ADRC Highlights
Asian Disaster Reduction Center Monthly News
● Promoting Cooperation with Member Countries
Vol. 347
February2022

Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction (ACDR) 2021: Session 1-3,Side Event

In this issue, we would like to provide you with the details of Session 1-3 and Side
Event of ACDR2021, held on 15 and 16 December 2021.
TOPICS
Promoting Cooperation
with Member Countries
Asian Conference onDisaster Reduction(ACDR) 2021: Session 13, Side Event
Participation inInternationalConferences¶ The 4th Spatial
Planning Platform Forum¶ Online Symposium:
5th Human Resource
Development and Space
Data Utilization forDisasters

Asian Disaster
Reduction Center
Higashikan 5F, 1-5-2
Wakinohamakaigan-dori,Chuo-ku, Kobe
651-0073 Japan
Tel: 078-262-5540
Fax: 078-262-5546
editor@adrc.asia
https://www.adrc.asia© ADRC 2022

Session 1: Strengthening Disaster Preparedness -Developing DRR Technologies
that Meet Local Needs to Create a Safe, Secure, and Livable Society Following up on two previous
online DRR seminars held in
September 2021, "Session 1:
Strengthening Disaster
Preparedness: Developing DRR
Technologies that Meet Local
Needs to Create a Safe, Secure,and Livable Society" was held on
15 December as part ofACDR2021.
Dr Hendro Wardhono, Director
15 December: Session 1of the Board of Managers,
PUSPPITA, Indonesia presented a case study on the 4 December volcanic eruption
at Mount Sumeru, Java, and raised issues related to disaster prevention. Theeruption produced volcanic ash, ejecta, sediment, and pyroclastic flows, killing 45
people and injuring many others. Dr Hendro stated that the role of BNPB includes
disaster management implementation, coordination, planning and budgeting, andcapacity building. He also explained that disaster response in Indonesia is acollaborative effort between the national and regional disaster managementagencies, the Indonesian Volcano Research Institute, meteorological agencies, themilitary and other agencies, universities and NGOs (such as PUSPPITA), and themedia. In the case of the recent volcanic eruption, he reported that PUSPPITA has
been working with the national and regional disaster management agencies torespond quickly, collecting information, providing advice to BNPB, andcoordinating with related organizations in the field.
Dr Seong Sam Kim, Team leader, Disaster Scientific Investigation Div., National
Disaster Management Research Institute (NDMI), Republic of Korea gave apresentation entitled "Natural Hazard Damage Detection and Scientific Disaster
Scene Investigation using Artificial Intelligence and Drone Mapping." Detecting thetarget disaster and classifying and segmenting the damage are important in mappinga disaster area, and AI technology can enable rapid image analysis and decision
making. Dr Kim explained that in Korea, there is a set legal system related todisaster surveys and a workflow for disaster survey and recovery based on thatsystem. However, AI and drone mapping can shorten the survey period, eliminate
the risks that occur in traditional surveying, and increase accuracy.
Dr Hasi Bateer, General Manager of Global Business Development Division, Asia
Air Survey, Co. Ltd. gave an overview of various data acquisition tools and data as1

