5th Meeting of GFDRR Consultative Group
GFDRR’s governing board, the Consultative Group, held its 5th meeting in Copenhagen November 13 – 14, 2008. The meeting was held in conjunction with a Policy Forum, “Linking Climate Change Negotiations and Disaster Risk Reduction”, organized by the Government of Denmark and cosponsored by GFDRR, UNISDR, and the Danish Red Cross & Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Center. The Forum outcomes will contribute to discussions at the UN climate change negotiations in Poznan in December 2008, and in Copenhagen in 2009.
At the Consultative Group meeting, donors called for increased program focus to achieve disaster risk reduction in priority countries and confirmed their full commitment to support the GFDRR program. Donors indicated significant funding increases over the coming two years, as part of their focus on climate change. Based on the discussions in the meeting, the GFDRR Secretariat is now revising the medium-term strategy and integrated work program, aiming at a significant scaling-up of the activities in the coming years.
World Bank Expands Role in Reducing Disaster Risks
After four major storms pummeled Haiti in late August and early September, the government and emergency relief organizations reacted swiftly. The World Bank’s response under LAC leadership, with assistance from the GFDRR has been efficient and decisive. The GFDRR deployed a team of disaster specialists on the ground, and provided an initial $100,000 grant to the government to support longer term recovery efforts. That kind of support is pivotal in accelerating the transition from emergency relief to building back better for future disaster resilience. Read more >>
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