ADPC -Asian Disaster Preparedness Center
- Indirizzo: 979/66-70, 24th Floor, SM Tower, - Paholyothin Road - Samsen Nai, Phayathai -Bangkok -Thailand
- Telefono: +66 (0)22980681
- Sito: http://www.adpc.net/
- E-Mail: adpc@adpc.net
To reduce the impact of disasters on communities and countries in Asia and the Pacific by raising awareness, helping to establish and strengthen sustainable institutional mechanisms, enhancing knowledge and skills, and facilitating the exchange of information, experience and expertise.
Description
As a leading regional resource center, ADPC works towards the realization of disaster reduction for safer communities and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific. Since its inception in 1986 as an independent non-governmental organization, ADPC has been recognized as the major independent center in the region for promoting disaster awareness and the development of local capabilities to foster institutionalized disaster management and mitigation policies.
With headquarters located in Bangkok, Thailand, ADPC has country offices in Bangladesh, Lao PDR and Myanmar. ADPC’s well-established networks with government line agencies and strong partnerships with regional organizations and development agencies provide the foundation for their work.
As the most hazard prone region in the world, Asia-Pacific must proactively manage its disaster risk. For nearly 30 years, the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) has been making Asia-Pacific safer by strengthening disaster resilience at all levels.
Disaster Reduction Goal
ADPC deploys disaster risk management (DRM) information and systems to reduce local, national and regional risk across Asia-Pacific. Its portfolio focuses on DRM capacity building, improving DRM for cities and climate change, mainstreaming DRM into national and local development, improving DRM systems and undertaking disaster risk assessments. To achieve its aims in disaster risk reduction, ADPC works closely with local, national and regional governments, governmental and non-governmental organisations, donors and development partners.
The Center aims to promote increased awareness, knowledge and adoption of disaster reduction practices as an integral part of the development process at community, national, sub-regional, regional and international levels of engagement. Since the early 1980s there has been growing recognition of the linkages between development and disaster risks: while disasters can threaten development accomplishments, the development choices made by individuals, communities and nations can equally generate new disaster risks. Therefore, it is critical to reshape development and national planning strategies by undertaking a more comprehensive assessment of development impacts and equally by considering the potential benefits for applying disaster risk reduction efforts.
ADPC’s primary focus lies in helping countries, organizations, communities and individuals strengthen their own capacities in all respects to reduce the impacts of disasters. It is widely acknowledged that building strong local ownership through informed and motivated participation in disaster risk endeavors is the most assured way to sustain disaster risk reduction and ensure human development. Another crucial element in this respect is to translate scientific knowledge into cost effective and environmentally suited practices that are well understood by the communities concerned. In other instances successful activities proceed from the continued appreciation of elements derived from indigenous knowledge. As such, ADPC has worked to enhance capacities through the regular assessment of needs in the region and to develop specific, context-driven and appropriate capacity building products and services.
The Center puts great emphasis on promoting partnerships among the organizations with which it works and by means of networks with communities and other players in the field of disaster management. It has pursued this through the continuous exchange of experiences, shared practices and efforts both to document and disseminate lessons from its many activities and partners.
The Center strives to be an initiating and responsive regional resource center but one with international status that can enable even wider professional relevance and recognition. While being supported by countries of the region, it should not be left behind in accessing international best practices and resources to play an active role in related endeavors. In this regard, ADPC has been a vocal advocate of South-South cooperation in the exchange of information, experiences and professional resources. ADPC has also always been an active contributor to advancing wider international agendas that have a bearing on disaster risk reduction such as the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, and current attention to climate change adaptation initiatives.
ADPC has not spared any efforts to maintain and improve itself as a diverse, inter-disciplinary, international team backed by efficient, supportive management systems, focused on providing the highest quality of service to the region – as Asian needs abilities themselves also change in the dynamic region.
Policies and Programmes in DRR
As the practice of disaster risk reduction has both expanded in scope, but also become more sophisticated involving additional professional interests, ADPC has defined thematic areas of interest and concern; and to build up institutional core competencies, technical expertise, and trusting external partnerships within these areas, while consolidating past achievements and experience gained through working on these areas. The box below shows the 12 thematic areas of focus on ADPC. From the initial six niche areas (serial number 1 to 6 in box below), it has added more areas such as geological hazard risk management, end-to-end multi hazard early warning systems and mainstreaming DRR into development (serial number 7, 8 and 9 in box below). It has also recognized from 2008 onwards that as an institution ADPC has an interest and some experience in additional areas of country need such as recovery planning and implementation, risk assessment and addressing increasing risk from technological hazards (serial number 10, 11 and 12 in box below).
1. Good governance and Disaster Risk Management Systems Development
2. Urban Disaster Risk Management
3. Climate Variability and Change/Climate Risk Management
4. Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction
5. Public Health in Emergencies/Health Risk Management
6. Emergency Preparedness and Response System Development
7. Geological Hazard Risk Management
8. End to End Multi Hazard Early Warning Systems
9. Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Development
10. Disaster Recovery Planning and Implementation
11. Risk Assessment
12. Technological Hazard Risk Management.
In sum, ADPC’s activities demonstrate a wide diversity in application, address various types of natural hazard-induced disaster risks, and cover all aspects of the disaster management spectrum from prevention and mitigation, through preparedness and response, to recovery responsibilities.
Membership in Key Networks
ISDR Asia Partnership on Disaster Reduction
Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction
National Counterpart
National and Local Governments in Asia and the Pacific region
Making Cities Resilient Campaign Activities
ADPC has contributed to the launch of the campaign in Thailand and other countries in Asia. At the New Delhi Mayors’ meeting in June 2010, ADPC promoted the signature for the campaign of more than 100 Mayors. ADPC has nominated the current governor of Bangkok Mr Mom Rajawongse Sukhumbhand a Champion for the “Making Cities Resilient” campaign representing all previous governors who have contributed in making Bangkok a better place for urban communities.
Disaster Risk Reduction Focal Point(s)
Prof. Dr. Krasae Changawongse
Executive Director
E-mail: krasae@adpc.net
General Inquiry:
adpc@adpc.net