Kathmandu, February 18
A panel discussion was organised by Pakistan’s leading think tank ‘Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Oxfam in Pakistan at the World Social Forum, Kathmandu on February 17.
The speakers called for integrating anticipatory disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) approaches with climate science to make sure that more lives are protected from climatic disasters.
According to a press statement released on February 17, the speakers said that the incidence of climatic hazards and disasters is increasing which plunges communities into vulnerability to disasters and is causing losses and damages.
It added that globally acclaimed climate justice expert Harjeet Singh said that the temperatures are the determining factor of climate change which calls for analysing science so that humans can better adapt and prepare the communities against climatic hazards and disasters.
It quoted him saying, “Science gives the ‘why’ answer. While climate change is creating new poor with more marginalities, there is a need to opt for nature-based solutions for adaptation. “
Likewise, the Deputy Executive Director of SDPI Shafqat Munir, Oxfam’s regional humanitarian coordinator Jermaine, from the Philippines, and Programme Manager of ARTS Foundation, Saira Falak, from Pakistan among others spoke at the event.
Civil society expert from Nepal, Ram Sharan Sedhai said disaster creates, perpetuates and aggravates poverty which renders people more vulnerable to disasters and weakens their coping strategies. Once hit by a disaster, the community needs resources, time and patience to recover from the impacts.
Quoting from Nepal’s 2015 earthquake, he said political willpower and stability have far-reaching impacts on decisions regarding saving lives. He called for training the first responders, such as local youth, police, elected representatives, and government.
