|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ANNOUNCEMENT
Hemispheric Consultation on Early Warning
3 a 5 de Junio, 2003
Hotel Villa Antigua
Antigua, Guatemala
INTRODUCTION
A regional consultation on Early warning systems is scheduled to take place in
Antigua, Guatemala from 3-5 June 2003. The consultation is part of the
preparations leading the Second International Early Warning Conference (EWCII),
which will take place in Bonn, Germany, 15-19 October 2003. The objective of
the regional consultations is to identify existing early warning systems,
responsible persons/organizations, as well as other relevant aspects of early
warning systems such as financial aspects, costs of investment, and
sustainability. The regional consultation will also identify shortfalls and
future needs such as data, information, knowledge, skills, and resources. In
addition the regional consultation will provide an opportunity for enhanced
inter-linkages and dialogue among stakeholders at various levels and between
different sectors; thus effectively strengthening coordination and cooperation
amongst the various groups involved in the early warning process.
RATIONALE
The new information age has brought forth a rapid spread of global communications,
data has become more rapidly accessible and forecasting methodologies have made
significant progress. Improvements in global observation systems including
earth observation and remote sensing have also enhanced the early detection of
medium-term abnormal climatic conditions such as El Niņo events, and contribute
to warnings of long-term hazards associated with environmental change. However,
the ability to deliver this vital information to communities affected by
disasters has not always enjoyed similar success. The ultimate objective of an
early warning system it is to protect lives and property through a timely
forecast. Local mechanisms for communicating risk, or downscaling the
interpretation of alerts to relate to local conditions or experience, remain
very weak in many cases. Sophistication must be weighed against local
capacities, needs, resources and traditions. Finally, data about the adverse
impacts of disasters on people and infrastructure necessary to make informed
decisions is often incomplete or absent. Even in some cases where abilities and
procedures exist, communities are sometimes unable to respond appropriately to
them due to lack of information, resources, or viable options that they can
utilize in a timely manner.
PROGRAMME
The programme of the regional consultation comprises a series of plenary and
parallel sessions of both oral and poster presentations. The working languages
of the consultation will be Spanish and English (with simultaneous translation
into both languages). The regional consultation will address a broad range of
actors involved in the early warning chain. It will allow an interaction to
take place between experts in early warning systems and decision makers,
politicians, public authorities, non-governmental organizations, community
leaders, educators and media. It will seek to capture the perspective of these
phenomena in both developed and developing societies. More detailed information
including the agenda, program content and registration documentation will be
available at the following websites: www.eird.org
EXPECTED RESULTS
Result 1: Early warning blueprints for Latin America and the Caribbean,
including best practices, gaps and shortfalls in early warning applications and
effectiveness. As an appendix, a list of institutions and key personnel with
experience on deployment and operation of EWS of various types for different
types of hazards will be included.
Result 2: Regional recommendations on strategies for dissemination of
early warning knowledge. This includes technological aspects such as the
Internet as well as training and other options.
Result 3: A proposal containing technical recommendations to be
forwarded and presented at the EWCII as part the regional Latin American
activities related to such a global conference.
ORGANIZERS:
The regional Consultation is hosted by Guatemala and is supported by the
Government of Germany under the auspices of the United Nations and promoted by
the Inter-Agency Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster
Reduction and UNDP. The consultation has been planned by a steering committee,
comprised of representatives from: ACS, CDERA, CEPREDENAC, CONRED, GTZ, UNDP
and UN-ISDR.
For more information,
please contact: Wolfgang Stiebens (GTZ): wstiebens@gold.guate.net, glradm@gold.guate.net and/or Elina Palm
(UN-ISDR):
elina.palm@eird.org.