Special Event - Concept note

2nd Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction

Special Event: Big Ocean, Small Islands - Addressing Disaster Risk in the Pacific Region

1.    Context and scope
The “Special Event Big Ocean, Small Islands” is envisaged to raise the profile and visibility of the Pacific region at the GP/DRR and to influence the global policy deliberations on disaster risk reduction. The Pacific region is highly vulnerable to the impacts of a wide range of natural hazards and increasingly also to the impacts of climate change. The opportunities of Pacific island representatives to directly shape and contribute to global policy and strategy development are usually limited in view of the region’s isolated geographic position and lack of resources. The special event is thus an opportunity to enhance the voice of the region in the global ISDR system.

The results and recommendations of the Special Event will formally feed into the reports of the respective High-level Panels as well as the Summary of the Chair of the GP/DRR. The Pacific’s DRM priorities and recommendations will heavily draw from the deliberations of the Pacific Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Management which was endorsed by the SOPAC Governing Council in 2008, and convened for the first time in May 2008 in Nadi, Fiji.

The event is structured around the key themes of the Global Platform relevant to the region (see below). Presenters will share a spectrum of region and country specific experiences, practices and approaches to DRM, highlight challenges and gaps, and make policy recommendations to be considered at the regional as well as global level.

The event will also facilitate reaching out and engaging new partners in the work of the Pacific DRM community that otherwise cannot be easily accessed.

2.    List of Partners Involved
This Special Event is organized by SOPAC on behalf of the Pacific Disaster Risk Management Partnership Network. The following partners are involved in the event:

• National Disaster Risk Management Offices of [insert list of PICs attending the conference]
• The Pacific Disaster Risk Management Partnership Network  which is represented at the GP/DRR by the following members AusAID, FSPI, IFRC, SOPAC, SPREP, UNDP, UNISDR, UNOCHA, and ….

3.    Format of the discussions and tentative list of speakers / panellists
The Special Event will be held in a workshop format with presentations and plenary discussion on the key themes of the Global Platform relevant in the context of the Pacific. The tentative list of presentations is as follows:

• Event Opening, Welcome and Objectives (Chair)

• Disaster Risk Management in the Pacific – An overview presentation on Progress, Challenges, Trends (coordinated by SOPAC):

• The presentation and Q&A will contribute to the following GP Agenda Item(s):
• Panel on Regional Achievement and Challenges in Implementing the HFA;
• Informal Plenary to prepare for the HFA Mid-term Review in 2010
• The following results are expected:…………….    
  

• Sharing experiences with bridging the disaster reduction and climate change gap (coordinated by UNISDR and UNDP PC; possible case studies: Samoa, RMI, Kiribati)

• The presentation and Q&A will contribute to the following GP Agenda Item(s):
• High Level Panel 2: Reducing Risk in a Changing Climate;
• The following results are expected:…………….
  

• Approaches to strengthening community resilience to natural hazards in the Pacific (coordinated by IFRC and UNDP PC)

• The presentation and Q&A will contribute to the following GP Agenda Item(s):
• High Level Panel 3: Increasing community resilience and livelihood protection
  
• The following results are expected:…………….
  

• Good Practice in disaster-proofing critical health and education services and infrastructure in the Pacific (coordinated by SOPAC; possible case study countries: Fiji)

• The presentation and Q&A will contribute to the following GP Agenda Item(s):
• High Level Panel 4: Ensuring that critical services and infrastructure such as health facilities and schools are disaster-proof;
• The following results are expected:…………….

• Grasping Opportunities for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Recovery Process (coordinated by UNDP, UNOCHA and UNICEF; possible case study countries: Solomon Islands)

• The presentation and Q&A will contribute to the following GP Agenda Item(s):
• High Level Panel 5: Relief and recovery as opportunities to build resilience to future disaster risk;
• The following results are expected:…………….
  

• Closing Remarks, Summary of Key Recommendations (Chair)

 
4.    Names of Chair, Moderator and Rapporteur

• Chair: SOPAC
• Moderator: UNISDR
• Rapporteur: SOPAC   

5.    Equipment required (cost to be borne by the organizer)

• Power Point Projector
• Laptop
• Screen

6.    Expected number of participants

• 50 participants

7.    Supporting document and expected printed material to be brought by the organizer(s) to the event:

• Copies of the agenda for the Special Event
• Copies of the Pacific Regional HFA Progress Report

8.    Preferred date and time

• Monday, 15th June 2009 from 9:30 – 13:00 hrs (4.5 hours)