UNDP
United States of America
Disaster Risk Reduction
In the past decade, over 1.5 billion people have been struck by natural disaster. The cost of these alone has been $1.3 trillion. These range from floods, tsunamis, tornadoes, earthquakes, and even fires. The impact of these disasters is not a matter to be taken lightly. These disasters often come unannounced, leaving families with destroyed homes and lives. When people endure these natural disasters, it is easy for them to fall into a hopeless life unless we aid them adequately. The aid is more than just throwing money at these people. It involves directing this money appropriately, boosting spirits, offering solutions for preventing further risks, and most importantly, the key to disaster relief is kindness. The UNDP provides goals through the Sustainable Development Program, working hard to ensure that countries have a way to come back. A combination of PNDAs, a Build Back Better approach, and methods for preparing are provided by the UNDP as strategies toward aiding countries. Through climate change, weak governance, and an increasing population, it is more imperative than ever that we create versatile solutions and offer better risk preparedness. The delegate of the United States believes that along with USAID, disaster risk reduction can be addressed in three main points: prioritizing and strengthening early warning and preparedness, integrating this with disaster response and early recovery, and refortifying communities. Our goal is to not only strengthen countries ability to respond, but increase their resilience and ability to handle the impacts.
The United States had the most economic damage from natural disasters globally in 2018. Racking up over $16.5 billion, the three biggest disasters were Camp Fire in California, Hurricane Michael, and Hurricane Florence. Camp Fire is the world’s most costly natural disaster and thousands were injured or killed. The United States is no stranger to disaster, and we can empathize with the countries struggling to recover themselves. We work tirelessly as a nation to bring necessary aid to those who have lost everything. As a country, we have many local and national organizations that aid our communities. USAID themselves works even globally, training over 70,000 people in emergency management and disaster response and working in over 130 countries. Recently, the USA offered a variety of aid to Haiti after the earthquake. We sent hospital ships to receive injured patients and provide medical services, hospital beds, and operating rooms. We sent over 13,000 military personnel for the safety and security of the nation. We also provided $68 million towards food and necessities. The United States values the progress of the global community, and we are more than willing and capable to provide aid. We also brought the Incident Command System to more than 15 countries, 2 regional organizations, and one UN Agency. The United States works with FEMA, American Red Cross, and Direct Relief to help restore, redevelop, and refortify the fabric of the communities.
The United States believes that the best way to tackle disaster risk reduction is to be ready, to respond, and to refortify. We believe that disaster relief needs to reach the people that it is intended to and enlisting the aid of technologies such as Blockchain can ensure this happens. Along with this, new technologies like drones, robots, and self driving vehicles can help reach disaster zones quicker or when it is too dangerous for humans. We also strongly believe in the importance of developing ways to be proactive before disaster strikes. If we can work to strengthen our ability to prepare globally, we can be aware and warned. The actual disaster response can be done through various organizations, such as Direct Relief and the International Rescue Committee. The best way to provide aid is through money, food, shelter, and an opportunity to rebuild a future. Most importantly, the United States strongly believes that refortification is an integral part of the process. As a global community, if we can work together building off of each other’s experiences and successes, then we can soon provide better and faster disaster risk reduction and relief methods, moving us one step towards a safer future for humanity.
Works Cited
https://www.history.com/news/deadliest-natural-disasters-us-storm-flood-hurricane-fire
- Sharanya Swaminathan
