WMO’S ROLE IN DISASTER MITIGATION CHALLENGES AS WE PREPARE FOR WORLD CONFERENCE ON NATURAL DISASTER REDUCTION World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Geneva, Switzerland OMM WMO
Mar 27, 2015
WMO’S ROLE IN DISASTER MITIGATION
CHALLENGES AS WE PREPARE FOR WORLD CONFERENCE ON NATURAL DISASTER REDUCTION
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Geneva, Switzerland
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El NiñoEl Niño
Weather, water and climate-related Weather, water and climate-related hazardshazards
Hail&LightningHail&Lightning
AvalanchesAvalanchesFlash floodsFlash floods
TornadoesTornadoes
Wildland firesWildland fires& haze& haze
Hot & cold spellsHot & cold spells
Heavy precipitationsHeavy precipitations(rain or snow)(rain or snow)
DroughtsDroughts
Storm surgesStorm surges
Storm (winds)Storm (winds)
River basin floodingRiver basin flooding
Mud & landslidesMud & landslides
Ice StormsIce Storms
Tropical cyclonesTropical cyclones
Dust stormsDust storms
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Regional distribution of natural disasters Regional distribution of natural disasters (1993-2002)(1993-2002)
Africa21%
Americas20%
Asia42%
Europe14%
Oceania3%
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Distribution of people killed Distribution of people killed (1993-2002)(1993-2002)
High human development
2%
Medium human
development32%
Low human development
66%
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Hydro-meteorological and geophysical Hydro-meteorological and geophysical disasters (1993-2002)disasters (1993-2002)
0 20 40 60 80 100
1
2
3
1- Damage (US$billion) 2- Number affected 3- Number killed
Hydrometeorological disasters Geophysical disasters
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Evolution of natural disasters and their Evolution of natural disasters and their impactsimpacts
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
1970s 1980s 1990s
Nb of reporteddisasters
Nb reported killed(thousands)
Nb reported affected(millions)
Damage (billions US$)
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Climate change - Third IPCC assessment Climate change - Third IPCC assessment report - impactsreport - impacts
In 2100 half of the world population will be under water stress
Subtropical zones: Less precipitations; increased desertification
Tropical zones: Increased health risks
High latitudes: permafrost decrease
Coastal zones: coastal erosion; storm surges; salt water intrusions
Cost of global warming in 2050: 300 billion US Dollars per year (Munich Re)
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Role of WMO in disaster managementRole of WMO in disaster management
Response
Recovery
Mitigation
Prevention
Preparedness
Risk identification
Knowledge management
Risk management applications (agriculture, water resources, etc)
Preparedness and emergency management
Governance support
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Risk IdentificationRisk Identification
Monitoring
Early warnings for weather water or climate
related disasters
Adaptation measures
Vulnerability assessment and Hazard analysis
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Risk Identification: monitoring (1)Risk Identification: monitoring (1)
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Risk Identification: monitoring (2)Risk Identification: monitoring (2)OMM
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Risk Identification: monitoring (3)Risk Identification: monitoring (3)
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Risk Identification: monitoring (4)Risk Identification: monitoring (4)OMM
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Risk Identification: monitoring (5)Risk Identification: monitoring (5)
900 Argo floats in operation by mid-2003. By 2005, some 3 000 floats are planned.
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Risk Identification: Early warnings (1)
Ensemble Pred. tools
120 h
96 h 72 h 48 h 24 h
Global models
Limited Area models
Nowcasting tools
Global models
L.A. models
EPS, Probabilities
Warnings Activities
Nowcasting
Time dependency of forecast methods used for the preparation and maintenance of warnings at DWD (From Thomas Shuman –DWD)
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GLOBAL DATA PROCESSING AND FORECASTING SYSTEMS
Risk Identification: Early warnings (2)
Strike probability (within 65 nm) of
Typhoon Rusa over the next 120 hours.
Starting time of the forecast is 27
August 2002 12 UTC.
Full dots give the observed position over the period 27
August to 1 September 2002
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Risk Identification: Early warnings (3)Risk Identification: Early warnings (3)
Observational data are needed for the study of climate variability and issue of warnings for climate-related disasters - issued from weeks to seasons in advance if adequate climate predictions are available
Regular assessments and authoritative statements on climate variability
Climate alert system for early warnings on pending significant climate anomalies
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Risk Identification: Early warnings (4)Risk Identification: Early warnings (4)
WMO’s World Climate Programme (WCP) is monitoring and issuing El Niño outlooks, which alerts governments to prepare to El Niño related anomalies
Regional Climate Outlook – important development for evaluation of seasonal forecasts
Forums have become regular meetings in some regions, where NMHSs meet to discuss global climate model outputs and develop consensus seasonal forecasts for regional and local use
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Risk Identification: Adaptation measuresRisk Identification: Adaptation measures
Adaptation is a response measure promoted by the UNFCC and early warning systems are one way of reducing vulnerability and enhancing adaptive capacity to weather events and climate change.
Enhanced collaboration is needed between the climate and disaster reduction communities to the implementation of measures as environmental planning, data and information pooling, improved observation systems, best practices exchange, strengthened technical cooperation, and close collaboration with policy makers.
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Risk Identification: Vulnerability Risk Identification: Vulnerability assessmentassessment
Linkage between climate and disaster databases to assess different vulnerabilities.
