Pacific Multi-Hazard Disaster Risk Assessment Landscape Report – ReliefWeb

Report on Multi-Hazard Disaster Risk Assessments in the Pacific and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction and Core Objectives

This report provides an analysis of multi-hazard disaster risk assessments (MHDRAs) conducted across Pacific island countries (PICs). The primary objective is to identify key practices, challenges, and opportunities to strengthen regional resilience, directly supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

2.0 Analysis of Current Practices

A comprehensive review of 18 MHDRAs in the Pacific region revealed notable trends in implementation and focus. These assessments are critical for developing strategies that safeguard development gains and advance SDG targets related to disaster risk reduction.

2.1 Hazard Focus

The assessments demonstrate a predominant focus on hazards that pose a significant threat to the sustainability and safety of communities in the region, including:

• Hydrometeorological Risks: Cyclones, coastal flooding, and sea-level rise, which are intensifying due to climate change (SDG 13).
• Geophysical Hazards: Tsunamis and volcanic activity, which threaten human settlements and infrastructure (SDG 11).

3.0 Challenges and Opportunities for SDG Implementation

Despite advancements in risk modeling, significant challenges persist that impede the effective use of MHDRAs for building long-term resilience and achieving the SDGs.

3.1 Identified Challenges

1. Data Availability and Accessibility: A lack of comprehensive and accessible data hinders accurate risk modeling, which is foundational for creating resilient infrastructure and communities as outlined in SDG 11.
2. Technical Capacity: Limited technical capacity across PICs constrains the ability to conduct and utilize complex risk assessments effectively, impacting progress towards SDG 13’s call for strengthened adaptive capacity.

4.0 Recommendations for Action

To maximize the value of MHDRAs and accelerate progress on the SDGs, the following actionable recommendations are proposed:

• Strengthen Data Ecosystems: Invest in data collection and sharing platforms to support evidence-based, risk-informed development planning in line with SDG 11 and SDG 13.
• Enhance Technical Capacity: Foster partnerships (SDG 17) to build local expertise in risk assessment and management, empowering PICs to lead their own resilience-building efforts.
• Guide Risk-Informed Investments: Utilize MHDRAs to direct investments towards resilient infrastructure and disaster preparedness, protecting livelihoods (SDG 1) and ensuring sustainable development pathways.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The article on multi-hazard disaster risk assessments (MHDRAs) in Pacific island countries (PICs) directly connects to several Sustainable Development Goals, primarily focusing on resilience, climate action, and sustainable communities.

   • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The core theme of the article is strengthening resilience and enhancing disaster preparedness in human settlements, which is central to SDG 11. The goal of using MHDRAs to guide risk-informed investments directly supports the creation of safer and more resilient communities.
   • SDG 13: Climate Action: The article explicitly mentions a “predominant focus on hydrometeorological risks such as cyclones, coastal flooding, and sea-level rise,” which are all climate-related hazards. The effort to assess these risks and build resilience is a key component of climate change adaptation and aligns directly with SDG 13.
   • SDG 1: No Poverty: Disasters disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. By aiming to strengthen resilience and improve disaster preparedness in PICs, the initiative implicitly supports the protection of the poor and those in vulnerable situations from the shocks of natural disasters, a key aspect of SDG 1.
   • SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article highlights “significant challenges persist in data availability, accessibility, and technical capacity across PICs.” Addressing these challenges requires collaboration and support from international partners, such as the Asian Development Bank which published the report, embodying the spirit of SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   The article’s focus on disaster risk assessment and resilience building points to several specific SDG targets:

   • Target 11.5: “By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses… caused by disasters… with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.” The entire purpose of conducting MHDRAs is to provide information that can be used to “enhance disaster preparedness” and “strengthen resilience,” thereby reducing the human and economic impact of disasters.
   • Target 11.b: “By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards… resilience to disasters, and develop and implement… holistic disaster risk management at all levels.” The MHDRAs discussed in the article are a foundational tool for developing and implementing the very policies and plans mentioned in this target.
   • Target 13.1: “Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.” This target is directly addressed by the article’s stated goal of “providing actionable recommendations to strengthen resilience in Pacific island countries” against hazards like cyclones and sea-level rise.
   • Target 1.5: “By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other… shocks and disasters.” The focus on PICs, which are often highly vulnerable to environmental shocks, aligns with this target of building resilience for those most at risk.
   • Target 17.9: “Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries…” The article’s identification of challenges in “technical capacity” implies a direct need for the kind of support and capacity-building described in this target to effectively implement MHDRAs.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   While the article does not mention official SDG indicator codes, it implies several qualitative and quantitative measures that can be used to track progress:

   • Existence and Quality of National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies: The development and implementation of MHDRAs, as reviewed in the article, serve as a direct indicator of a country’s progress in establishing disaster risk reduction strategies (relevant to Targets 11.b and 13.1). The review of 18 such assessments is itself a form of measurement.
   • Risk-Informed Investment Levels: The article states a goal of “guiding risk-informed investments.” An implied indicator would be the amount or percentage of national or infrastructure investment that incorporates findings from MHDRAs to ensure resilience (relevant to Target 11.5).
   • Technical Capacity and Data Accessibility: The article identifies “challenges in data availability, accessibility, and technical capacity.” Progress could be measured by tracking improvements in these areas, such as the development of national data repositories or the number of trained personnel capable of conducting risk modeling analysis (relevant to Target 17.9).
   • Coverage of Hazard Assessments: The article notes a focus on specific hydrometeorological and geophysical hazards. An indicator of progress would be the expansion of MHDRAs to cover a wider range of potential hazards, leading to more comprehensive disaster preparedness (relevant to Targets 1.5, 11.5, and 13.1).

4. SDGs, Targets and Indicators Summary

   SDGs	Targets	Indicators (Implied from the article)
   SDG 1: No Poverty	1.5: Build the resilience of the poor and reduce their vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other disasters.	Implementation of MHDRAs in vulnerable nations (PICs) to reduce exposure to shocks.
   SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities	11.5: Significantly reduce deaths, affected people, and economic losses from disasters. 11.b: Increase the number of settlements implementing policies for resilience and holistic disaster risk management.	Number of MHDRAs conducted and used to inform policy; Level of investment in risk-informed infrastructure and disaster preparedness.
   SDG 13: Climate Action	13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters.	Number and scope of MHDRAs focusing on hydrometeorological risks (cyclones, flooding, sea-level rise).
   SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals	17.9: Enhance international support for effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries.	Metrics tracking improvements in data availability, accessibility, and technical capacity for risk assessment in PICs.

Source: reliefweb.int