A. Disaster related facts and situations 34 42 6

Relevant United Nations organizations and donor Governments should strengthen the capacity of disaster prone countries in disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and post disaster recovery within a disaster risk reduction framework, by supporting relevant initiatives in this field.

That was a national mission, integrating space applications along with other relevant information for disaster warning, disaster mitigation and efficient management of hazardous events.

B. Regional disaster related problems and projects 25 33 5

B. Regional disaster related problems and projects

(c) Disaster monitoring from space German support and experience related to the tsunami catastrophe , by the representative of Germany

The incidence and severity of disasters associated with natural hazards continues to increase.

6. Encourages the Inter Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction to continue to enhance the coordination of activities to promote disaster reduction and to make available to the relevant United Nations entities information on options for natural disaster reduction, including severe natural hazards and extreme weather related disasters and vulnerabilities

5. Encourages the Inter Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction to enhance the coordination on the promotion of disaster reduction as well as to make available to the relevant United Nations entities information on options for natural disaster reduction, including severe natural hazards and extreme weather related disasters and vulnerabilities

Disasters are also closely correlated with poverty, as low income countries are disproportionately affected by them.

Hence, realization of an efficient disaster management system, which could address the social issues related to disaster mitigation, would help in reducing the impact of disasters on the vulnerable socio economic profile of developing countries.

There is also a need to draw a distinction between natural disasters and terrorist disasters caused by man.

Recent experiences in sudden onset and other disasters, including the Indian Ocean tsunami, have underscored the critical importance of disaster risk reduction.

(iii) A regional instrument on disaster management and emergency response

Natural and environmental disasters

In the meantime, an operational monitoring and assessment system on major natural disasters has been set up which is able to carry out real time monitoring on an instant basis in case of major natural disasters of floods, contributing to disaster mitigation and relief and minimization of damages by providing relevant data on disasters.

The network will facilitate the exchange of information on research and training activities as well as direct experiences in disaster risk management and mitigation among researchers and disaster managers.

For that reason, Guatemala concurs with the Secretary General's recommendation that the relevant United Nations organizations and donor Governments should strengthen the capacities of disaster prone countries in disaster mitigation, preparedness and response as well as post disaster recovery, within a disaster risk reduction framework.

6. Also encourages the Inter Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction to continue to enhance the coordination of activities to promote disaster reduction and to make available to the relevant United Nations entities information on options for natural disaster reduction, including severe natural hazards and extreme weather related disasters and vulnerabilities

Exchange of information with specialized agencies in the United Nations system on their activities on the subject of space system based disaster management support, as well as the regional disaster management structures.

Arab coordination mechanism concerned with natural disasters and emergencies

Redressing this imbalance requires a focus on key infrastructure. Of course, one cannot at reasonable cost prevent all possible damage from calamities, which strike randomly and in locations that cannot always be predicted.

GDOS is a modified version of WEDOS, which facilitates the location of disasters and is capable of repeatedly observing a disaster site.

Monitoring of man made and natural disasters

24. The proliferation of natural disasters, particularly water related disasters, highlighted the importance of international cooperation in that area.

Recalling that the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction provides a framework for collaboration on the development of methodologies to systematically characterize, measure, assess and respond to natural disasters, including weather related disasters, hazards and vulnerabilities,

(c) Exchange information with specialized agencies in the United Nations system on their activities on the subject of space system based disaster management support, as well as the regional disaster management structures.

The project will help countries develop natural disaster reduction programmes.

7. Encourages the Inter Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction to continue, within its mandate, particularly the Hyogo Framework for Action, to enhance the coordination of activities to promote disaster risk reduction and to make available to the relevant United Nations entities information on options for natural disaster risk reduction, including severe natural hazards and extreme weather related disasters and vulnerabilities

Encourages the Inter Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction to continue, within its mandate, particularly the Hyogo Framework for Action, to enhance the coordination of activities to promote disaster risk reduction and to make available to the relevant United Nations entities information on options for natural disaster risk reduction, including severe natural hazards and extreme weather related disasters and vulnerabilities

Deliberate or accidental fires have had disastrous effects on the ecology and economy of the areas concerned.

Disaster related legislation and regulatory frameworks within the context of strengthened national systems are essential to creating an enabling environment for disaster risk reduction.

The risks and potential for disasters associated with natural hazards are largely shaped by prevailing levels of vulnerability and measures taken to prevent, mitigate and prepare for disasters.

Seriously concerned about the devastating impact of disasters,The term disasters refers to natural or technological disasters. causing the loss of lives and property, displacing people from their homes and destroying their livelihoods, and causing tremendous damage to societies around the world,

Their disastrous effects, however, can be lessened significantly if well conceived disaster response plans and mitigation strategies are in place prior to their occurrence.

The question was also raised regarding the rationale for excluding natural disasters but not other kinds of disasters, such as epidemics or man made disasters.

There are disasters of a clearly natural origin, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis, which cannot be prevented and which constitute only 15 per cent of all disasters.

Having considered the reports of the Secretary General on early warning capacities of the United Nations system with regard to natural disasters (A 50 526) and improved effectiveness of early warning systems with regard to natural and similar disasters (A 52 561),

The lack of information on the complex nature of disasters and the lack of models of good practice for disaster preparedness and response, as well as the lack of building codes and regulatory frameworks to support more effective urban planning processes, will need to be urgently addressed.

world, including issues related to land policies and mitigation of natural disasters

8. Encourages the institutional arrangement for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction to continue, within its mandate, particularly the Hyogo Framework for Action, to enhance the coordination of activities to promote natural disaster risk reduction and to make available to the relevant United Nations entities information on options for natural disaster risk reduction, including severe natural hazards and extreme weather related disasters and vulnerabilities

Those disasters have reminded us all of the vulnerability of human life to natural disasters and also of the disproportionate effects they have on poor people.

His Office was working on the issues of disaster insurance and operationalization of the Emergency Fund for Disasters, both of particular interest to small island developing States.

Recognizing the clear relationship between development, disaster risk reduction, disaster response and disaster recovery and the need to continue to deploy efforts in all these areas,

Recognizing also the clear relationship between development, disaster risk reduction, disaster response and disaster recovery and the need to deploy efforts in all these areas,