Key takeaways:
- What is a National Risk Register?
- Climate activism begins at home and contributes to climate resilience.
- Sendai Framework, or the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS).
- Taiwan’s emergency preparedness
You probably wouldn’t purchase real estate close to an active volcano, regardless of the price, unless you were the fictional superhero ‘Firestorm.’ However, there is a greater probability of you purchasing a home near a dormant volcano, considering the likelihood of reduced risks and emergency disaster preparedness in the event of such natural chaos.
What is significant in the above scenario would be the activation of the volcano years later and whether you’re made aware by proper authorities. Most probably, in a situation where your home is insured, your insurer would serve as a primary or secondary early warning indicator of such risk through rising premiums or provide notice of non-renewal and etc.
Recent surveys shed light on these specific points regarding awareness. In the United States, 51% of adults claimed readiness for disasters, with 57% taking three or more preparedness actions (Chart 1). Conversely, a 2021 Canadian poll conducted by Ipsos SA and commissioned by the Canadian Federal Government focused on emergency preparedness, revealing that 21% of Canadians are unaware of weather-related risks, while only 4% perceive living in high-risk areas.
Regardless of the percentage differential between both nations’ readiness for natural disasters, policymakers have a role to play in devising optimal disaster preparedness measures and early warning systems to address any natural disaster. Large corporations must also contribute to community resilience efforts to protect both daily operations and shareholder investments.
To accelerate climate resilience and expedite the global transition to a decarbonized world, climate activism can pivot and rethink climate resilience by scrutinizing policymakers not only during the Conference of the Parties (COP) but also by addressing the central challenge at hand: an ‘A’ grade ‘National Risk Register Report’ that serves as an exemplary emergency preparedness tool worthy of emulation.
So, what is a National Risk Register (NRR)? Simply put, it is a nation’s assessment of disaster risk or risks that threaten the livelihood, social, health, economic, or critical infrastructure of a nation, along with recommendations and preparedness advice to mitigate or reverse these risks.
For many developing and some developed countries, as noted by the Sendai Framework, which complements other key global agreements such as the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, the New Urban Agenda, and the Sustainable Development Goals, there are major shortfalls and tracks to follow in reaching improvements such as:
a) Increasing awareness of disaster risk by nations
b) Establishing resilient disaster risk governance to oversee disaster risk
c) Allocating resources to reduce disaster vulnerability
d) Strengthening disaster preparedness for efficient reaction (e.g., early warning and risk information – see Chart 2) is crucial to facilitate the process of restoration, renewal, and rebuilding.
The above shortfalls and road to improvement grants not only the benefit Mother Earth desires but also focuses and links the challenges climate activists aim to tackle – climate resilience.
To enhance climate resilience, climate activists in both developing and developed countries should engage and hold policymakers and corporations accountable using their region’s National Risk reports, the Sendai Framework, or the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS). Additionally, climate activist should prepare for the upcoming UN Disaster Losses and Damages Tracking System.
It wasn’t long ago when ‘Google’s Android Earthquake Alert System’ failed Turkey, resulting in over 60,000 deaths. Climate activism begins at home and contributes to climate resilience. It’s not sufficient to possess these wonderful tools; rather, they must be utilized to scrutinize and hold policymakers accountable for inadequate disaster risk planning.
A great model for weather-related emergencies or disaster prevention is Taiwan’s emergency preparedness, which builds on resilience through mobile and digital technologies, and can be accessed through the Taipei City Disaster Prevention Info Website. Equipped with a mobile app, it offers everything from CCTV views of districts to alert functionality, providing disaster warning messages, weather and water monitoring information, hazard maps, and much more. (see Taipei City Disaster Prevention – App Screens)
As COP29 approaches in Baku, Azerbaijan, I have one question for you: How prepared is your community or region against climate-related risks, and are you ready for an evacuation? Let’s reconsider climate activism for a better tomorrow.
