Natural Hazards, UnNatural Disasters – Economics of Effective Prevention
- Date & Time: Wednesday 11 May (13:15 - 14:45)
- Room: 2
- Participation: Open
- Organizer: Organized by the World Bank
- Interpretation: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish
Description
Should all disasters be prevented? Do disasters increase or decrease conflict? Does foreign aid help or hinder prevention? The answers are not what you might think. The report Natural Hazards, UnNatural Disasters: Economics of Effective Prevention, asks not only the tough questions, but also some unexpected ones. Earthquakes, droughts, floods, and storms are natural hazards, but unnatural disasters are the deaths and damages resulting from human acts of omission. Every disaster is unique, but each exposes actions that, had they been different, would have resulted in fewer deaths and less damage. The report argues that prevention is possible, and examines what it takes to do this cost-effectively. Cautious, but not alarmist, the report peers into the future and finds that growing cities and a changing climate will shape the disaster prevention landscape.
Chair/Moderator/Faciliator
Mr. Jordan Ryan, Assistant Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (CHAIR)
Mr. Matthias Frei, Correspondent and Presenter, BBC America (MODERATOR)
Speakers
Dr. Apurva Sanghi, Senior Economist and Team Leader, World Bank
Mr. Dato Seri Mohamed Aziz, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Malaysia
Ms. María del Pilar Cornejo, Minister, National Secretariat for Risk Management, Ecuador
Mr. Kenichi Suganuma, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations in Geneva
Ms. Vanessa Rosales Ardón, President, National Commission for Risk Prevention and Emergency Response, Costa Rica
Report