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they pertain to the disaster management use of geospatial data, and gave examples of data processing andutilization. He emphasized that the "Red Relief Image Map" developed by Asia Air Survey Co., Ltd. is
excellent in visualizing and interpreting topography, and can show detailed topography and surface featuresin three dimensions with a single image. He suggested that geospatial data is essential for disaster prevention
and can be used for disaster prevention by taking measures in advance, such as covering a wide area or adetailed region.
Mr SUZUKI Koji, Project Director of Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) gave an update on theSentinel Asia Project. Step 3 of Sentinel Asia includes the establishment of a pre-disaster early warning
system using positioning satellites. Mr SUZUKI introduced the disaster and crisis management reporting
service, "Saikitsuho" project, which uses the Quasi-Zenith Satellite MICHIBIKI. He reported that the project
they are currently working on will be conducted in target countries in the Asia Pacific region, with researchand demonstration experiments scheduled to be conducted from 2021 to 2024.
Dr NGUYEN David N., Associate Professor by Special Appointment at Tohoku University, andResearcher at the Japan National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience (NIED) gave apresentation on smart community infrastructure for disaster management. He explained that the ISO is theInternational Organization for Standardization, an independent, non-governmental international organization
headquartered in Geneva. It is a global standardization organization, with 165 national standardization
bodies as members, and consists of Technical Committees (TCs), Subcommittees (SCs), and WorkingGroups (WGs). And he reported that the ISO publishes documents such as International Standards (IS),Technical Specifications (TS), and Technical Reports (TR). He also reported that urbanization andpopulation concentration will require infrastructure such as water, energy, and roads, that climate change
will increase the frequency of disasters, and that resilience is expected to improve through disastermanagement.
Dr Mandira Singh Shrestha, of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD),moderated the session, organized questions raised by the participants, and compiled the answers andopinions from each presenter. In summary, based on the knowledge and information gained from thissession, she emphasized the importance of strengthening networks with government agencies and experts tofurther improve disaster preparedness in the Asian region.
Session 2: Strengthening Disaster Preparedness: Education and Awareness Raising for Promoting Proactive
Disaster Risk Reduction Actions
Session 2 dealt with strengthening disaster
preparedness through education and awarenessraising, taking these as entry points for promoting
proactive DRR actions. This session was held basedon the outcomes of the Second Online DRR Seminar
held on 13 July 2021. Speakers were introduced by
Ms KODAMA Miki, Deputy Director, Research
Department, ADRC. The session was moderated by
Dr SAKAMOTO Mayumi (Professor, Graduate
School of Disaster Resilience and Governance,
University of Hyogo). In introducing the session, Dr
15 December: Session 2
SAKAMOTO presented Japan's perspective of DRR
education, noting that a comprehensive DRR
education is required in schools. This means that DRR education should be covered in all subjects, aiming toenhance "knowledge and skills," "humanities," and "abilities to think, judge and express," which areidentified as three pillars of education in the latest Japanese curriculum.
Dr Le Quang Tuan (Deputy Director, Department of Science Technology and International Cooperation,Vietnam Disaster Management Authority) shared the experience and efforts of Vietnam in enhancing
disaster resilience through community awareness-raising and community-based disaster risk management
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Continued(CBDRM). He introduced the achievements of the Scheme 1002 on CBDRM (2009-2020), as well as current
efforts of the updated Scheme 1002: Introduction Decision 553/2021 on Public Awareness Raising andCBDRM up to 2030. The activities include providing training on DRM knowledge and enhancing thecommunication capacity of reporters, editors, and district radio and television staffers who are in charge at
the grassroots level.
Ms Syuzanna Kakoyan (Head of the Department of Education, Administration of Activities with Public,
Regional Survey for Seismic Protection, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Armenia) shared efforts related
to the strengthening of DRR education, including of dissemination of Armenia's Code of Conduct onEarthquake Protection. This Code of Conduct is designed for school children to increase their level ofknowledge on preparedness, response, and evacuation in the event of an earthquake. The Department ofEducation implements the code of conduct through games, drills, and quizzes, and also works closely withthe mass media and private sector.
In his commentary of the session, Mr FUKASAWA Yoshinobu (Secretary, TeLL-Net/Specially Appointed
Professor, Kyushu Sangyo University) highlighted the importance of preserving and passing on "real-life"
experiences and lessons from disasters to other areas and generations. Sharing real-life lessons from disasters
through oral storytelling, photographs, audiovisual materials, remnants, museums, monuments, and music
and pictures are powerful means of transmitting lessons that also complement the formal DRR education inschools.
At the end of the Session, Dr SAKAMOTO presented a question raised by a member of the audience toone of the speakers regarding the impact of community in response to COVID-19. She then concluded thesession by reaffirming the importance of integrating disaster education in national policies, as well as themaking effective use of past experiences and lessons learned from past disasters.
Session 3: Investing in Disaster Risk Reduction for a Resilient Society
In preparing for the discussions to be held in Session
3, two DRR seminars were separately organized on 15
June 2021 (DRR Seminar 1) and 18 October 2021
(DRR Seminar 5). Then, at ACDR 2021, Session 3
allowed for deeper discussions of investing in disasterrisk reduction for a resilient society, where officials
from ADRC member countries shared recent
learnings, perspectives, and approaches to acceleraterisk-informed investments.
This session was moderated by Mr TAKEYA Kimio(Distinguished Technical Advisor on Disaster Risk
16 December: Session 3Reduction, Japan International Cooperation Agency;and Visiting Professor at the International ResearchInstitute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University). He explained that the session would give an overview ofpractical methods of investing in DRR. Speakers in this session came from a supporting agency, a national
DRM agency, a national planning agency, and a line ministry.
