UN: Prepare for natural disasters despite downturn

The Jakarta Post

Julia Zappei, The Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur | Tue, 12/02/2008 4:07 PM  

Asian governments must invest to mitigate the effects of earthquakes, cyclones and other natural disasters even though the global financial crisis might be sapping state funds, U.N. officials said Tuesday. 

Salvano Briceno, director of the U.N. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, said studies have shown that curbing the consequences of natural disasters costs relatively little and sometimes only involves developing safer locations for human populations. 

"It's not more costs; it's just doing things right with a right approach," Briceno said at a U.N.-backed Asian ministerial conference on disaster management held in Malaysia. 

Briceno said the U.N. has noted the global financial crisis was the latest problem that was "weakening our collective ability to withstand the devastating consequences of disasters." However, authorities in the Asia-Pacific region should maintain disaster mitigation efforts, Briceno said. 

Loren Legarda, a Philippine senator appointed by the U.N. as a campaigner for disaster risk reduction, said countries that invest in catastrophe prevention, awareness and preparedness could ultimately save huge sums for reconstruction. 

"Disasters in the Asia-Pacific region, which is the most vulnerable region in the world, will continue to happen with or without a financial crisis," Legarda told reporters. "Definitely we must make (governments) understand we are cutting losses by being prepared." 

She said China has set an example by spending $3 billion on flood mitigation projects that could prevent estimated losses of about $12 billion if severe floods hit the country. 

The Philippines - which often faces landslides and typhoons, as well as volcanic eruptions - spends about 4 percent of its gross domestic product on post-disaster reconstruction, but could save some of that if it spent more on managing disaster risks, Legarda said.