Climate Change and Extreme Cyclones:
Regional Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction
and Emergency Response in a Rapidly Changing World
17 to 18 February 2010
Lake Shore Hotel, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Program and Book of Abstracts
Conference Proceedings
 

Co-organizers

Asian Disaster Preparedness Center
Bangladesh Disaster Preparedness Centre

Overview

Typhoon Xangsane of 2006 in Viet Nam, Cyclone Sidr of 2007 in Bangladesh, and Cyclone Nargis of 2008 in Myanmar – these disaster events have highlighted the impacts that severe cyclone events can trigger on human society if early warning systems and disaster risk reduction measures are not in place.  According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, Climate Change 2007: synthesis report), tropical cyclone activity has in fact increased during the last decades in the regions that are originally prone to cyclones, characterized by increased scope/energy of storms, more powerful winds, and torrential rains.  The IPCC highlights the devastating impacts consistent with extreme cyclone events such as ecosystems destruction, threat to food security, prolonged disruption of livelihoods, possible increases in the incidence of infectious diseases (such as malaria, dengue fever, hepatitis and cholera), and a decrease in availability and lowering of the quality of water resources.

Objectives

The conference will aim for a common understanding of the new tropical cyclone surge pattern and its potential impacts, and for examining different cyclone and it’s impacts risk reduction options/models to increase readiness and awareness of countries, local authorities and communities. Elements at risk include the most vulnerable people, livelihoods, and infrastructure; all these should benefit from actions that will protect life and ensure sustainability. The conference will provide a venue where stakeholders can share experiences, and bridge the gaps between extreme cyclone events and the rapidity to cope with such disasters and reduce durably its harmful impacts.

The conference has the following objectives: (1) to capture lessons from recent tropical cyclones (such as Sidr in 2007, Nargis in 2008, and Xangsane in 2006); (2) understand the implications for disaster risk reduction of the climate change scenarios contained in the 2007 Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Who should attend

This regional conference is a forum for disaster managers, development workers, scholars and students from the Asian and Pacific regions, and officials of national and provincial governments, and national and international NGOs.

Abstract and paper submission details

Those interested to present a paper should first e-mail a 250-word abstract to the contact persons on or before 15 January 2010.  The organizers will send confirmation email to authors of accepted abstracts, with additional details of the paper.  Papers will not exceed 4 pages of text and images.  Closed

Supported by

Government of Bangladesh
UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
Royal Norwegian Government
USAID Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance