13:00 ‐ 13:10

13:10 ‐ 13:20
13:20 ‐ 14:10

14:10 ‐ 14:30

14:30 ‐ 14:45
14:45

Opening Address
H.E. Mr. Shinichi Kitajima, Ambassador of Japan in Geneva
Welcome address
Mr. Salvano Briceno, UN/ISDR
An introduction of “Water and Disaster” Action Plan
Mr. Kuniyoshi Takeuchi, ICHARM
Commitments & Actions
Mr. Avinash Tyagi, WMO
Mr. Nokeo Ratanavong, UN/ESCAP
Mr. Fabrice Renaud, UNU
Mr. Salvano Briceno, UN/ISDR
Mr. Kuniyoshi Takeuchi, ICHARM
The way forward (panel discussion)
Panellists: (WMO, UNU, UN/ESCAP, UN/ISDR and ICHARM)
Moderator: Mr. Salvano Briceno
WWDR III, Side publication report
Mr. Yuichi Ono, ISDR
Closing Special Event

The High‐Level Expert Panel onWater and Disaster/ UNSGAB(HLEP) was convened at therequest of the UN Secretary
General’s Advisory Board on Waterand Sanitation (UNSGAB) in 2007,
under the Presidency of H.E. Dr.
Han Seung‐soo, Prime Minister ofthe Republic of Korea.
The Expert Panel members
subsequently found themselves
united in their sincere wish to build
a safer world and, as a result ofserious and devoted effort, createdan Action Plan for preventing,preparing for, and managing water‐
related disasters.

The High‐Level Expert Panel on Water andDisaster/ UNSGAB (HLEP)That Water and Disaster Action
Plan was presented in March of2009 at the 5th World Water
Forum in Istanbul.

H.R.H the Prince of Orange
Chairperson
United Nations Secretary‐
General's Advisory Board on
Water and Sanitation

H.E. Mr. Han Seung‐soo
Founding Chair
High‐Level Expert Panel on
Water and Disaster/ UNSGAB
Prime Minister
Republic of Korea

UN/ISDR

WWC

JWF

FAO

France (DG)

CAIS

GWP

Korea (Amb.) Indonesia (IG)

India (CPR)

WMO

China (NHRI)UNESCOWBUNICEFBWP

ICHARM

USACENetherland

DundeeKorea (MLT)US(InSTEDD)ICRCJapan (MLIT)

Action Plan: 6 Urgent Imperatives
1) Galvanize and mobilize before disaster strikes
2) Prioritize systems to forecast, inform, alert andevacuate3) Incorporate disaster risk reduction and climatechange adaptation as integral to development
planning
4) Improve disaster response
5) Provide safe water and toilets quickly whendisaster/conflict strikes

6) Special crosscutting Initiatives
a. National governments to declare hydro‐climatic
data as public goods and seek UNGA endorsement(34).
b. The delta states to establish a Large Delta States
Network to tackle sea level rise (36).
c. National and international hydrological institutes toidentify underlying analytical and data requirements
to meet climate changes and to support structuraland non‐structural measures for disaster risk
reduction (29).

1) Galvanize and mobilize before disaster strikes
Our Actions

01 Local and National Level Actions•National governments to mainstream
and integrate disaster potential
assessment and risk reduction within
their development plans to promoteeconomic growth.

28••

•

Request OECD/DAC to realize theproposed action.

Our Actions

Global Level Actions

Local government associations to urge
members to integrate disaster
potential assessment and risk
reduction into their economic
development planning and policy.

Ask UN Secretary‐General toinvite member states toundertake the proposed action.

Our Actions

Global Level Actions

OECD/DAC to no longer consider
disaster risk reduction solely ahumanitarian task. This would enable
donors to increase their investment inpreventative measures for disaster risk
reduction.

32••

Contact local government
associations such as UCLG, ICLEIand CITYNET inviting them to urge
their members to undertake theproposed action.

2) Prioritize systems to forecast,
inform, alert and evacuate• Early warning systems must reach people. To achieve thisNational Governments and River Basin Organizations must
create comprehensive flood risk assessments.
• Warning systems‐ established with the best‐available
technology ‐ should be linked to operational on‐groundresponse groups and cell phone networks (2, 11, 35).
• Systems must be buttressed by international organizations,
Local Government associations, technology providers,
Regional Banks and international organizations (33).
• Data sets and manuals of best practices for early warning
systems are needed (19).

02

Local and National
Level Actions

Our Actions• National governments to• Request WMO andpromptly develop people
UNESCO (via thecentered warning systems,
International Floodcomprehensive flood risk
Initiative) to assist
maps and assessments
governments inlinked to communication
undertaking the proposedsystems such as cellactions and invite
phone networks. These
international financial
systems to include
institutions to support
observation and warnings
the fulfillment of thefor flash floods.
proposed actions.

30

Global LevelActions• The International Flood
Initiative andinternational hydrologicaland hydraulic institutes toexamine the efficiency
and effectiveness of
disaster prevention
measures and develop
disaster preparedness
indices forimplementation by localauthorities.

Our Actions• Request International
Flood Initiative andinternational hydrologicaland hydraulic research
institutes to conduct the
proposed studies.