Plenary Session 1

Focus Area:

Application of Risk Analytics, Early Warning Systems and EOCs for Risk Reduction through nexus among Scientific Tools, Policy Directives and Practices at local levels

Session Organizers:

Disaster Management Center, Sri Lanka Preparedness Partnership, Asian Preparedness Partnership Member Countries (Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Philippines, Cambodia and Myanmar), Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, and the University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom

Background

Emergency Operation Center (EOC) usually serves as the nerve center for the risk communication and coordination of the emergency response. The EOC serves as the hub for receiving and transmitting/ disseminating of early warnings to all concerned parties and communities at different levels, coordinate response actions, and manage resources by making informed decisions On the other hand, Early Warning Systems (EWS) are an integral component of disaster preparedness, and it has been proven that early actions can prevent loss of life and reduce the economic and infrastructure impacts of disasters¹.

Risk analytics provides a shared understanding of risks for planning and coordination of required risk reduction initiatives and response capacities. Therefore, it is important that the EWS is supported by Risk Analytics about the actual and potential risks that a hazard poses, as well as the measures to be taken to prepare for and respond to its adverse impacts. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015–2030 recognizes the benefits of risk assessment and multi-hazard early warning systems and highlights them in one of its seven global targets (target g): “Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to people by 2030”².

In order to reduce disaster impacts on vulnerable communities, the strengthening of nexus between Risk Analytics, EWS and EOCs is important, and timely policy debate. The role of the research, policy enablers and scaling up of good practices on this arena can specifically accelerate the implementation of Sendai Framework Target G and Target E “Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020” while contributing to achieve target A, B, C, D and F. It is also important to understand how the multiple stakeholders including the government, LNGOs, the civil society organizations, the private sector and the academia have a role to play in strengthening this nexus. With this regard, the plenary session on ‘Science, Policy and Practice Nexus for Risk Analytics, Early Warning Systems and Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs): Perspectives from the Asian Countries’ is being organized and will lead to multi-sectoral interaction and overall collaboration between multiple stakeholders for promoting locally-led actions.

Session Objectives

The plenary session will bring together perspectives from different Asian countries on current practices in Risk Analytics, EWS and EOCs and their nexus and applications while keeping research, policy and good practices as enablers for accelerating the SFDRR implementation.
Key objectives of the session are as follows:

• To share good practices in usage of Risk Analytics in Early Warning Systems and EOCs from South and South-East Asia;
• To discuss the role of multiple stakeholders in strengthening nexus of locally-led EWSs, EOCs and Risk Analytics; and
• To promote the linkages between research, policy and practice for strengthening the nexus between EWS, EOC and Risk Analytics.

Session Plan

Co-chairs:
• Major General (Retd.) Sudantha Ranasinghe; Director General (DG), Disaster Management Center (DMC), Ministry of Defense, Government of Sri Lanka
• Prof. Richard Haigh, Professor in Disaster Risk Management, University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom

Panellists:

• Mr. Hans Guttman, Executive Director, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), Bangkok, Thailand
• Mr. Muhammad Idrees, Member, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Pakistan
• Ms. Veronica Gabaldon, Executive Director, Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), Philippines
• Mr. Sushil Bhandari, Section Officer, NEOC, Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), Nepal
• Ms. Thiri Maung, Deputy Director, Emergency Operation Center, Department of Disaster Management (DDM) Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Myanmar

Tentative Session Schedule

TBC

Please visit the below link to register for this plenary session
Symposium Registration