Frequent disasters, greater devastations, sad reality, says Manoni
In the year 2020 alone the cost of damage from cyclones that wreaked havoc in the Pacific was more than 1 billion US dollars, says Dr Filimon Manoni, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
Severe tropical cyclones have graced Pacific Island countries year after year leaving behind the massive cost of damages.
Homes have been threatened, livelihoods destroyed, and many are suffering.
At the inaugural Pacific Regional Symposium on Disaster Risk Financing, Mr Manoni empathised with suffering communities who are at the heart of enduring these climate crises.
“In 2020 alone, the cost of damage from cyclones that wreaked havoc in the Pacific was more than 1 billion US dollars. The sad reality is these disasters are getting more frequent and with greater devastation that could reverse decades of development gain,” he said.
He said that sea levels were also rising and directly threatening the security of the Blue Pacific Continent.
‘In the year 2020 alone the cost of damage from cyclones that wreaked havoc in the Pacific was more than US$1 billion.’
SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES
When natural disaster strikes, countries are left vulnerable as many tend to wait for assistance from neighbouring countries and the international community.
Mr Manoni said for small island states with limited bases like the Pacific, it often meant reallocating limited resources from approved budgets.
This meant drawing on limited national contingency funds and, in some instances, getting into debt by borrowing.
“This is exacerbated with the constant state of recovery, coupled with the prolonged impacts of the pandemic, which did not allow much breathing space for national fiscal systems,” he said.
ACCESS TO FUNDS
Research shows that $1 dollar invested in resilience-building and preparedness saves $7 on post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation costs.
“We in the Pacific do not want to stand by and wait for the next disaster. We want to be able to prepare,” he said.
He said there were various financial products and opportunities now available that Member countries can access for assistance in times of disasters.
Member countries were advised to be aware and adhere to conditions and procedures to access the funds.
“Some of these mechanisms either require paying something upfront, as in insurance premiums or forgoing something as in the countries International Development Association (IDA) allocations for catastrophe drawdown options.
“While there are several disaster risk financing options available, most are only triggered after a catastrophic event, and focuses on post-disaster response, relief and recovery.
“All these Disaster Risk Financing modalities do have their place and their uses, but we must ensure first that our Member countries can have access to them, that they are affordable and that they are fit-forpurpose,” he said.
Mr Manoni reiterated the importance of Disaster Risk Financing Strategies in place to align to the countries specific risk profiles and needs.
He said it would require people to be strategic in their choices of disaster risk financing but most of all people must be prepared ahead of the disasters and not wait until a cyclone or a tsunami was upon them.
FRAMEWORK FOR RESILIENCE DEVELOPMENT IN THE PACIFIC (FRDP)
The framework provides strategies that would guide how investment was made in the region to benefit a resilient future.
“DRF and indeed financing for resilience development is an important consideration amongst all the competing development needs but we must not lose sight of the impacts climate and disaster risks have on our region,” Mr Manoni said.
“Our Leaders endorsed the establishment of the Pacific Resilience Facility to provide small grants to vulnerable communities to build resilience and preparedness prior to a disaster event.”
He said they would convene a global pledging event later this year, in partnership with the Office of the UN Secretary General.
DEVASTATING IMPACTS
United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction Pacific Head, Garielle Emery said that not only do disasters have a huge social impact, they also have devastating economic effects.
“According to the World Bank estimates, in Fiji TC Winston caused US$900 million worth of damages (roughly 33% of Fiji’s GDP); TC Pam in 2015 caused 60 per cent losses to Vanuatu’s GDP,” Ms Emery said.
“Estimates from the recent volcano eruption and subsequent tsunami put the cost to the Government of Tonga between US$170 million and US$240 million in damages and losses.”
She said disaster risk reduction aimed at preventing new and reducing existing disaster risk and managing residual risk, contributing to strengthening resilience and the achievement of sustainable development.
The developments it would cover depended on the actions and choices that were to be put in place before a disaster strikes.
“Choices like where we build our homes, where critical infrastructures are located, food production methods, awareness of the hazards, etc. It also depends on what financing arrangements, including financial systems we have in place.”
Ms Emery is confident that symposiums as such brought together sectors across government, nongovernment and the private sector
“To build our knowledge, plan together and ensure our financial decisions and investment are targeted at both preventing and reducing the impact that disaster events have on our hard-won development gains.
This year marked a vital point of reflection in the global and regional Disaster Risk Reduction work which was the midpoint in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for DRR.
This would be followed by the 7th Global Platform for DRR in Bali, Indonesia, and later the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on DRR in Brisbane, Australia.
The symposium was organised under the umbrella of the DRF Technical working Group, established under the Governing mechanism for the Framework for Resilience Development in the Pacific (FRDP).