NARRATIVE

Climate change and disaster risk management

Date: 28-29 February 2008

Background

FAO defines disaster as the general outcome of an event that corresponds to a significant disruption of normal life of at least the smallest human community, and refers to the International Disasters Database for official declarations of extreme events considered disasters.  Disasters result from the interaction between an extreme factor, or the combination of several factors, and a vulnerable system.  The effects on agricultural activities, especially related to traditional small-scale farming systems are most often neglected and/or considered to be of minor economic interest. Pro-active strategies are thus essential if vulnerable countries are to avoid large-scale loss of life and destruction of environment, activities and infrastructure .

Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in the context of climate variability and food security, of which risk reduction is an essential component, aims to reduce the vulnerability of people before, during and after a crisis through risk assessment and reduction, preparedness, early warning and rehabilitation activities. DRM is an umbrella concept covering a complex range of issues that are condensed into three main components for the purpose of this Expert Meeting:  (i) risk assessment and reduction; (ii) preparedness and early warning; and (iii) response and rehabilitation.

Objectives

This expert meeting will consider cross-sectoral linkages between climate change and disaster risk reduction and management, with particular focus on implications for agriculture and food security.  The overall focus of the expert meeting will be on those aspects of climate change related to climate variability, particularly increasing frequency and intensity of extreme climate events.   Five key questions are envisioned to guide the discussion and final outputs for the proposed FAO Expert Meeting on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management.  This meeting will use the assumptions and projections of the most recent IPCC findings as the baseline for plenary discussion and break-out sessions.  However, the IPCC report contains less information on extreme events than may be necessary to support discussions in this expert meeting.  Additional background information is necessary to establish a common baseline and framework for discussion at the meeting. To this end, an Issues Paper will be prepared as background material and as basis for discussion during Session 1 of the Expert meeting.

Expected outputs

• Clearly identified current knowledge gaps on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and approaches to address these in the context of climate change and food security. (Key Question 1)
• Prioritization of specific strategies to assist high-risk, low capacity-countries with adaptation to climate change in the context of food security and disaster risk reduction and management (Key Question 2);
• Identification of strategies to further mainstream disaster risk reduction into food security recovery and rehabilitation initiatives to reduce vulnerability after climate-induced shocks in the context of local, national and international capacity-building initiatives (Key Question 3);
• Identification of new financing modalities for national capacity-building in risk management, early warning and preparedness in the context of food security (Key Question 4);
• Key messages, options and considerations for decision makers and an agenda for action that will be used to support the framework document of the FAO High Level Conference on World Food Security and the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy (FAO Rome, 3-5 June 2008).  (Key Question 5).
• Pre-meeting preparation of a background paper for dissemination to participants prior to the expert meeting to establish a common baseline and framework for discussion (see Annex 1 – ToR for Issues Paper).
• Preparation of a technical background paper highlighting the responses to the five key questions (listed below in proposed agenda), an options and considerations brief and Summary Proceedings document that will capture discussion and consensus on key messages for the High-Level Conference.