I SSUE 01 World Federation ofJanuar y Engineering
Organizations
2014

CDRM Newsletter
Newsletter ofStanding Technical Committee on Disaster Risk Management

In this issue
CDRM Annual Report P.1
International Activities P.2
Face-to-Face Meeting P.3
Subcommittee Report P.4
Upcoming Events P.5

CDRM New Action
Plan (2nd-term,
2013-2017)
 Two major purposes:(1) Active collaboration withother internationalorganizations(2) Practical development of
DRM adaptation technologies
 Subcommittee plans:(s1) Water-related DRM- Development of methods,
tools, and guidelines forwater-disaster risk
management/prevention,
warning systems etc. basedon a standardized procedure- Holding of conferences andworkshops for water-relatedDRM(s2) Earthquake-related DRM* Still under deliberation(s3) Capacity Building DRM- Creation of practical andtraining manuals for
CBNDRM- Establishment of
web-based communicationof information- Holding of seminars,
workshops etc.
from the 2013 Face-to-Face
Meeting in Singapore

Annual report of the CDRM, 2012 to 2013
The annual report covering activities from2012 to Aug.-2013 of the standing technicalcommittee on disaster risk management
was submitted to the WFEO Headquarters.
The following is a summary of the report.
For the full report please visit the WFEO
Website.
 JFES-JSCE-AIJ-WFEO
Joint
International
Workshopon
NaturalDisaster Mitigation: The international
symposium was held at Nagoya Univ. (Japan)
in Sept. 2012, collaborated by four
engineering-relatedorganizations
andsupported by one academic council. Some
topics from the lecturers included the Tohoku
Earthquake & Tsunami disasters.
 Financial Report: The budget balance
for the CDRM 2012-2013 activities showed arevenue of 4000 EURO which was allocatedby WFEO and a spending of 5239.50 EURO.
Therefore, the budget was negatively
balanced from April 2012 to March 2013. The
deficit was supported by Japan Federation ofEngineering Societies (JFES) and among
other organizations.
 New
Subcommittee:A
newsubcommittee, Capacity Building for Natural
Disaster Risk Management (CBNDRM), wasestablished and will be led by Dr.Kanga(Australia).

 2012 Strategic and Action Plan and its
Realization: (a) Recruitment of new
members, (b) Update of the official CDRM
website, (c) Publication of the newsletter, (d)Creation and preparation of DRM Guidelines
for earthquake, water-related drought andstorm surge disasters, (e) Holding of theInternational Joint Symposium for DRM, (f)Sessionpreparation
for
the
World
Engineering Forum in Slovenia (Sept., 2012),(g) International collaboration with UN
organizations OECD etc., and (h) DRM
contributions to international conferences. In
term of fulfillment of the above goals, (a), (b),(c), (e), (f), (g), and (h) were satisfied, but (d)is still on-going.
 2013 Strategic Plan: New leadership fornd
the 2 term (2013-2017) of CDRM wasproposed (including a new Chair, Leader ofsubcommittee water-related DRM and
Secretary). Other plans are (A) Recruitmentof new members, (B) Update of the CDRM
website, (C) Publication of the newsletter, (D)Creation of DRM Guidelines, (E) Holding of
the International Symposium, (F) Preparation
for the DRM Face-to-Face Meeting at theWorld Engineering Summit (Sept., 2013), (G)Cooperation with the UN and otherinternational organizations.

http://www.wfeo.net/stc_disaster_risk_management/-1-

The 7th JFES-JSCE-AIJ-WFEO Joint International Symposium
on Disaster Risk Management , Sep. 5, 2013, Chiba, Japan.
World Engineering
Conference on
Sustainable
Infrastructure 2014,
The WECSI will beheld in Abuja (Nigeria)
in Nov. 2014 and will
focus on thedevelopment ofsustainableinfrastructure in
Africa. Although there
are no specificsessions about DRM
discussion, about
flood control, urban
planning, sustainableinfrastructure, etc. will
likely be based on
DRM. Topics at
WECSI2014 could beof interest to CDRM
members.