Representing a supporting agency, Dr Renato Solidum, Jr (Undersecretary, Department of Science andTechnology; and Officer-in-Charge, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Philippines)
reported that "GeoRisk Philippines" is one of the country's investments in DRR, aimed at achieving greater
understanding of hazards and risks. "GeoRisk Philippines" is an ICT and geospatial platform, where tools(e.g., database systems and mobile/web applications) are developed for data integration, management, andanalysis of information for planning, risk assessment, research, and other purposes. It also serves as agovernance platform, where different government agencies and stakeholders can collaborate to share,
standardize, and agree on how to optimally use information for risk valuation, planning, and goodgovernance.
Dr Le Minh Nhat (Deputy Director of Emergency Response and Disaster Recovery Department, Vietnam
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Disaster Management Authority) presented on the investment priorities under Vietnam's National DRR Plan
2021-2025. He noted that one of Vietnam's priorities is the implementation of a comprehensive DRR
program for storms, floods, and drought. This program invests in the construction of hydrologicalmonitoring equipment for river water levels, dams, and rainfall as well as investments in a water disasterprevention information system.
Mr Abdul Malik Sadat Idris (Director of Water Resources and Irrigation, Ministry of National
Development Planning, Indonesia) reported on the government's investments in disaster-resilient
infrastructure, which have been integrated into the National Medium-Term Development Plan of Indonesia.
These investments include strengthening critical infrastructure for flood resilience in 50 high-risk cities. He
added that the national annual budget for flood control has been increasing over the last five years (20172021), and that the allocation increased substantially in 2021 due to a higher risk of floods, especially inCentral Java.
Finally, from the perspective of a line ministry, Mr Jerry A Fano (Assistance Core Head at Office of theProject Director, Unified Project Management Office, Department of Public Works and Highways,Philippines) shared the pre-disaster investments in flood mitigation in the Philippines. These investments
include the construction and strengthening of flood control structures (e.g., flood gates, flood walls, andspillways). As these projects remarkably reduced flood inundation and economic damage by an impressive
85%, the government has significantly increased the annual budget for flood management since 2011.
Through the sharing of experiences from the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia, Session 3 has drawn
conclusions regarding the bottlenecks in investing in disaster risk reduction. These include insufficientbudget, lack of government leadership or political momentum, insufficient understanding of hazard andrisks, insufficient understanding of the impact of disasters, and institutional capacity to act on risk reduction(e.g., institutional mechanisms, legal provisions, and cross-ministry coordination). After listening to thespeakers, the audience were asked to answer these questions: What do you think are the keys to "increasedinvestment" for disaster risk reduction to promote resilience?
Answers from the audience showed that leadership, which is often associated with political will to allocate
budget and engage the community, is seen as the key factor to increase investment in disaster risk reduction.
Based on the results of the session, we will further deepen our discussions of investments in disaster risk
reduction.
Side Event "Public and Private Seminar for Disaster Risk Reduction"
Following Session 2, the "Public and PrivateSeminar for Disaster Risk Reduction" was organizedby the Cabinet Office, also in an online format. Thisseminar was intended to use ACDR2021 to provide
an opportunity for the private sector to introduce
their technologies and products to member countries
for further facilitating DRR efforts in Asia.
In the first part of the event, the United Nations
Office for Project Services (UNOPS) introduced
their efforts to support private companies inexpanding their businesses to achieve the SDG goals
in the world. This was followed by a presentation byUSHER, a Filipino company selected under theSDGs Challenge Program supported by UNOPS,
15 December: Side Event (Flyer)
Hyogo Prefecture, and Kobe City. In the second partof the event, 11 member companies of the Japan
International Public-Private Association for Disaster Risk Reduction (JIPAD) presented their latest DRR
products and technologies to the audience. Company booths were set up for virtual browsing during this partof the event.
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Vol. 347● Participation in International Conferences
The 4th Spatial Planning Platform Forum
ADRC organized a session entitled "Resilient
Society through Disaster Risk Reduction" at the 4thSpatial Planning Platform (SPP) Forum held online on
9 February 2022. The SPP is an organization led byUN Habitat and the government of Japan, with theparticipation of Asian countries and specializedorganizations, which aims to contribute to the creationof a sustainable society through better urban andregional planning.
The 4th SPP Forum featured presentations by ProfNISHIKAWA of Nagoya University on planning
efforts for disaster risk reduction (DRR) in Japan; byForum Participants
Sendai City on the integration of DRR into local
government planning; and by the government of the Philippines on lessons learned on community relocationin the process of disaster recovery and reconstruction.
At the end of the session, the participants drew the following three conclusions:
1. DRR is indispensable for preventing recurrent disasters and thus achieving sustainable development. Thismethod has been well established by empirical research.
2. In its implementation, we should give consideration to other important factors that make up the localcontext, such as livelihoods, economies, and cultures.
3. Therefore, DRR should be integrated with urban or regional development planning as a whole policy ofnational and local governments.
For more information, please visit https://spp-pr.com/conferences/4thMeeting/Online Symposium: 5th Human Resource Development and Space Data Utilization for Disasters

ADRC participated in the 5th Online Symposium on
Human Resource Development and Space DataUtilization for Disasters, which was organized by
Yamaguchi University and Udayana University on 25
January 2022. This symposium was held in an online
format, and attended by about 70 participants
representing local disaster management organizations,Tokyo University, the National Research Institute for
Earth Science and Disaster Resilience, and theorganizing institutions (Yamaguchi University andUdayana University).
ADRC presented information on Sentinel Asia and theOnline Symposium
activation of emergency observations. ADRC also
explained how emergency observations are requested during disasters and how to become a member of theSentinel Asia program.

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