Investing in disaster resiliance

Natural hazards continue to cause significant loss of life in Asia and the Pacific, with 1.7 million hazard-related deaths being recorded from 1970-2010.

So too, the direct physical losses from disasters are not only following a steady upward path, but are also rising more rapidly than regional GDP.
However, behind each disaster there are causal factors underlying the losses and, by implication, measures that could be taken to avoid a repeat event.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao has offered his deepest condolences to the Government and people of the Philippines for the tragic loss of lives and property caused by typhoon Yolanda, also known internationally as typhoon Haiyan.

ADB believes that rising disaster losses and related setbacks in poverty reduction and development are not inevitable. Investments in disaster resilience can reduce losses, contributing to sustained economic growth, the achievement of poverty reduction, and enhanced natural resources management.

These investments have the most far-reaching effect if they are undertaken in the context of wider development and are carefully integrated into the development process. Investing in resilience also requires active cooperation between governments, the private sector, civil society, and the international community.