World Engineering
Conference andConvention 2015,
The WECC2015 will
be held in Kyoto, Dec.
2015 with the theme“Engineering:
Innovation andSociety.” CDRM
members could beinterested in the
sub-topic Urban
Development &Building for its
discussion of DRM. A
unique KYOTO
program for attendees
will highlight the city.

Organized byWorld Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO)
Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE),
Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ), andJapan Federation of Engineering Societies (JFES)
Supported by
Science Council of Japan (SCJ)The International Symposium associated with
Disaster Risk Management (DRM), an effective
collaboration among several international andJapanese organizations, was held at Nihon
University (Narashino City, Japan) from 9:00 to
12:00 on Sept. 5, 2013 during the 2013 JSCE
annual meeting. This international symposium
has been continually running since 2007 toprovide the global community an opportunity to
discuss disaster restoration, better mitigation
techniques and prevention plans for severe
future disasters based upon past experiences
world-wide. Eight guest speakers from Japan,
Iran, Taiwan, and Philippines who belong to auniversity or a research institute and have theresearch background in DRM or disasterprevention were invited. They gave uniquepresentations about DRM based upon avarieties of themes, including civil engineering,architectural engineering, financial policy, andlegal policy. Immediately following, thespeakers and audience (approximately 50
people) engaged in useful and practical
discussions.
Details of the presentations and discussions
are the following: In opening remarks, Dr. Ishii(WFEO-CDRM
Chair)
emphasizedtheimportance of DRM to prevent economic loss
and human suffering. Sequentially, the guest
speakers’ presentations were conducted about
these topics: (1) Development of a forecast
systemfor
guerrilla-type
heavy
rain
(Prof.Yamada, Chuo Univ.), (2) Example of atyphoon-induced catastrophe in Taiwan (Dr. Lai,
Cheng Kung Univ.), (3) Resistant tests for tallbuilding under huge earthquake loads (Prof.
Nakajima, Kyoto Univ.), (4) Gap between reality
and ideality in damage recovery processes due tothe Great East Japan Earthquake (Prof. Ubaura,
Tohoku Univ.), (5) How to handle trans-boundary
disaster risk management (Prof. Ali, Iran
University of Science and Technology), (6) Spatial
mapping of economic loss against disaster
vulnerability (Prof. Kazama, Tohoku Univ.), (7)Development of the investment model for disasterprevention used in the world-wide politicalframework (Dr. Takeya, JICA), and (8) Example ofthe legislation about disaster prevention and risk
management in the Philippines (Prof. Pacheco,
Univ. of the Philippines Diliman). After that, Q & A
between speakers and the audience resulted in avaluable discussion, including the gap between
the civil engineering and architectural viewpoints
on DRM and political problems about thereconstruction process in Tohoku (Japan). Finally,
Prof. Komatsu (CDRM Subcommittee leader)closed the symposium by addressing theimportance of DRM once again.
This symposium, held by several engineering
associations, offers multi-faceted examples andideas about DRM. The next symposium isplanned next year during the AIJ annual
conference (Kobe City, Japan).

Dr.Ishii (former CDRM Chair) gave opening
remarks at Nihon Univ., Japan..

