International Day for Disaster Reduction – the importance of preparing for disaster
This year, the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) theme is ‘fighting inequality for a resilient future’.
Every year on 13 October, we acknowledge how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters, and raising awareness of the importance of managing the risks they face.
The importance of a resilient future
Fighting inequality for a resilient future is vitally important, as inequality can create conditions that make people more vulnerable to the impact of disasters – which disproportionately affects the poorest and most at-risk people across the world.
It’s estimated that by 2030, 37.6 million people will be living in extreme poverty due to the impact of climate change and disasters, while a ‘worst-case’ scenario will push a further 100.7m people into poverty by 2030.3
Research in 2020 showed that each year, on average, natural hazards affect 199 million people, lead to 67,000 deaths, and force 26 million into poverty.4 By 2050, US$29 billion could be needed annually in humanitarian aid to help people survive climate and weather-related disasters.5
However, through careful and coordinated planning, it is possible to reduce the damage caused by hazards, which will also reduce financial impact.
The 2018 National Institute of Building Sciences reported that in the US, Federal Grants invested in natural disaster mitigation measures saw a six-fold return – meaning, for every $1 invested in disaster mitigation, $6 in disaster losses were prevented.6
However, at present, only $5 in every $100 of disaster-related assistance is spent on disaster prevention and preparedness – the vast majority (90.1%) currently needed for emergency disaster response.7
How QBE’s partnerships support resilience
At QBE, our purpose is to enable a more resilient future, and through the work of our QBE Foundation, we aim to create long-term, sustained impact that improves the resilience and preparedness of our communities.
Since 2019, the QBE Foundation has worked with our global partners, Save the Children and Australian Red Cross Society, to help build community capacity by supporting the ability to prepare for, anticipate, respond to and recover from disasters.
This partnership has supported projects such as the Save the Children Community Climate Resilience Initiative in the Solomon Islands8, which is introducing a climate change curriculum in schools while increasing their resilience to climate change impacts, and helping increase food and water security in communities through climate resilient farming and water conservation.
With American Red Cross, the QBE Foundation has supported a groundbreaking disaster event management system, and similarly with the Italian Red Cross, an early warning system to help communites in vulnerable regions
We have also assisted Hong Kong Red Cross to create the Urban Resilience Project which aims to enhance awareness, knowledge, and skills for disaster preparedness amongst the Tai O and Pok Fu Lam Village communities. Through this initiative, there is expected to be a total of 3,200 direct beneficiaries from the two villages beyond the lifetime of the project.
Learn more about the QBE Disaster Relief and Resilience Partnership.
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4. https://www.ifrc.org/sites/default/files/Climate-smart-DRR-IFRC-2020.pdf
5. https://www.ifrc.org/sites/default/files/2022-11/20221108_ClimateSmartFinance.pdf
