus on preventing the creation of new risks, reduce the existing risks and strengthen the resilience to disasters. We welcome the collaboration between UNISDR and the European Commission towards building resilience in Europe.” Italy currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Recommendations of the European Seismological Commission (ESC) for the Post Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA2)

This document presents the recommendations and proposals developed by the ESC community for the post-2015 Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (the HFA2 initiative). It includes: (i) proposals on the structure of the new policy; (ii) proposals on fostering scientific investigations on hazards, especially earthquakes; (iii) integration of science with policy making; and (iv) regional and international collaboration and cooperation.



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EU agrees tougher nuclear safety rules after Fukushima disaster

Following the earthquake and tsunami that struck Fukushima in March 2011, causing the world's worst nuclear accident in 25 years, a series of stress tests were carried out in Europe to examine the resilience of nuclear power stations. The European Union drafted a new framework setting out a clear nuclear safety objective to further reduce safety risks based on the results of these tests. 

Montenegro joins UNISDR Cities Campaign

This week, the city of Cetinje (population: 16,800) became the first city in the Balkan state of Montenegro to join UNISDR’s Making Cities Resilient Campaign. “Reducing disaster risk and adapting to climate change is crucial for the sustainable future of our city and community” said Cetinje Mayor Alexander Bogdanovic, at a signing ceremony. UNISDR representative, Demetrio Innocenti, stated: "Cetinje’s beauty and cultural heritage are priceless and constitute a major economic opportunity given the potential of its tourism industry. It is economically, socially and culturally vital to ensure a disaster and climate resilient future for Cetinje". Cetinje, also known as the Old Royal Capital of Montenegro, has an important cultural heritage to protect from the risks of natural hazards. Just like all of Montenegro, Cetinje, is prone to earthquakes, which pose a great threat to its historically significant architecture.

Record floods challenge Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

By Biljana Markova


Belgrade/Sarajevo – The worst flooding since records began 120 years ago hit Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina over the weekend, when three months' worth of rain fell on the region, bursting river banks and revealing areas at risk that need to be addressed.Dozens of people are now feared dead, and tens of thousands have fled their homes. In Bosnia, landslides have buried homes and remaining landmines from the war in 1995 have now shifted to unknown locations. In Serbia, the outskirts of Belgrade have been inundated and the authorities suspect another "flood wave" on the River Sava, threatening the country's biggest power plant. Floods are also affecting neighboring Croatia.