The South Asia Policy Dialogue on the theme ‘Early Warning and Anticipatory Action for Accelerating Risk Mitigation’, annually organised by the Duryog Nivaran Network, will be held tomorrow (28) in Colombo.
The Dialogue is to highlight and explore emerging critical issues and crucial matters associated with disaster risk reduction and climate resilience at both the local and global levels. The event will be held from 3.15 p.m.-6 p.m. at a Colombo hotel.
The increase in human-induced climate change-related incidents across the globe has led to more extreme weather and climate conditions resulting in intensified hazards and disasters. This highlights that the need for effective multi-hazard early warning systems (EWS) are more crucial than ever before.
The World Meteorological Organisation states that effective EWS can save lives and reduce damage by 30% if activated 24 hours before the event. Many countries have made significant investments in expanding early warning coverage. At present, the challenge is to ensure that EWS are inclusive, people-centred, and actionable. Gender-responsive, community centred, inclusive, and effective EWS to enhance disaster risk reduction efforts are important.
The dialogue seeks to identify gaps, challenges, and best practices in EWS, governance mechanisms, and risk information usage in the region. Through discussions on inclusive early warning, early action and anticipatory action, the event will provide a platform for sharing tools, strategies, and recommendations to enhance people-centred effective early warning and early action systems. The event will feature representatives from organisations giving early warnings about disaster risk management from South and East Asia.
Among the key speakers are Regional Researcher – Remote Sensing and Disaster Risk Specialist from the International Water Management Institute Dr. Niranga Alahacoon, and Disaster Management Centre Director General (Retired) Major General Sampath Kotuwegoda, along with a panel of speakers who will share their experiences on country specific experiences.
The interactive panel discussion will be held on early warning, gender and anticipatory action for displaced communities with an emphasis on the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) experiences, and localisation efforts of early warning.
The panelists include All India Disaster Mitigation Institute Director Mihir Bhatt, IRC Bangladesh Country Director Hasina Rahman, Asian Disaster Reduction and Response Network Chair Takeshi Komino, and leading experts from the World Food Programme Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Drinking Water Research Foundation, Nepal.