WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
___________________________
RA I/TCC-21/Doc. 6.4
(25.XI.2015)
__________
RA I TROPICAL CYCLONE COMMITTEE
FOR THE SOUTH-WEST INDIAN OCEAN
TWENTY FIRST SESSION
ITEM 6.4
ST. DENIS, LA REUNION
28 SEPTEMBER – 2 OCTOBER 2015
Original: ENGLISH
REVIEW OF THE TECHNICAL PLAN AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMME
Disaster Risk Reduction component
(Submitted by the Secretariat)
Summary and purpose of document
This document presents summarized information and suggestions to assist the
Committee in reviewing the meteorological component of the Technical Plan to
strengthen the meteorological facilities and services in the South-West Indian
Ocean region.
ACTION PROPOSED
The Committee is invited to:
(a)
(b)
Adopt the draft text for inclusion in the general summary;
Financial implication: None;
__________________
RA I/TCC-21/Doc.6.4, p2
6.4
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030
6.4.1
The Committee noted the adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk
Reduction 2015-2030 by 187 countries at the Third United Nations World Conference on
Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) held in Sendai, Japan, from 14 to 18 March 2015, and its
enormous significance to the DRR priority of WMO. The new Framework addresses four
priorities for action:
1.
Understanding disaster risk;
2.
Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk;
3.
Investing in disaster risk reduction (DRR) for resilience; and,
4.
Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and to “Build Back
Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction;
and defines the role of stakeholders and of international cooperation and global partnerships.
6.4.2
The Committee further noted that WMO Members contribute with a number of
activities and supported by nearly all WMO RAs, TCs, and technical programmes to each
priority for action of the Framework, especially for the priorities for action 1 and 4. While
WMO Members produce forecasts and warnings for hazardous conditions, it is essential that
societies are prepared to act appropriately in response. Education and training is the key to
improving prevention and preparedness for response, recovery, and reconstruction. Early
warning systems (EWS) for natural hazards work only if communities have access to
appropriate systems and information and if the members of those communities know how to
respond when they receive such warning messages. Ensuring access to timely
environmental hazard information and communicating (issuing and disseminating) impactbased forecasts and risk-informed hazard warnings to end-users in a manner that is efficient,
timely, understandable, and actionable are crucial for DRR. Such an approach would require
a framework for standardized and interactive operations and partnerships for preparedness
and response, as well as indicators to monitor processes, performance, and expected
outcomes.
6.4.3
It also highlighted that the Framework’s global target number 7, which reads
“substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems
and disaster risk information and assessments to the people by 2030”, is particularly relevant
to WMO and its DRR priority in particular.
6.4.1 Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Programme
6.4.1(1)
The Committee noted that Cg-17 reiterated that the DRR Programme is crosscutting and inextricably linked to the WMO technical programmes (TPs), TCs and RAs.
Hence, the DRR Programme strives to ensure that the activities of WMO constituent bodies
and programmes and their operational and research networks are aligned when assisting
Members in their efforts to reduce disaster risks and the impacts of hydrometeorologcial
hazards.
The Committee further noted that:
(a)
Cg-17 reconfirmed the establishment of DRR Focal Points of TCs and TPs (including
TCP) as a mechanism to support the WMO-wide coordination of DRR activities and
requested to include DRR focal points from the RAs in this group (now DRR FP RATC-TP); and,
(b)
EC-67 established the EC Working Group on DRR to provide guidance on the
implementation of the DRR Programme.
RA I/TCC-21/Doc.6.4, p3
6.4.1(.2) It was recalled that EC-66 requested the Secretary-General to develop a WMO
DRR Roadmap of prioritized and realistically achievable activities and deliverables that are
consistent with the WMO Strategic and Operating Plans as well as the work plans for
relevant WMO programmes and projects and that a first draft was presented to Cg-17. The
Committee also noted that Cg-17 emphasized that all DRR activities should consider and
leverage existing guidelines, good practices, frameworks, etc. from the TCs and from the
NMHSs.
6.4.1(3)
The Roadmap emphasizes the role WMO and the NMHSs of its Members need
to play in the effective implementation of the Sendai Framework across all levels, sectors
and timescales, including the provision of weather-specific early warnings with improved lead
time, slower onset seasonal or climate-related information and hazard information for risk
assessments, prevention, response, recovery, and risk transfer, including the reduction of
existing risks and preventing the creation of new risks. In this respect, the Committee noted
that the DRR Programme provides assistance to WMO Members through:
(a)
Developing DRR knowledge products (e.g. guidelines, standards, and training
modules) in thematic areas such as hazard and risk assessment, multi-hazard
early warning systems (MHEWS), humanitarian planning and response, and
disaster risk financing;
(b)
Supporting coordinated national and regional DRR capacity development
activities and demonstration projects in these thematic areas; and,
(c)
Promoting, engaging in, and facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships and
forums for DRR at different levels;
6.4.1(4)
The Committee recalled that in order to better define users of different weather,
water and climate services for DRR and their requirements, EC-64 had established WMO
DRR User-Interface Expert Advisory Groups (UI-EAGs) for supporting hazard and risk
assessment, MHEWS, humanitarian assistance, and disaster risk financing. A series of
meetings and deliverables of these groups are under preparation.
6.4.2
International Network for Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (IN-MHEWS)
6.4.2 (1) The Committee noted that in response to the call by the Sendai Framework to
strengthen MHEWS, WMO, together with other United Nations agencies and international
organizations concerned with early warning, has proposed a new multi-stakeholder
partnership initiative to advance MHEWS – the International Network for Multi-Hazard Early
Warning Systems (IN-MHEWS). This network, when established in the course of 2015 and
2016, will facilitate the sharing of knowledge and good practices and making available to
governments and other key stakeholders policy-relevant guidelines to strengthen MHEWS as
a national strategy towards building disaster and climate resilience.
6.4.3
WMO DRR Activities (including MHEWS Initiatives) in the Region
6.4.3(1)
WMO has several initiatives that support DRR, in particular the development and
strengthening of EWS. Examples include further the Severe Weather Forecasting
Demonstration Project (SWFDP), flood EWS, including the Flash Flood Guidance System
(FFGS), and drought EWS and seasonal forecasts, all linking to the Global Framework of
Climate Services (GFCS). WMO is promoting the establishment and strengthening of
institutional collaboration for MHEWS supported by Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
that could facilitate the efficient and effective interaction between and among various key
stakeholders on MHEWS. In this regard, WMO has responded to requests made by the
Governments of Tanzania and Mauritius to assist them in developing and strengthening their
SOP relating to their MHEWS and the related interactions between the NMHSs and other
RA I/TCC-21/Doc.6.4, p4
national actors such as the civil protection authorities. It is expected that the IN-MHEWS will
provide guidance in these endeavours.