http://www.wfeo.net/stc_disaster_risk_management/-2-

CDRM Face-to-Face Meeting No. 4, Sep. 9, 2013, Singapore.
The fourth face-to-face meeting was held at the
Marina Bay Sands, Sands Expo and Convention
Centre (Room 3011) in Singapore from 9:00 to
13:00 on Mon., Sept. 9, 2013. Approximately 30
members & observers from 15 counties attended.
The agenda & minutes were:
1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Meeting Summary: No.3 Face-to-Face (Sept,2012)
3. Activity Report (overall & subcommittees)
3.1 Overall Report from 2012 to Aug. 2013
3.2 Subcommittee (SB) Water-related DRM Report
3.3 SB Earthquake-related DRM Report
3.4 SB Capacity Building NDRM Report
3.5 Discussion, Q&A
4. New CDRM Member Approval
5. Chair report (from Dr.Ishii)nd
6. Activity Plan for the 2 Phase (till 2017)
6.1 Introduction of New Organization
Message from Dr. Yumio Ishii (Former Chair)
Finishing my term as the Chair of the Committee
on Disaster Risk Management, I am most thankful
to the committee members for their positive
participation in the activities of CDRM. It also mademe happy that the "Report Card" by the WFEO
Executive Board Advisory Group on STC
Performance headed by Dr. Peter Greenwood
graded CDRM as B+. I am very sure Prof.
Toshimitsu Komatsu, my successor, will lead
CDRM more actively and internationally.
After the WFEO general assembly meeting and
WES2013 in Singapore in September, I attended
the International Round Table on Disaster Risk
Management of the Annual Convention ofPhilippine Institute of Civil Engineers held at Davao

6.2 New Action Plan (see the front page)
6.3 SB Water-related DRM Plan
6.4 SB Earthquake-related DRM Plan
6.5 SB Capacity Building NDRM Plan
6.6 Discussion, Q&And
7. The 2 Phase Plan Approval
8. Other business
8.1 Introduction of a Journal Paper related toSocial Responsibility for Engineers
8.2 Membership Review (exclusion for ghost
members)
9. Closing Remarks and Adjournment
Note 1: After the General Assembly, theChair was changed from Dr. Ishii to Prof.
Komatsu, The Leader of Subcommittee
Water-related DRM was switched from Prof.
Komatsu to Prof. Tsukahara. Dr. Kanga
became a vice Chair.
Note 2: STC evaluation team observed andexplained their task force during the meeting.
City, Mindanao in November and made apresentation on "International Cooperation
against Global Disasters".

Dr.Ishii with Ms.Li and Ms.Tahani at theGeneral Assembly in Singapore

Coming event announced from the CDRM membersth

The 6 International Conference on FloodManagement (ICFM6) marks the continued
advancement of flood management practices
and policies around the world. The first
International Symposium on Flood Defence, heldin Kassel, Germany in 2000, emphasized flood
defense measures with each successive event(Beijing 2002, Nijmegen 2005, Toronto 2008 andTsukuba 2011) evolving towards more
integrative
approaches,
includingrisk,vulnerability and capacity building. The ICFM6
theme is "Floods in a changing Environment".
ICFM is the only recurring international
conference wholly focused on flood related

issues. It is designed to bring together
practitioners and researchers alike, including
engineers, planners, health specialists,
disaster managers, decision makers, andpolicy makers engaged in various aspects offlood management. It provides a unique
opportunity for these various specialists tocome together to exchange ideas andexperiences. ICFM6 will be held in São Paulo(SP), Brazil September 16-18, 2014. There is
still time to join us (register and submit an
abstract at http://www.icfm6.com/).
reported by Prof. Slobodan Simonovic,
University of Western Ontario.

http://www.wfeo.net/stc_disaster_risk_management/-3-

Coming Event by
Dr.Kanga (Vice Chair):thInvitation to the 10 Annual
Conference of theInternational Institute forInfrastructure Resilienceand Reconstruction (I3R2),
Collaboration for Effective
Disaster Mitigation,
Response, and Recovery,
Purdue University, May
20-22, 2014.
th
The 10 Annual Conferenceof the International Institutefor Infrastructure Resilienceand Reconstruction (I3R2)
will be held at Purdue
University. The focus will beon critical construction,
disaster resilience andreconstruction. Participantspresent and learn results ofresearch and discusscommunity impacts ofhazards resulting fromnatural and manmade
disasters, which damage ordestroy the built
environment.
The conference will also
include a session oncontributions relevant to theWorld Federation ofEngineering Organizations
Sub Committee on Capacity
Building for Natural Disaster
Risk Management.
Participants are invited toconsider whether theirresearch or professional
work is suitable tocontribute as a resource fordissemination.
Information on the
Conference can be obtained
from the Purdue I3R2
Conference Site
http://www.cvent.com/event
s/10th-international-confere
nce-of-the-international-insti
tute-for-infrastructure-resilie
nce-and-recon/event-summ
ary-ccd9835b562a401fa905
24ef8908f3c5.aspx

