4. Reduce underlying risk factors

    4.1 Addressing disaster risk reduction in the socioeconomic development process is a win-win situation for both governments and people in communities: Socio-economic development policies and programs have not yet taken sufficient account of disaster risks. Increasing the resilience of assets and development investments will provide significant socio-economic benefits. The concomitant reduced needs for relief will increase the availability of resources for pursuing development, and at the same time provide a very cost-effective means to speed relief at the time of need. It is crucial that disaster risk reduction perspectives and efforts are included in all sectors of national development plans and implementation strategies. Considering their importance for sustainable livelihoods and national growth potential, special attention should be considered for the fields of environment, infrastructure, shelter, agriculture, land use and water resources management and poverty reduction. Therefore, national governments are encouraged to take serious action to mainstream disaster risk reduction into development policies, planning and implementation.

    4.2 Enhancing the resilience of critical facilities and infrastructure are integral to the realisation of disaster risk reduction policies and programs: The protection of critical facilities such as schools and hospitals is an essential part of the disaster risk reduction process. Locally valued cultural or religious facilities also hold great importance for community motivation and protection in times of emergency. Similarly, physical infrastructure such as transportation, communication facilities, shelter and the built environment can be identified for special protection. It is important to maintain the serviceability of these social and economic assets, as well as ensuring their continued availability at times of crisis to support the provision of emergency services when required.

    4.3 Promoting the integration of climate-related disaster risk reduction into climate change adaptation at national and community levels helps to increase the effectiveness of human and financial resources and reduce possible future losses of those resources. Both climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction are development issues that have similar objectives of building resilient societies. In addition, the two issues face similar complexities and challenges and rely on the same types of measures such as early warning, disaster data, risk and vulnerability assessment, urban risk management, and policies. Disaster risk reduction is considered as a no-regret tool for adapting to climate change and selecting adaptation strategies that can bring quick win-win situations. Therefore, promoting the integration of climate-related disaster risk reduction into climate change adaptation reduces the compound impacts of climate change and disasters on people and their societies.

    4.4 Sustaining poverty reduction efforts and investments requires their integration with disaster risk reduction. Poverty leads people to live in hazard-prone areas that are more vulnerable to disaster impacts, and weakens people's coping capacities during and after disaster events. Therefore, living in impoverished conditions create increased disaster risks, which leads to more poverty. By factoring poverty reduction measures into risk reduction strategies, national governments can provide improved protection to the poor, break the negative cycle and contribute to more sustainable poverty reduction efforts. The use of more tolerant crop varieties and more environmentally-sensitive cultivation practices are examples of simple measures to reduce poverty and increase disaster reduction at the same time. Integrating disaster risk reduction measures into poverty reduction strategies and actions are keys to accelerate poverty reduction. National governments are therefore encouraged to integrate disaster risk reduction into poverty reduction strategies and programs.

    4.5 Integrating risk reduction measures during relief and post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction requires good understanding, knowledge and skills about disaster risk reduction among humanitarian workers and others engaged in rehabilitation and reconstruction activities. This is a prerequisite for ensuring the safety of people in disaster-affected areas and prevents them from being exposed to future disasters. Therefore, national governments are encouraged to make the utmost efforts to increase hazard resilience of all reconstructed assets and integrate disaster risk reduction into disaster response and recovery activities. Such actions can enhance the long-term benefits of relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction. 

    5. Strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at all levels

    5.1 Developing currently relevant contingency plans and making them available are critical actions for effective disaster preparedness and response at regional, national, sub-national and communities levels. Best practices available show that contingency plans help both disaster managers and relief workers to better respond to disasters and contribute to the reduction of human casualties and sufferings. However, most countries in Asia have not yet engaged themselves in developing contingency plans, nor have yet developed incentives to encourage their development and wider application. Therefore, relief assistance and coordination activities in disaster-affected areas have been reported as insufficient and less effective. To reduce the loss of human lives and suffering, national governments are encouraged to prepare, review and modify contingency plans regularly for efficient and effective disaster response at community and national levels. Cooperative contingency planning is particularly important in preparation for response to large-scale or trans-boundary disasters which may exceed national capacities.

    5.2 Being the most populated and hazard-prone region of the world makes the Asian population vulnerable to severe disaster risks. This means each disaster affects large number of people and constantly challenges existing emergency response capacities. Therefore, while promoting disaster risk reduction, national governments are encouraged to provide resources to enhance the capacities of both government officials and community leaders in the coordination and management of disaster response. By equipping them with skills and tools for damage assessment and needs analysis, emergency response abilities at local levels can be expanded significantly.

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