Recent studies confirmed that our economic losses from disasters, especially from climate change impacts, have been far greater than before. This should compel national and local governments and the private sector to reduce disaster risks and address climate impacts by integrating disaster risk reduction measures in their investment strategies and plans to avert economic losses.
According to report “Economic Losses, Poverty and Disasters 1998-2017” released by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction or UNISDR, for the period of 1998 to 2017, countries reported direct economic losses of US$2,908 billion, with climate-related disasters accounting for 77 percent or US$2,245 billion – a “dramatic” rise of 151 percent from climate-related losses compared to the period of 1978 to 1997 (US$895 billion).
The study reported that in low-income countries, an average of 130 people died per million living in disaster-affected areas, compared to just 18 in high-income countries, which entails that people exposed to natural hazards in the poorest nations were more than seven times more likely to die than equivalent populations in the richest nations.
Meanwhile, the National Economic and Development Authority had earlier reported that disasters cost the Philippine economy P206 billion yearly, with an annual cumulative impact reaching 0.5 percent to 0.6 percent of our GDP.
The UN report reflects the unfortunate reality that many of our poor Filipinos experience in our disaster-prone country. Poverty breeds inequality by exacerbating our people’s risk and vulnerability to disaster and climate impacts. We need to bridge the gap in resources and information our communities need in order to build resilience against these disasters.
Our authorities and leaders at all levels must fully understand and appreciate the risk and vulnerability that prevail in their communities, and let science inform their local plans of action and ensure that investments build local resilience and bring about a safer society and a more sustainable future.