WFEO Sub Committee for Capacity Building for Natural Disaster Risk Management
Presentation at Australian Earthquake Engineering Conference 15-17 Nov 2013,
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
The Australian Earthquake Engineering Society is aTechnical Society of the Institution of Engineers
Australia. It held its annual conference in Hobart,
Tasmania, Australia from 15-17 November 2013.
Keynote speakers at the conference included:
 Dr. Marlene Kanga, National President,
Engineers Australia who spoke on seismic
modeling methods for earthquake risk
assessment and mitigation;
 A/Prof Charles Clifton, Assoc Professor of Civil
Engineering, The University of Auckland who
spoke on lessons learned for steel seismic
design from the 2010/2011 Canterbury
earthquakes
 Prof Kazuhiko Kasai, Division of StructuralEngineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, who
presented the results of his research using fullscale laboratory tests on the seismic
performance of building protective systems andcompared the results with actual earthquake
observations
 Prof Paul Somerville, Deputy Director, Risk
Frontiers, Macquarie University, NSW, whospoke on assessment of seismic design motions
at low probabilities with a comparison of theexperience of Australia and New Zealand.
The conference was an opportunity for Dr. Kanga toprovide visibility to the work of the World Federationof Engineering Organizations Committee on
Disaster Risk Management to Australian and New
Zealand professionals involved in seismic studies
and earthquake engineering. She presented thework done to date of the sub-committees. She called
for contributions to the work of the CDRM
sub-committee for resources for building capabilities
for natural disaster risk management. There were anumber of inquiries received as a result of thispresentation.
reported by Dr.Marlene Kanga,
CDRM Vice Chair and
CBNDRM Leader

Conference delegates at Gordon Dam, Tasmania

Message from the New Chair,Prof.Toshimitsu Komatsu,
This is Mr. Komatsu (a Professor
Emeritus of Kyushu University in Japan). I am a
new Chair of CDRM since Sep., 2013.
I have worked for water-related
disaster risk management in the Civil
Engineering field for about 30 years
and have served CDRM members as a leader of thesubcommittee in recent years. Therefore, I believe that myexperiences in Civil Engineering field will be well utilized for
CDRM activities and WFEO administrative tasks. I am very
happy to serve all the CDRM members as the Chair for the
next three & half years. Additionally, I look forward to thepositive contribution of every member to the CDRM activities.
My vision for the CDRM organization involves some
restructuring and further development. I wish to create a new
subcommittee, MEGA DRM, which will focus on multiple andcomplex disasters like 2011 Tohoku Earthquake & Tsunami
and Fukushima nuclear meltdown catastrophes. I also wish todevelop practical adaptation technologies & methodologies forpotential severe disasters under global climate change. I know
these plans will be a big undertaking. Because of this, I
anticipate contributions from each member of CDRM. I lookforward to rewarding discussions about my vision with all
members.
My detailed background can be seen on the following website:
http://www.wfeo.net/stc_disaster_risk_management_president/

http://www.wfeo.net/stc_disaster_risk_management/-4-

Related News:
CDRM contribution for
Post 2015 (Sustainable
Development Goals,
SDGs): According to theUpcoming Events

reports from the UN OpenWorking Group on SDGs
and other SDGs groups,
disaster risks under global
climate change haverecently become a more
serious problem, which
negatively affects
sustainable development.
Therefore, a practicalmethod/plan for reducing
disaster risks is urgently
needed.

