Asian cities reaffirm commitment to mainstreaming disaster risk management in urban development and governance
More than 300 delegates representing different cities and international agencies congregated at the Asia Megacities Forum 2009 in Mumbai, India from April 22 to 24. The theme for this year’s forum was mainstreaming disaster risk management in urban development and governance. Representatives from Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Nepal, Philippines and Turkey discussed and shared recent case studies and experiences in urban risk reduction from a wide range of perspectives and hazards including earthquakes, floods, tropical cyclones, tsunamis and effects of climate change such as temperature increases in urban centers and sea level rise. Several sessions were structured around sharing of knowledge between cities and improving city-to-city networking and exchanges.
At the end of the Forum, the delegates declared to continue dedicating efforts towards reducing urban risk in their respective localities, recognizing the primary responsibility of local authorities to “provide secure and safe living environment to residents.” In this light, the delegates identified short- to long-term steps that urban governments must undertake. This includes the establishment of a nodal agency for disaster risk management, conduct of vulnerability and risk assessments, active interaction with other cities, and meaningful engagement with stakeholders, among others.
Mr. Vinay Kumar, Secretary from India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, closed the Forum by highlighting the importance of finding synergies among the many initiatives at the national, state, local and community levels. As a parting message, he noted that: “Whatever little we can do must be done now.”
The Forum was co-organized by the Government of Maharashtra, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), Indian Institute of Technology-Mumbai, and EMI. The event also served as the kickoff for a two-year collaborative undertaking between MCGM and EMI aimed at reducing disaster risks in India’s financial capital.