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UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE
Resilience to disasters for
sustainable development
UNECE
taking action to
protect lives and
livelihoods

UNECE activities
that contribute to
better disaster-risk
management
All the countries of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) region,
including the most developed, are vulnerable to disasters. In the European Union, almost
100 billion euros were lost to disasters over the past decade. In Germany alone, the
floods of June 2013 caused economic losses of over 10 billion euros, while in the Russian
Federation the 2010 heat wave resulted in over 15,000 casualties. From 2001 to 2011
Tajikistan suffered economic losses from disasters equivalent to almost 60 per cent of the
foreign aid the country received over the same period.
The United Nations Plan of Action on Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience calls on
the United Nations system, both as individual organizations and collectively, to “make
disaster risk reduction a priority”. UNECE work plays a crucial role in disaster preparedness
in its region and — through its recommendations, treaties and best practice — well
beyond its boundaries. Many UNECE activities set out binding rules and obligations for
States and international organizations that contribute to a more sustainable and resilient
pattern of development.
UNECE also promotes the increased implementation of international standards
and other risk management tools by all stakeholders. A first outcome of this work is
the UNECE Recommendation on “Crisis Management in Regulatory Systems” that
presses governments to design and implement crisis management functions as part of
the regulatory frameworks of all key economic sectors, integrating best practice from
international standards in the management of emergencies.
Through its Group of Experts on Risk Management in Regulatory Frameworks, UNECE
is currently launching an ambitious collaboration with the United Nations Office for
Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and with standards organizations to make standardized
guidelines supporting disaster risk reduction (DRR) more readily available and accessible
to authorities, policymakers, small and medium-sized enterprises, non-governmental
organizations, universities and local communities.

Disasters such as floods know no borders, so
effective response requires transboundary or
regional coordination and cooperation. The UNECE
environmental treaties are a key tool in this area,
helping countries to better cooperate with their
neighbours and increase the overall effectiveness
and efficiency of each member’s activities.Through
its activities, UNECE and its partners will help
United Nations Member States better implement
the post-2015 framework for DRR to be adopted in
Sendai, Japan, in March 2015.

Ninety per cent of
disasters are water-
related
Floods, droughts and windstorms are the
mostfrequentlyoccurringnaturaldisaster
events and account for almost 90 per
cent of the 1,000 most disastrous events
since 1990. The UNECE Convention on
the Protection and Use of Transboundary
Watercourses and International Lakes
(Water Convention), which entered
into force in 1996 and was opened for
accession to all United Nations Member States in 2013, obliges Parties to prevent,
control and reduce transboundary impacts, including those potentially resulting from
floods and from unilaterally decided flood protection measures, such as dams.
Since 2010, following the elaboration of the Guidance on Water and Adaptation to
Climate Change, the Water Convention has been coordinating a programme of pilot
projects and a global platform for testing new methodologies and sharing experience
on climate change adaptation and DRR in transboundary basins. These pilot projects
deliver clear DRR benefits. For example, the“Climate Change and Security in the Dniester
River Basin” project, jointly implemented by UNECE and OSCE, aims at managing floods
that may cross borders, taking into account both current climate variability and long-
term impacts of climate change on flood risks. Several DRR measures have been and
will be implemented. A Strategic Framework for Adaptation to Climate Change in the
Dniester River Basin has been elaborated, trees have been planted to reduce flood risk,
automatic monitoring stations will be installed in the river basin and a joint platform for
transboundary data exchange will be created. A similar project, targeting the Sava
River Basin developed a programme for Flood Risk Management Plan (FRMP) in
accordance with the EU Floods Directive (2007/60/EC), as well as with the UNECE
Guidelines on Sustainable Flood Prevention.
The lessons learned from these pilot projects are shared through the annual workshops
of the Global Network of Basins Working on Climate Change Adaptation, established by
UNECE in cooperation with the International Network of River Basins (INBO) in 2012. The
Global Network currently involves 14 member basins, including from outside the
UNECE region, including the Chu-Talas, Danube, Dniester, Neman, Rhine, Mekong,
Niger, Sava, Congo and Senegal Basins. A collection of good practices and lessons
learned will be published in 2015.

