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International Conference Calls Upon International, National and Local Leaders to Integrate Early Warning of Disasters into Policies

Bonn (ots)

Ministers, mayors and meteorologists - these and
other experts from a range of sectors are participating in the Second
International Conference on Early Warning (EWC-II), to be held 16-18
October in Bonn. Almost 400 participants are registered for the
Conference, which is expected to result in concrete outcomes
including the establishment of an international early warning
programme as well as a checklist for decision makers on how to
integrate early warning into disaster risk reduction strategies and
policies.
Co-opened by German Federal Minister of Environment, Nature
Conservation and Nuclear Safety Mr. Jürgen Trittin and UN Under-
Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mr. Jan Egeland, the EWC-
II has attracted high level participants including Mr. Klaus Töpfer,
Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, Mr. Michel
Jarraud, Deputy Secretary-General and Secretary-General elect of the
World Meteorological Organization as well as Ministers from 10
countries. All are committed to strengthening the global early
warning dialogue towards the ultimate goal of protecting people's
lives and livelihoods.
"The commitment of policy makers is essential for achieving an
effective early warning system. By accepting political responsibility
to promote integrated early warning strategies, governments take a
crucial step towards protecting the interests of communities against
a possible disaster," said Mr. Egeland. "As a key element of any
disaster reduction strategy, early warning will bring us closer to
the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals."
Specifically targeted at decision makers, the Conference will
focus on the challenge of incorporating early warning as an essential
element when addressing disaster reduction, contributing to the long-
term goals of sustainable development. While the basic principles of
early warning (and disaster risk reduction) are broadly accepted
worldwide, often there exists a discrepancy between what politicians
may tell their public and what they actually do to reduce the
negative impacts of disasters.
"Everybody knows how difficult it will be to transform our
"reactive culture" into a "culture of prevention"," said Mr. Joschka
Fischer, German Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs. "It will require
great powers of persuasion to mobilize the political and economic
support for measures designed to prevent eventualities that will
hopefully never arise. Disaster reduction is the topic of the century
awaiting discovery."
The EWC-II opens on Thursday 16 October and concludes on Saturday
18 October, when a second press conference will be held following the
closing ceremony to present the EWC-II outcomes. Also during the
Conference will be the ceremony of the 2003 UN Sasakawa Award for
Disaster Reduction, to be held at 18:00 on 16 October at the
Kunstmuseum, Bonn presented by Mr. Egeland.
For updates and further information, please refer to: www.ewc2.org

Contact:

Nicole Rencoret
UN/ISDR
Tel. +49/1623/521803
E-Mail: rencoret@un.org (English/French/Spanish)

Birgit zum Kley-Fiquet
DKKV
Tel. +49/228/24'34'826
E-Mail: birgit.zum.kley@inwent.org (German/French/English))

Winfried Glass
DKKV
Tel. +49/2225'708'9808 (German)

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  • 14.10.2003 – 15:47

    DKKV: Second International Conference on Early Warning

    Bonn, Germany (ots) - Second International Conference on Early Warning opened by German Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Heads of UN Agencies and Programmes Bringing together international organizations, governments, scientists, mayors, and a variety of representatives from civil society, the Second International ...