Themed “Culture and risks”, the report studies the impacts of disasters on culture and vice verse and how societies respond and adapt to climate change and improve post-disaster livelihood for residents. According to the report, the world always faces major challenges caused by disasters. In 2013, about 100 million people worldwide were affected by natural disasters, with 87% from Asia - the most vulnerable continent, where 41% of the total occurred.
In the past 20 years, catastrophes killed 1.3 million people, affecting 4.4 billion others, and causing economic losses of over 1.5 trillion EUR (US$1.9 trillion).
By 2030, asset losses each year are estimated at 328 billion EUR (US$421 billion), up by 300% in nearly two decades, the report predicts.
At the launching ceremony, Vietnamese and foreign speakers shared their opinions on the role of the elderly in responding to natural disasters and climate change, livelihoods adaptable to climate change, disaster-resistant housing as well as the future of disaster risk mitigation work.
Vietnam is one of the countries most vulnerable to natural calamities, with 70% of the population to bear the brunt of disaster risks due to climate change impact.
The Vietnamese Government has been implementing adaptation measures such as introducing new legal documents, enhancing resilience capacity, and establishing a national programme on the community-based disaster risks management prior to 2020.
