“High Level Panel on Water and Disasters” was held on 19 March, 2018 at the 8th World Water Forum in Brasilia.
Background and Objectives
Water related disasters account for 90% of all disasters in terms of number of people affected. Water-related disaster risks will increase with the current trend of rapid population growth, urbanization and climate change, and could be a major obstacle in achieving our common aspirations for eradicating poverty, promoting inclusive economic growth, preserving the environment, and ultimately, moving towards sustainability. 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 in more concrete and integrated manner. By bringing together top level political leaders and high-level participants from governments and organizations around the world, together with experts and scientists in the field of water and disasters, this session aims to translate the global agreements into political commitments and concrete actions with a special focus on topics such as boosting financing and investments for water-related disaster risk reduction, and promotion of science and technology.
Date: Monday, 19 March, 2018
Time: 14:30-16:00
Venue: Room 36, The Águas Claras Auditorium, Ulysses Guimarães Convention Center, The 8th World Water Forum, Brasília-DF, Brazil
Chair: Dr. Han Seung-soo, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Water, Chair of High Level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP), and former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea
Program:
14:30 Opening
- Opening Remarks by H. E. Dr. Han Seung-soo
- Special Invited Address by H.E. Mr. Janos Ader, President of Hungary
14:55 Keynote Lecture
- Keynote Lecture by H.I.H. the Crown Prince of Japan
15:25 Keynote Speech
- Keynote Speech by H.E. Mr. U Ohn Winn, Union Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation of Myanmar
15:35 Launching Global Actions on Water and Disasters
- Draft Principles on Investment and Financing on Water-related Disaster Risk Reduction
- by Mr. Frederik Pischke, GWP; Mr. Tomoyuki Okada, MLIT
- Alliance of Alliances on DRR Researches
- by Prof. Gretchen Kalonji, Sichuan Univ.; Prof. Toshio Koike, ICHARM
- HELP “Review and Recommend” Initiatives
- by Dr. Kenzo Hiroki, HELP; Mr. Henk Ovink, SEWA
- HELP Flagship Document Vol.3
- by Mr. Koos Wieriks, MIE
15:55 Closing