Chaired by Dr. Hyungjin Kim, Head of Climate Research Department of APEC Climate Center

The session of Global Perspectives – Current Challenges for Disaster Risk Reduction is vital to creating conducive environments for sustainable development. Therefore, to explore current and new approaches in disaster risk reduction (DRR), keynote presenters in the kickoff session give a global overview of the current challenges DRR practitioners and policy makers are facing. Attendees learn about new approaches in DRR and how they can be utilized in various disaster situations. The session begins with a global outlook and then turns to examine the challenges impacting the Asia- Pacific region.

• • Usec. Alexander P. Pama (Executive Director, NDRRMC and Administrator, Office of Civil Defense, Philippines)​
•  Presentation Title : The Challenge of Managing the "New Normal"

• • Dr. Feng Min Kan (Chief of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction for Asia & the Pacific)​
•  Presentation Title : Sendai Framework: an Instrument for Climate Change Adaptation at the APEC Climate Symposium 2015

Chaired by Prof. Eric Wood, Princeton University

Increasingly frequent extreme weather and climate events exacerbated by climate change represent a substantial impediment for economic growth. This threat attributed to climate change can be minimized through the better use of climate science and impact forecasting. Thus, the second session of the symposium features leading climate science researchers exploring the use of state-of-the-art technology to forecast extreme events such as typhoons, floods, and droughts. Presenters highlight the current and future possibilities and limitations related to climate extremes and its impact on forecasting.

• • Dr. Suzana Camargo (Columbia University)​
•  Presentation Title : Lessons from Recent Results on Tropical Cyclones and Climate

• • Dr. Yuriy Kuleshov (Bureau of Meteorology, Australia)​
•  Presentation Title : Tropical Cyclone Activity over the Western Pacific Ocean: Impact, Forecasting and Adaptation

• • Dr. Eylon Shamir (Hydrologic Research Center, US)​
•  Presentation Title : Vulnerability Assessment of Precipitation Extremes: Water Resources and Disaster Management

• • Dr. Tien-Chiang Yeh (Central Weather Bureau, Chinese Taipei)​
•  Presentation Title : Recent Progresses of Operating Prediction Typhoon and Heavy Rainfall in Chines Taipei

• • Prof. Eric Wood (Princeton University)​
•  Presentation Title : Assessing the North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) Forecasts for Seasonal Forecasting and Decision Making over Africa

• • Dr. David Robertson (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization)​
•  Presentation Title : Ensemble Forecasts of Floods using Numerical Weather Predictions

Chaired by Dr. Paul Gregory, Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Reducing climate-related disaster risk is an efficient and cost effective investment for governments interested in preventing future losses, however there are currently significant gaps between climate researchers, practitioners, and policy makers. This session focuses on bridging this gap through sharing the best practices in climate-related disaster management at the regional and local community levels. Climate science researchers along with government officials explore the best approaches for producing usable climate-science information and opportunities for using evidence based risk reduction strategies in regional and local settings.

• • Dr. Royboon Rassameethes (Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute, Thailand)​
•  Presentation Title : Science and Technology Adaptation for Community Water Resource Management

• • Dr. Hilton T. Hernando (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Philippines)​
•  Presentation Title : Sharing Experiences in the Provision of Weather and Climate-related Information to Regional and Local DRRMC’s (Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council) in the Philippines

• • Dr. Donna Lagdameo (Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre)​
•  Presentation Title : Participatory and Innovative Ways of Linking Science, Policy and Practice

• • Ms. Lucy Harman Guerra (CARE Perú)​
•  Presentation Title : Enhancing Resiliency in Peru: climate related disaster management

• • Ms. Susan Asam (ICF International)​
•  Presentation Title : Addressing Gaps in Availability of and Access to Climate Information in Climate-related Disaster Management

• • Dr. Paul Gregory (Bureau of Meteorology of Australia)​
•  Presentation Title : Best Practices for Climate-related Disaster Management: Australian experience

Chaired by Dr. Jane Rovins from Disaster Reduction and Resilience Solutions

To ensure successful DRR operations, greater connections between scientists and disaster management professionals must be forged. Thus, the final session of the event explores how climate information can be used for efficient decision making during DRR operations. Researchers and officials from international organizations discuss decision making in handling floods, droughts, and other extreme climate when possessing uncertain forecast information. Following the presentations, attendees participate in a discussion regarding the creation of a dialogue framework between DRM professionals and the science community.

• • Dr. Jane Rovins (Disaster Reduction & Resilience Solutions, Ltd. & Messay University, New Zealand)​
•  Presentation Title : Integrated Risk Assessments: Making Science Usable

• • Dr. Venketash Merwade (University of Purdue)​
•  Presentation Title : Flood Inundation Modeling from Reach to Continental Scale: challenges and opportunities

• • Dr. Maksym Gusyev (International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management under the auspices of UNESCO)​
•  Presentation Title : Using Drought Indicators for Disaster Risk Management: A case study of dam infrastructure in the Pampanga River Basin, Philippines

• • Dr. Weihua Fang (Beijing Normal University)​
•  Presentation Title : Development and Applications of a Typhoon Catastrophe Model - Open Cyclone

• • Dr. Ai Sugiura (United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO))​
•  Presentation Title : Hydro-meteorological Data and Modeling for Flood Forecasting and Leading to Better Response for Flood Management in Indus River Basin in Pakistan, a JICA Funded UNESCO Project

• • Atty. Lesley Jeanne Yu Cordero (World Bank)​
•  Presentation Title : A Smarter Way of Managing Disaster Risks: the Use of Science and Existing Weather and Climate Information

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• • APCS 2015 Photo - APCC Flickr