A pilot project is on going in Chile linking climate with flood disaster databases with the support of WMO through the World Climate Programme as part of the activities of IATF working Groups on Climate and Disasters and on Risk, Vulnerability and Impact Assessment
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Risk Identification: Hazard analysisRisk Identification: Hazard analysis
Improved hazard analysis and hazard mapping are needed to be extended to all countries as a tool for risk communication among policy makers and communities.
Hazard maps are essential to prepare evacuation efficiently and to allow authorities to adjust land use and city planning.
WMO will continue to assist NMHSs in developing and managing climate databases, through the Data Rescue and Climate Database Management Projects.
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Knowledge Management (1)Knowledge Management (1)
Many hazards associated with high-impact weather involve smaller-scale atmospheric phenomena, which exhibit still low predictive skills (e.g., localized heavy precipitation)
Further improvements in the prediction of high-impact weather and in the full utilization of forecast information
WMO’s World Weather Research Programme - support to cooperative international research projects and experiments (e.g. THORPEX)- translate research findings into policy and operational actions for high impact weather phenomena
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Knowledge Management (2)Knowledge Management (2)
User education and awareness are essential:
to increase weather literacy and interest in meteorological topics
to ensure that warnings and forecasts provided by the NMHSs are understood by the intended users
to build up a high level of awareness of hazards and preparedness
to enable emergency management authorities to make well-informed decisions
WMO’s Public Weather Services Programme contributes to this effort for the interpretation of forecasts and warnings
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Risk Management Applications (1)
The WMO’s Technical Commission for Hydrology conducts a project on “Risk Management”
Aim to assist NHSs in implementing risk management practices
Scope to encompasses the application of a set of guidelines and best practice for use byNHSs on risk management
Is a demonstration project which will initially focus on Africa and Asia
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Risk Management Applications (2)Risk Management Applications (2)
The Associated Programme on Flood Management Promotes the concept of Integrated Flood Management across sectors
Collect case studies and conducts pilot projects to mitigate flood-related disasters and to develop community approaches to flood management.
Application of a set of guidelines and best practice for use by NHSs for existing and planned activities in flood management
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Risk Management Applications (3)Risk Management Applications (3)
WMO’s Agricultural Meteorology Programme
Provides guidance on the development of support systems
for sustainable land management and agro-climatic zoning
with the active participation of the Commission for
Agricultural Meteorology.
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Preparedness and emergency managementPreparedness and emergency management
Timely and accurate forecasts and warnings of natural hazards coupled with adequate local preparedness planning are fundamental requirements for disaster reduction
Optimal response to natural disasters requires effective coordination and cooperation between responsible agencies, institutions, officials, the media, political leaders and other players at local, national and international levels
WMO will support the NMHSs to establish and enhance partnerships between NMHSs and the national authorities and organizations involved in the natural disaster reduction activities to improve preparedness and emergency planning
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Governance SupportGovernance Support
Legislation and adequate normative framework are essential to implement risk management.
Political commitment is crucial to allocate the necessary resources.
Contributions of NMHSs need to be integrated in national disaster management plans.
WMO is supporting NMHSs to promote natural disaster reduction and mitigation as national priority action by the Governments.
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Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Programme (1)Programme (1)
Fourteenth WMO Congress (May 2003)
Recognized the significant role WMO and NMHSs play in international disaster reduction activities concerning mitigation of, and preparedness for, natural disasters of meteorological or hydrological origin
Decided to initiate a new WMO major programme on Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (building on all relevant WMO Programmes and activities) as a crosscutting programme to enhance international cooperation and collaboration in the field of natural disaster activities
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Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Programme (2)Programme (2)
To develop an effective and efficient mechanism to provide, in an integrated fashion, the WMO response to the requirements and needs of Members and international community concerning disaster reduction in light of related developments
To encourage and assist Members in developing/enhancing NMHSs contribution to national disaster preparedness programmes in a more fully integrated manner, especially in coordination with national civil defence/disaster coordination offices
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Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Programme (3)Programme (3)
To ensure that activities and results of relevant WMO Programmes are fully used in the process of the WMO’s participation in the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR)
To enhance WMO’s role and recognition as one of the leading international organizations dealing with disaster reduction, in particular through active participation in high-level global fora and related activities
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International Framework (1)International Framework (1)
Natural disasters affect all countries, but burden falls disproportionately on developing countries
Support to natural disaster reduction is both an issue of sustainable development and a matter of environmental justice requiring international solidarity
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International Framework (2)International Framework (2)
ISDR succeeded IDNDR
Several significant Declarations, Agendas and Conventions:
Millennium Declaration
UNFCCC (climate change)
UNCCD (desertification)
Freshwater Agenda
World Summit on Sustainable Development
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Conclusions (1)Conclusions (1)Need for anNeed for an integrated approach integrated approach
National National and regional and regional levellevelss
Role of National Meteorological and Role of National Meteorological and Hydrological ServicesHydrological Services
Cooperation Cooperation across disciplines and agenciesacross disciplines and agencies
Links with academic communityLinks with academic community
International levelInternational level
Between IGOs and NGOs concernedBetween IGOs and NGOs concerned
Capacity building and transfer of technology Capacity building and transfer of technology activitiesactivities
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Conclusions (2)Conclusions (2)Need for anNeed for an integrated approach integrated approach
In multiple domainsIn multiple domains observationsobservations communicationscommunications data processing (incl. NWP)data processing (incl. NWP)……
Accross disciplinesAccross disciplines
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