European countries seek to reduce disasters through closer interaction between hydrometeorological services and disaster risk management
WMO/ISDR/World Bank Press release
Geneva/Chisinau - European countries will meet for the first time at the regional level, on 9-10 October 2008, in Chisinau (Republic of Moldova), to discuss practical ways to reduce the impacts of natural hazards through strengthened collaboration among National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) and disaster risk management institutions. The objective is to foster specific ways of building stronger and sustainable scientific and technical capacities for disaster risk reduction in the region.
The regional conference will bring together senior government officials and representatives of intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations as well as private entities. It is hosted by the Republic of Moldova and organized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) with the support of the United Nations’ International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (UN/ISDR), the World Bank through the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), and the Group of the Earth Observations (GEO).
According to an assessment of hydrometeorological services in South Eastern Europe (SEE), to be released on 9 October at the Conference, the total investment required, for instance, for strengthening the NMHSs of seven SEE countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, and Serbia) could be reduced by up to one-third through regional cooperation (from about 90.3 million euros to approximately 63,2 million euros over the next five years).
The assessment was undertaken within the scope of the South Eastern Europe Disaster Risk Mitigation and Adaptation Programme. The programme is a collaborative initiative developed by the World Bank and the Secretariat of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), the World Meteorological Organization, the European Commission, the Council of Europe, the Council of Europe Development Bank, the Finnish Meteorological Institute and other partners. (The report can be accessed at the following website: http://www.unisdr.org/europe/eu-publications/isdr-pub-eu.html)
Natural hazards cannot be avoided, but timely, accurate and high-quality scientific prediction of hydro-climate extremes helps societies to prepare for and mitigate disasters. Early warnings and forecasts providing adequate lead time are a key component to increase human safety and to reduce the socioeconomic and environmental impact of natural hazards.
The report points out that in order to optimize the adaptation to climate variability and change, it is necessary to integrate risk and uncertainty in decision support tools. Scientists of the NMHSs are part of social and technical systems, and can effectively provide regional and local data on climate change by interpreting model results for stakeholders and by working across disciplines.
The report sets out compelling reasons for government and private-sector efforts to strengthen NMHSs, and illustrates why such efforts must not be seen as merely a national expenditure, but rather as an investment in national and regional development. Assuming a conservative learning curve for improvement of services in SEE countries and exploitation of them among the economic sectors a realistic total economic effect over 10 years could be between €450 million and €790 million.
The Conference will be opened by H.E. Mr Ion Dodon, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova. Other speakers to address the opening session include Mr Alexander Bedritsky, President of WMO; Mrs Vileta Ivanova, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Moldova; Mr Salvano Briceño, Director of UNISDR; Dr Tsirkunov, Senior Environmental Engineer, Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Department, World Bank; Mr José Achache, Secretariat Director, Group on Earth Observations; Mrs Eugenia Kistruga, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova; and Mr Valeriu Cazac, Director, State Hydrometeorological Service of the Republic of Moldova.
According to WMO President Alexander Bedritsky, “the role of NMHSs is critical in addressing challenges related to natural hazards caused by climate variability and change, since accurate and timely weather -, climate- and water-related products and services are prerequisites for the successful formulation and implementation of adaptive response policies and measures, especially to climate extremes”.
For WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud, “the information and services provided by NMHSs are vital for preventing and mitigating the impact of natural hazards, and need to be strengthened in a sustainable way. This requires awareness, recognition and support by decision-makers and all stakeholders in disaster risk management at the national, regional and international levels.”
Salvano Briceño, Director of the UN/ISDR Secretariat, sees the conference as “a concrete regional effort to improve the capacity of European countries to better protect their populations against climate disasters which will be more severe and frequent in the future. Institutions need to work closer together to implement efficient disaster risk reduction policies that will save lives and reduce economic losses against disasters.”
It is anticipated that the outcome of the meeting will contribute to international deliberations on disaster risk reduction, notably during World Climate Conference-3, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 31 August to 4 September 2009.
On the day preceding the Regional Conference, new facilities of the State Hydrometeorological Services will be inaugurated in the presence of the President of the Republic of Moldova, H.E. Mr Vladimir Voronin.
For more information please contact:
at WMO: Ms Carine Richard-Van Maele, Chief, Communications and Public Affairs. Tel.:+41 (0)22 730 83 15; cpa[at]wmo.int ; or Ms Gaëlle Sévenier, Press Officer. Tel. +41 (0) 22 730 8417; gsevenier@wmo.int Web site : www.wmo.int
at UN/ISDR: Brigitte Leoni, Media Relations, Tel: +41 22 917 8897, leonib@un.org. website: www.unisdr.org
at World Bank: Shirley Geer, sgeer@worldbank.org www.gfdrr.org