Housing and land management policies for resilient
communities
Cities, infrastructures and buildings are constantly and increasingly exposed to hardships
posed by natural phenomena and human-induced disasters, including weather-related
events, such as floods, landslides, sea level rise and erosion. Unpredictable events such as
earthquakes will also continue to hit cities hard. Sound urban planning and safe building
prevent disastrous effects and save lives.
UNECE, through its Housing and Land Management Programme, is addressing disaster
risk prevention and mitigation in cities by integrating and mainstreaming DRR into
relevant policies and building standards. Activities include regional forums and urban
planning guidelines for DRR, in particular for coastal cities. Recently UNECE has
begun collaborating with the University of Geneva to integrate natural sciences
into urban planning in order to build resilient communities.
UNECE work in this area also includes capacity-building events and advice to individual
countries, including on informal settlements, published in its country profiles on housing
and land management. Eighteen country profiles have been published to date.
In 2014–2016, national workshops are being organized in Armenia, the Republic of
Moldova, Serbia and Tajikistan in cooperation with the United Nations Human
Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and UNISDR.

Environmental assessments help prevent disasters
When moving forward with a proposed plan, project or policy, it is essential to put in place
measures to prevent, reduce and control significant adverse environmental impacts. The
Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo
Convention) and its Protocol on Strategic Environmental Assessment (Protocol on SEA)
provide a set of requirements for a formal process to put preventative actions in place,
taking into account both environmental and health effects. According to the Espoo
Convention, the implementation phase should also include a post-project analysis, i.e.,
monitoring and risk management measures.
Experience shows that, despite preventive measures, natural disasters, terrorist attacks
or simple human error cannot be excluded and these may lead to large scale
accidents. However, although its frequency may be below one million per year, the risk
of a very-low-probability-but-particularly-severe accident — such as occurred in
Fukushima, Japan, in 2011 — should not be ignored.
Both the Convention and its Protocol were developed with the belief that “to prevent is
better than to cure”. For example, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process
for a nuclear installation includes evaluation of the safety of infrastructure and the
impacts on the environment in case of a severe natural disaster, such as an earthquake or
flooding, and the EIA documentation includes specific measures to prevent the risks
and manage them, should they occur. Similarly, carrying out a strategic
environmental assessment (SEA) procedure for energy plans in regions with rich
hydropower potential allows for the early consideration of the cumulative effects of
several planned hydro-power schemes in the region. The SEA procedure takes a holistic
approach to the development of the region and the sector, including, for example,
specific measures to address the changing flows of migratory fish and to avoid soil
erosion and recommendations on the time schedule of the different projects.

Low
Fires
High
Low
Landslides
High
Low
Earthquakes MMI
High
Low
Floods
High
Disaster prone areas in the UNECE region
Source: UNISDR: Preventionweb, compiled by UNECE (multiple hazards: earthquakes, fires, landslides and floods)

Preserving human rights in disaster situations
Effective DRR is only possible if the public has timely access to adequate information on
the potential risks of and actions for mitigating disasters; if they can effectively participate
in decision-making on proposed DRR projects, plans and laws; and if those responsible
can be held accountable for all matters related to potential and past disasters.
Parties to the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in
Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention)
and its Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) are obliged to
effectively disseminate all relevant information that would help the public take measures
to prevent or lessen harm in the event of an imminent threat to human health or the
environment. When public authorities develop emergency preparedness plans, and
establish a system of notification of relevant services (including local governments, fire
and medical services), the public must be given the opportunity to participate effectively.
Furthermore, training and guidance for personnel responsible for the management of
hazardous substances must be carried out.
In this context, a number of the 56 Aarhus Centres operational in 14 UNECE countries
are currently developing activities to raise awareness and strengthen national capacity
for disaster preparedness and risk reduction in cooperation with the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The Aarhus Convention has also inspired civil society actors beyond the UNECE region
to apply its principles in various areas, including violations of human rights in the event
of disasters. In particular, the Santa Fe Declaration on Disaster Risk Reduction of 12
November 2014, which calls upon States to set up a culture of resilience based on
human rights at all stages of a disaster, acknowledges the usefulness of the Aarhus
Convention in disaster situations.

When industrial accidents cross borders
The 41 Parties to the Industrial Accidents Convention — fromWestern, Eastern and South-
Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia — work together to prevent, prepare for
and respond to industrial accidents, especially those with transboundary consequences.
These accidents may be the consequence of human activity, or may be triggered by
natural disasters. Under the Industrial Accidents Convention, Parties have to work first of
all at the national level, for example by setting up early warning systems, mandating the
operators of large industrial installations to take precautionary measures, or preparing
contingency plans for immediate response. This explicitly includes public participation
in the decision-making and in emergency planning and exercises.
Parties also have to work internationally on joint emergency plans, mutual assistance,
public awareness and ensuring that the public, including that of other potentially
affected countries, can take part in decision-making. In practice, Parties to the Convention
exchange technology and information and identify actions that may save lives in the
event of an accident, such as facilitating the transport of equipment and personnel
across borders during emergencies.
The Convention has been publicized via a recently released “summary in cartoons” and
a short film, and online training materials have been developed to further promote
awareness. Since 2000, the Convention has been complemented by an Assistance
Programme, to support countries with economies in transition in implementing the
Convention’s provisions. The Danube Delta region has received special attention, with
projects that aim at managing potential transboundary emergencies, and a field exercise
on response to accidental water pollution is planned for September 2015.

