In the current COVID-19 environment, immediate attention has been placed on mitigating COVID-19 infections and treating those who become ill. However, the threats of water-related disasters remain as imminent now as before COVID-19. Competition and complications among DRR emergency responses and COVID-19 health care responses could magnify negative impacts in some countries and cities.
With this global crisis in mind, HELP created Principles to Address Water-related Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) under the COVID-19 Pandemic to help leaders, DRR and COVID-19 managers, and all stakeholders cope with these challenges by the co-occuring disasters. The Principles were finalized through consultation with leading UN agencies, international organizations, governments, NGOs, private sector, unions, and youth, gender and major stakeholder groups. HELP calls for immediate use of the Principles in countries, cities, and hospitals and fields to better manage the critical challenges that may even happen tomorrow.
Although it covers all key items of disasters and COVID-19 thoroughly, the document remains will be updated periodically since COVID-19 is still unknown in many aspects and emerging challenge items associated with the pandemic should be readily addressed.
Contact: HELP Secretariat helpprinciples_covid19@wateranddisaster.org.
HELP organized the International Symposium on Water and Culture with the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), United Nations Centre for Regional Cooperation (UNCRD), and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Netherlands on February 3rd, 2020 at GRIPS in Tokyo in the presence of The Emperor and Empress of Japan.
The Symposium aimed to help our deeper understanding of relations between the people and water by visiting water heritage around the world. The keynote addresses were delivered by Mr. Nicolas Franke, Sustainable Development Officer of UNDESA (as a representative of Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, the United Nations) under the title of “Connectivity between Water and Culture – A foundation for Sustainable Development” and H.E. Dr. Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, Cambodia on “The Culture and Management of Water in Angkor Park.”
Leading experts and researchers on water and cultures invited from various parts of the world introduced cases, share their experiences and knowledge, and discussed findings and lessons from the heritage. The role water can and should play for regional development in the world was also discussed. The outcome of the Symposium will contribute to creating new horizon of water discussion leading to advancement of water dialogue processes, including the Asia Pacific Water Summit in 2020, the 9th World Water Forum, UN High-Level Meeting on Water in 2021, and the UN Water Decade’s Mid-Term Review in 2023, and fully achieving SDGs.
During the opening session of the Symposium, the ceremony for establishment of Tokyo Satellite Office of the UNCRD was organized and the signboard for the office was handed over from Mr. Endo, Director of UNCRD to Prof. Tanaka, the President of GRIPS, which hosts the Tokyo Office.
The Principles to Address Water-related Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) under the COVID-19 Pandemic was approved by the HELP Members at the 15th HELP Meeting which took place virtually on May 29, 2020.
The 14th Meeting of the High-Level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP) was held on November 8th, 2019 in Paris, France.
The Fourteenth Meeting of The High-level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP) was held on Friday, November 8th, 2019 in the Conference Room of the Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Korea to the OECD (Délégation Permanente de la Corée Auprès de l’OCDE).
The meeting was attended by about 30 participants from HELP member organizations representing national governments, international organizations, academia, civil society and private sectors.
I. Opening Plenary (9:00 am-11:00 am)
1. Opening
2. Special Speech
H.E. Dr. Danilo Türk, former President of the Republic of Slovenia, Chair of the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace and Lead Political Advisor of the Geneva Water Hub
3. Approval of Agenda
4. Discussion on HELP matters
5. Keynote remarks and presentations
Coffee break (11:00 a.m.-11:20 a.m.)
II. Plenary Discussion (11:20 a.m.-1:00 p.m.)
Lunch break (1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.)
III. Breakout Discussion (2:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.)
IV. Plenary Discussion (4:30 am – 5:30 pm)
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice, New York, the U.S.A
The Thirteenth Meeting of the High-level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP) was held on 25th June 2019 at Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice, New York, USA. The meeting was co-hosted by U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, the Earth Institute at Columbia University and Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, and was attended by about 30 participants from HELP member organizations representing national governments, international organizations, academia, civil society and private sectors.
Part 1 of Breakout Session:
Part 2 of Breakout Session
Monday, June 24, 2019
ECOSOC Chamber, The UN Headquarters, New York
Co-Sponsors:
UN Member States (Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea Mexico, the Netherlands, Tajikistan) and High-level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP)
Water is life. Water is also threat to life. Water related disasters account for 90% of all disasters in terms of number of people affected. Climate change is expected to impact countries, particularly small island countries and other developing countries that are highly vulnerable, and cause devastating impacts through extreme weather events. Recent global agreements including the Sendai Framework, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and COP21 Paris Agreement, all call for addressing water-related extreme events and climate change adaptation in more concerted and integrated way for progressing towards and realizing sustainable development.
The political commitments made must be matched by finance and appropriate policies. Investing in water and disasters can save lives, avoid the destruction of vital infrastructure, and make a significant difference in achieving the national and international goals of ending poverty and ensuring sustainable and equitable growth for all.
Achieving the globally agreed goals also requires sharing and transfer of knowledge, technology and experiences among countries and relevant entities. Science community plays a pivotal role in bridging knowledge gaps among divergent actors involved in disaster risk reduction and in providing information and tools to facilitate timely decisions.
In July 2017, the Third United Nations Special Thematic Session on Water and Disasters was held. About 500 representatives of the member states and diverse stakeholders including Heads of States, Ministers and Heads of International/Stakeholder Organizations shared the recognitions and understanding that addressing the issue of “water and disasters” is critical element and the core of achieving sustainable development.
The Fourth UN Special Thematic Session is proposed to continue the global dialogue and maintain high level of awareness on the issues of water and disasters among UN member states so as to promote further actions required to address the issue. The primary objective of the event is to overarch the issue of Water-related Extreme Event, which are to be placed at the core of Adaptation to Climate Change and are crucial for achievement of sustainable development. The event will provide a concrete step forward towards implementation of globally agreed agendas, and will become a milestone for future actions such as, the implementation of the Water Action Decade 2018-2028 including the United Nations Conference on the Midterm Comprehensive Review in 2023 and a high-level meeting in 2021, and the UNFCCC COP processes.
Chair: H.E. Ms. Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Netherlands
Speakers:
Chair: Ms. Kirsi Madi, Director of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)
Speakers:
Facilitator: Mr. Johannes Cullmann, Director, Climate & Water Department, World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Facilitator: Mr. Greg Browder, Global Lead: Water Security & Water Resources Management, World Bank
UN Web TV (Part 1) / UN Web TV (Part 2) / UN Web TV (Part 3)
The 13th Meeting of the High-Level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP) was held on June 25th in New York.
The 4th United Nations Special Thematic Session on Water and Disasters (STSWD4) was also held on June 24th in New York.