In its message for the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, the title called for greater cooperation in this regard, especially for developing countries.
He stressed that effective disaster risk reduction depends on international cooperation and global solidarity, as it is related to ensuring fair and equitable access to vaccines for all.
Likewise, he said, it is essential to significantly increase funding and support for climate change adaptation and resilience development, and to comply with the provisions of the Sendai Framework.
The UN Secretary-General noted that weak governance, increasing poverty, loss of biodiversity, collapse of ecosystems and rapid, unplanned urbanization are interrelated factors of disaster risk.
He stressed that if left unaddressed, it exacerbates the severity and frequency of disasters, increases the need for humanitarian assistance, and stands in the way of global efforts to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, adapt to climate change, and make better progress.
The headline warned that warning of a storm or heat wave just 24 hours before a storm or heat wave could cut damage by 30 percent, but many low- and middle-income countries lack adequate early warning systems.
In addition, he stressed that when a disaster strikes, health systems and weak infrastructure make them even more vulnerable and decades of development progress can vanish in an instant.
“Building resilience to climate change and reducing disaster risk and loss is vital to saving lives and livelihoods, eradicating poverty and hunger, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”
For small island developing states, Guterres said, it’s about surviving amid warming oceans, rising seas and more storms.
On this International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, let us pledge to collaborate to build a safer and more resilient world.
ACL / IFB
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