Measurement of extreme events and disasters
When an extreme event or disaster occurs National Statistical Offices have to quickly
provide data on the population, areas and businesses affected. The coordinated delivery
of good quality data helps to define the type of actions to be taken for an effective
recovery of the affected areas. This can help to save lives and reduce economic losses.
Another role of official statistics is to provide information on the impacts of disasters for
risk management.
UNECEcoordinatesthestatisticsintheUNECEregionthroughtheConferenceofEuropean
Statisticians (CES) and its Bureau and the Database of International Statistical Activities.
In October 2014 the CES Bureau undertook an in-depth review of international work
on measuring extreme events and disasters, based on a paper by Mexico. The review
emphasized several priority action areas, including: institutional cooperation with
mapping agencies to integrate statistical data with geographical information; honouring
statistical confidentiality when detailed information is needed quickly for disaster relief;
and the need for common classifications and definitions for extreme events and disasters
for statistical purposes. In this regard the Framework for the Development of Environment
Statistics (FDES) has been identified as an important reference document.
As a next step, the UNECE, in consultation with Mexico, Eurostat, the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and UNISDR, will develop a
proposal for further work related to official statistics and measuring extreme events and
disasters, in order to address issues identified by the in-depth review.
©Shutterstock

Protecting forests, protecting lives
Environmental and disaster risk reduction are often addressed separately.
However, forest ecosystems have shown that an integrated approach is essential.
Forests exercise key protective functions, which prevent disasters. These include
protection from erosion and avalanches, conserving ecosystems, filtering air and
protecting and filtering water. Sustainable forest management is not only a tool to
maintain healthy and growing forests, it also allows forests to maintain their protective
functions, which are critical for the well-being of the society.
To protect this resource and the benefits it brings, UNECE organizes training and
awareness raising events for more resilient forest ecosystems and sustainable forest
policies and institutions, develops and maintains databases for the management of
wild-land fires and promotes awareness of the economic and environmental value of
forests and forestry resources.
UNECE, ithrough its joint programme with the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), implements a very comprehensive programme of work to monitor
the state of forests and develop sound policies and tools for their sustainable
management. The work is supported by an extended network of experts in different
forest-related fields. Among recent outputs are a study on forest-fire issues in the region,
and a White Paper on the State of Wildfires and Fire Management in Forests and Other
Vegetation Resources in the UNECE Region, both developed in close cooperation with
the Global Fire Monitoring Center. At the global level, the experts also prepared and
contributed to the implementation of the Fire Aviation Guidelines and the International
Wildfire Preparedness Mechanism.

A UNECE toolkit for the implementation of the Sendai
framework
Prosperity can only be built on a solid foundation of security and stability, but can be
wiped away in minutes as a consequence of both natural and man-made disasters, not
counting the immeasurable human suffering and environmental degradation that may
result.
Sustainable development in its economic, environmental and social dimensions also
relies on the solid management of disaster risks. This is because disasters
exacerbate poverty, affecting disproportionately the most vulnerable, who often live in
exposed areas such as informal settlements erected with no regard to building codes.
Disasters also have a devastating impact upon fragile eco-systems, destroy schools
and hospitals affecting health and educational outcomes, and result in increased social
tensions and weakened institutional support systems for social policy.
UNECE works to ensure that social and economic progress go hand in hand with a
better disaster risk management. Weak and under-resourced systems and infrastructure
in sectors ranging from housing to energy networks, from trade and transport hubs to
information technology, compromise the capacity to manage any risk, including disaster
risks. UNECE activities not only strengthen these systems’ capacity to deliver services in
normal times, they also reduce disaster risks, build resilience and enable countries to
cope with and recover from disasters when they occur.

For more information, please contact us at:
UNECE Information Unit
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone: + 41 22 917 4444
Fax: + 41 22 917 0505
E-mail: info.ece@unece.org
Website: http://www.unece.org/env/welcome.html
Resiliencetodisastersfor
sustainabledevelopmentUNECE
takingactiontoprotectlivesandlivelihoods
Designed and Printed at United Nations, Geneva – 1501698 (E) – March 2015 – 1,000 – ECE/INF/NONE/2015/2

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