Round Table Discussion on Urban Risk: Increasing the Effectiveness of Local Action on Risk Reduction and Adaptation
17 June 2009, Geneva, Switzerland
Organized by PURR
The U.N. ISDR is now launching a two-year global campaign for urban disaster risk reduction to support the achievement of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) in urban agglomerations. While the role of local and regional authorities is explicitly recognized in the HFA, the main international mechanisms for policy formulation, program planning, advocacy, awareness and funding have been directed towards central governments. Some of the key impediments that continue to challenge local authorities in carrying out urban risk reduction functions are as follows:
- The role of local authorities is ignored and sometimes seen irrelevant in disaster risk management as the current legal and institutional context tends to emphasize response-oriented approach which traditionally lies under the jurisdiction of a para-military central agency.
- There are a few if any possibilities for local authorities or other local actors to directly access funding for URR projects. International agencies, donors and other funding agencies which consider central governments as their legitimate partners.
- Local governments oftentimes lack adequate institutional capacity and competent human resources to support URR implementation. There are very few learning opportunities and those which exist are not typically geared towards the needs and realities of local authorities.
- The HFA and its related manuals such as “Putting Words Into Action” are geared towards central governments. A similar effort should be directed towards providing the technical resources that are suitable to local authorities and other local stakeholders.
- Local actors, including local governments, community organizations, and the private sector are critical to the implementation of the HFA at local levels yet have not been well represented in the development of the HFA to date.
The Partnership for Urban Risk Reduction (PURR) was created to promote and lobby for support on the local implementation of URR within the international community and provide local authorities a venue to enhance their capacities in implementing sound urban risk reduction practices in their respective localities.
PURR is composed of local government organizations and a scientific organization dedicated to the reduction of risk in megacities and urban metropolises: United Cities and Local Governments (UGLG), Metropolis, CityNet, and ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, and the Earthquake and Megacities Initiative (EMI).
As the United Nations convenes the 2nd Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction on 16-19 June 2009, in Geneva, PURR highlights the role of local authorities and other local actors in promoting safe and sustainable cities by organizing a Round Table of Local and Regional Authorities in Urban Risk Reduction.
Presenters and participant will collectively build consensus on issues and priorities relevant to local urban risk reduction as they try to answer the following guide questions:
- What are the changes in governance and in particular in legal and institutional arrangements for urban risk reduction that would enable and operationalize local action and contribute to achieving the mainstreaming of DRR in urban governance and urban development?
- How can we encourage cities and communities to establish local campaigns partnering local authorities, civil society organizations, and the private sector to lead public efforts on risk reduction and adaptation?
- How can local action be more effectively supported by Urge donors and funding organizations to overcome the current weaknesses in human capacity and in providing financing of capital investments to reduce urban risk particularly for poor communities where the interest from the private sector cannot be mobilized?
- How can local actors intervene and contribute more effectively in the global agenda for the planning and formulation of policies and program for DRR and Climate Change such as the UN-ISDR system, UNFCC and others?
- How can a more effective partnerships be put in place between donors, central governments, and local actors and communities to build the the human resources and the competencies and the tools and methods that would help establish a DRM practice at the local level and support the local implementation of the HFA?
The Round Table will be attended by local authorities from different parts of the world especially those that are coming from cities of the developing countries. Mr. Narayan Gopal Malego, Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City in Kathmandu, will sit as the Chair of the roundtable, a representative from UN ISDR will be the Co-Chair while EMI’s Executive Director Dr. Fouad Bendimerad will serve as the facilitator/moderator.
There will also be technical and experience-based inputs from public and non-governmental organizations such as the City Government of Makati in the Philippines, UN Habitat, Citynet, International Labour Organization, ProVention Consortium, and Asian Disaster Preparedness Center.
For more information please visit the Platform's official website here.
Download the Concept Note here.
Read the session report here.
The Partnership for Urban Risk Reduction (PURR) is an ad-hoc coalition of organizations focused on enabling and energizing disaster risk reduction action at the local level. The current partners include: CITYNET, EMI, ICLEI, METROPOLIS, ProVention Consortium and UCLG
