Dr. Karen Sudmeier, Senior Adviser Disaster Risk Reduction,

Crisis Management Branch, UN Environment

Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction,

UN Environment perspective

@UNEP, Haiti/Rep Dominican border

27 Feb, 2019, UNESCO Expert meeting: Advancing the agenda

Working with nature not against it..

Message 1

Prevent disasters by

working with nature not

against it

What are the solutions?

What are the solutions?

What are the solutions?

Schatzalp 1900 Schatzalp 2000

Global uptake of ecosystem-based solutions

Opportunity: Eco-DRR is often cost effective

• New York City «Green infrastructure plan» US$ 5.3 billion in green

versus US $ 6.8 billion in grey infrastructure

Green benefits

accrue over

time

© REUTERS/KYODO

Natori City, Japan

2011 Earthquake (8.9 magnitude) and

Tsunami (10 m)

• Depends on type

and intensity of

hazard

• Health and

composition of

ecosystems

• Importance of

evidence-based

approaches

• Performance

standards?

However, ecosystem limitations?

Message 2

Many opportunities for

ecosystem-based

approaches in reducing

disaster and climate risks,

however…

Opportunity: Multiple benefits!

© REUTERS/KYODO

Green/grey hybrid solutions

Sri Lanka, Photo credit: B. McAdoo

Message 3

Ecosystems bring multiple

benefits and are often

most effective when

combined with grey

infrastructure…

❖Established in

2008

❖Now a global

alliance of 24

UN,

international,

and civil

society

organizations

- and growing

Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction

Bridging Science and Policy on Eco-DRR

1. Global Advocacy

2. Science/ Knowledge Products / Publications

3. Technical Assistance / Capacity Building

4. Partnerships

5. Pilot Demonstrations/ models for upscaling Eco-DRR in countries

4th PEDRR Science–Policy workshop, Bonn 12-14 Feb 2019

Key conclusions:

Science gaps/opportunities:

- Low quantitative evidence for

coastal ecosystems

- Green/hybrid infrastructure

performance standards needed

- Benefit – cost analysis for

various types of ecosystems still

lacking

Policy gaps/opportunities:

- Green infrastructure entry points

for uptake in Sendai Framework

for DRR

- Technical guidance on Eco-DRR

to support international

framework agreements

17

Upscaling community resilience

through Ecosystem-based

Disaster Risk Reduction

• EC – DG- DEVCO funded project 2019-2021• 10 countries in collaboration with Partners for Resilience• 3 additional countries with support from Government of Norway• Models for up-scaling Eco-DRR

18

Each cell (10 x 10 km)

contains:

• Exposed population for each

hazard

• Surface covered by each

ecosystem

• Needed type of action for

given combination

hazard/ecosystem

Opportunity mapping for ecosystem-based DRR

Key messages:

Ecosystems bring multiple benefits and

are often most effective when combined

with grey infrastructure…

Prevent disasters – work with nature not

against it

Many opportunities for ecosystem

approaches in reducing disaster and

climate risks, however…

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Karen.Sudmeier@un.org

Thank you !

10th

Anniversary

PEDRR

Dec. 2018

Bonus: definition slide

NBS

Salvaterra et al. 2016, based on Doswald & Estrella 2015, CBD 2016