Face-to-Face Meeting No. 5, November 2-7, 2014, in Abuja, Nigeria.
The annual meeting of the standing technical committee on Disaster Risk Management will beheld at Transcorp Hilton in Abuja City, Nigeria during the WECSI 2014,
the meeting agenda and program are TBA.

CDRM Newsletter

WFEO Extended Executive Board Meeting, April 7-11, 2014, at UNESCO, Paris.
The semiannual Executive Board Meeting will be held in this April in Paris. The CDRM Chair,Prof.Komatsu, will attend the meeting to report the current CDRM activities.

CDRM M e m b e rs hi p & O rga niz a ti on ( As of J a nu a ry, 2 0 1 4 )- A p p ro xi ma t e l y 3 5 me mb e rs f ro m 1 3 co u n t ri e s.
- C h a i r: P ro f . To sh i mi tsu K o ma t su
- Vi ce - C h a i r s: D r. Ma rl e n e K a n g a , P ro f . Syunsuke Ikeda, P ro f . Vilas Mujumdar- S u b - C o m mi t t e e s*Wa t e r - re l a t e d D i sa st e r R i s k Ma n a g e me n t (W D R M), L e a d e r: P ro f . K e n i ch i Tsu ka h a ra
*E a rt h q u a ke - re l a t e d D i s a st e r R i sk Ma n a g e me n t (E Q D R M), L e a d e r: P ro f . A ki ra Wa d a*C a pa ci t y B u i l d i n g f o r N a t u ra l D i sa st e r R i sk M a n a g e me n t (C B N D R M), L e a d e r:
D r. Ma rl e n e K a n g a
D e ta i l e d i n f o r ma t i o n i s a va i l a b l e o n i n t h e C D R M w e b si t e :h t t p : / / w w w. w f e o . n e t / st c_ d i sa st e r_ ri s k_ ma n a g e me n t /Issue 01, January 2014

WFEO Standing Technical Committee on Disaster Risk Management (CDRM)
Background
The CDRM was established at the General Assembly held in December 2009, Kuwait.
VisionIntroduce and recommend knowledge and experiences to avoid disasters and promote sustainable and sound development.
Contribute to identification, evaluation and mitigation of, and adaptation to disasters which are related to all aspects of human
life, economy, social activities and environment.
Mission- Exchange, share and transfer knowledge, technologies and expertise which are useful for minimizing risks of disaster byidentifying, evaluating and mitigating, and adapting to disaster risks.
- Foster studies and investigations which are useful to disaster risk management including examples of the best practice andimplementation, and document the results in the form of recommendations, guidelines, reports and booklets.
- Gather and disseminate information and provide recommendations on the mitigation of and adaptation to disaster risks to
WFEO member countries, engineering societies and leading engineers.
- Facilitate capacity building of engineers in these areas.
Goals
 Create awareness of disaster risk, and introduce knowledge and experience to avoid disasters.
 Document recommendations, guidelines, reports and booklets to foster disaster risk management.
 Disseminate the information through WFEO member country linkages to decision makers, governmental organizations,engineering societies and leading engineers.
 Coordinate international efforts related to disaster risk management
 Organize and support conferences, presentations and workshops related to disaster risk management
The CDRM has a role of minimizing the potential damage and risk to human life and damage through the proper application oftechnology. The disasters which are closely related to all aspects of human life, economy, social activities and environment
should be considered in the CDRM. Because there are broad ranges of disaster, disasters to be focused on should bedetermined based on the interests and concerns of the members of CDRM taking account of its role and priority.

The CDRM has to contribute tohttp://www.wfeo.net/stc_disaster_risk_management/
preparation and implementation of the corresponding knowledge and practices forenhancing resilience of the society to disasters, and mobilization-5of every resource to minimize the potential risk. The
extent and level of damage and risk have to be decided based on discussions in the CDRM. The risk is not necessarily