Making Historic Cities Resilient

Jerry VelasquezChief of Section, Advocacy and Outreach

Disaster Management Cycle

Build back better

DRR in all parts of the cycle

Disaster Risk Management Cycle

Small scale but frequent disasters equally more destructive

46 percent of the schools, 54 percent of the health facilities, 80 percent of the roads and more than 90 percent of the water, sewer and power installations damaged or

destroyed in frequently occurring extensive disasters

Sendai Framework Innovations

• Shift from disaster loss to disaster risk

• Shift from “what to do?” to “how to do?”

• Primary responsibility of States for DRR

• Shared responsibility for DRR with stakeholders

• Understanding, tackling disaster risk drivers;

• Promotes “culture of disaster prevention”

• Incorporates culture in DRR actions

• Strong call for “cultural heritage protection”

Sendai Framework, Culture and Heritage• Expected outcome: “The substantial reduction of disaster

risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries”

• Goal: “Prevent new and reduce existing disaster risk through the implementation of integrated and inclusive economic, structural, legal, social, health, cultural, educational, environmental, technological, political and institutional measures that prevent and reduce hazard exposure and vulnerability to disaster, increase preparedness for response and recovery, and thus strengthen resilience”

Sendai Framework, Culture and Heritage• Principles: “Managing the risk of disasters is aimed at

protecting persons and their property, health, livelihoods and productive assets, as well as cultural and environmental assets, while promoting and protecting all human rights, including the right to development”

• Principles: “A gender, age, disability and cultural perspective in all policies and practices; and the promotion of women and youth leadership; in this context, special attention should be paid to the improvement of organized voluntary work of citizens”

Sendai Framework, Culture and Heritage• Priorities for action: “Systematically evaluate, record,

share and publicly account for disaster losses and understand the economic, social, health, education, environmental and cultural heritage impacts, as appropriate, in the context of event-specific hazard-exposure and vulnerability information”

• Priorities for action: “Protect or support the protection of cultural and collecting institutions and other sites of historical, cultural heritage and religious interest”

Sendai Framework, Culture and Heritage• Priorities for action: “Tailor (early warning systems) to

the needs of users, including social and cultural requirements, in particular gender. Promote the application of simple and low-cost early warning equipment and facilities and broaden release channels for natural disaster early warning information”

Melaka, Malaysia

In 2006 close to 50% of the land area at Melaka state was flooded

Canary Islands, Spain

San Cristobal de La Laguna

Barcelona, Spain

Supporting 2670+ cities globally

People

Cities w/Million Pop

Objective

Achieve resilient, sustainable urban communities through actions taken by local governments to reduce disaster risk.

Know More

Invest Wisely

Build More Safely

Expected Results

• Increased awareness and actions mobilized by local governments to reduce risk and build resilience;

• Stronger recognition and actions at local level for of DRR as integral to planning on climate risk management and sustainable development;

• More integrated approach towards local resilience compared to sectoral programming;

• Critical assets and infrastructures in cities are identified and action taken.

Largest global movement of cities

2670+

What Made it Work

2,600 cities from 98

countries

17 advocates32 key partners

23 role model cities12 champions

LGSAT Ten EssentialsCity Resilience Scorecard

The “Ten Essentials” Critical and Interdependent

Foundational Essentials

1. Organise for 3. Strengthen financialdisaster resilience capacity for resilience

2. Identify, understand and usecurrent and future risk scenarios

Tool: Metrics & Assessment

Only globally available tool to help local governments assess their DRR plans and activities

41 questions based on the Five Priorities of the Hyogo Framework for Action and the corresponding local-level Ten Essentials for Making Cities Resilient;

Scoring on scale of 1-5 (ascending order based on achievements/progress)

Local Government Self Assessment Tool700 City Reports

Achievements so far..• 850 municipalities in 62 countries have dedicated

responsibility for disaster risk reduction, backed with budget allocations.

• 2/3 cities have incorporated disaster risk analysis in local development planning.

• Cities from 24 countries addressing safety of their schools and hospitals

• 45 city-to-city learning events facilitated through the Campaign

DRR Progress in Cities

Progress on governance is high in Europe and Americas; Financing is lagging behind in most regions, but most significantly in relation to progress in other areas in Americas and Europe. Africa scores relatively high on urban planning and building compared to its progress in other areas. The absolutely highest score gets risk assessments in Europe. The lowest score is for recovery and rebuilding in the Middle East.

Local Empowerment by National Govts

Comparison is based on the 11 specific indicators in the National HFA reports that empower local governments.

Tool: Risk and hazard mapping

Tool: Loss accounting – 744 cities

Colombo and Kandy – housing damageIstanbul – cause of losses

JERRY VELASQUEZ

CHIEF, Advocacy and Outreach Section

United Nations office for Disaster Risk Reduction