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- Permanent Link:
- http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpService/dpPurlService/purl/FI13042138/00001
Notes
- Summary:
- This is the workshop report for the event organized by the European Parliament in Brussels on June 15, 2011. The workshop aimed at facilitating the European Commission (EC)’s scheduled end of 2011 legislative proposal for the creation of a more effective, coherent, and visible European Union (EU) disaster response (p.6). Peter Zangl from the EU’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) cited three major factors for the dramatic rise in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters in the world in recent years: climate change, population growth, and increasing levels of urbanization. In addition, Zangl discussed several measures to move from an ad hoc response towards a preplanned, predictable, and quick disaster response. These measures included developing reference scenarios for the major types of disasters, identifying EU member states’ capacities for disaster response, and making arrangements for stronger and more flexible transportation arrangements. Magnus Ekengren from the Swedish National Defense College argued that new security challenges, including international crises and natural disasters, require a paradigm change within the EU member states. This means improving means of coordination between Member States and reducing national fiscal and legal barriers that prevent the development and implementation of critical disaster preparedness and response policies. In addition, he noted that the European Commission’s recent proposal to renew EU civil protection legislation necessitates issuing guidelines on risk assessment and adoption of national disaster risk management plans. Philip Nardin from the French Interior Ministry and Luigi D’Angelo from the Italian Civil Protection Department contended that the capacities of EU member states to respond to disasters should be reinforced by the EU’s new legislation through an increased support for training related to civil protection as well as humanitarian assistance outside of Europe. According to Delilah Al-Khudhairy, Head of the Unit in Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSPC) of the EC’s Joint Research Centre, in order to integrate and enhance the EU’s collective capacity to respond to disasters, those responsible for anticipating disasters and responding to them must have access to the right information at the right time. This requires more effective use of Internet, mobile, and space technologies, as well as the mainstreaming of risk analysis, early warning, collaborative information management platforms, risk mapping, and other services central to effective disaster response. ( English,English )
- Subject:
- Disaster Response and Recovery
- Citation/Reference:
- Usubiaga, A. (2011). Proceedings of the workshop ‘European Disaster Response’: Brussels, 15 June 2011. The European Parliament.
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