U.N. disaster chief says Japan can play key role in climate change risk reduction

As a nation prone to natural disasters, Japan can play a key role in helping other vulnerable countries prepare for the risks inherent in climate change, says Mami Mizutori.

In a recent interview, Mizutori, head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), explained that Japan is one of a handful of countries contributing to official development assistance (ODA) projects that are designed to help set up early warning systems in developing countries.

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Japan has always been a strong advocate of prevention, given its experience with disasters such as the earthquake and tsunami of 2011. The country hosted all three U.N. conferences on disaster risk reduction that took place in 1994, 2005 and 2015.

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However, early warning systems — including alerts through forecasting services — and the quick and efficient spread of disaster information could reduce the mortality rate. More resources must be allocated to establishing such systems, Mizutori said.

The United Nations has recently set a new goal of providing everyone on the planet with access to an early warning system by 2027. Currently, only about half of the world's nations have such systems in place. The ratio drops to 30% among small-island developing states — which also happen to be the most exposed to climate-induced hazards.

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