New information on GRIP

GRIP Semi-Annual Report

GRIP team — 07-05-2007 17:06:24 GMT

Semi-Annual Progress Report is available here.

International Launch of the Global Risk Identification Program

GRIP team — 27-08-2007 17:06:24 GMT

Launch of the Global Risk Identification Program (GRIP) On June 5-7, 2007, the Secretariat for the UN-International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) organized the First Global Platform Forum.

GRIP implements projects in Asia

GRIP team — 27-08-2007 17:06:24 GMT

On June/July 2007, the UNDP's Regional Program for Asia and GRIP co-hosted a Regional Workshop on Sharing Risk Knowledge. This workshop was divided into 2 events: Experiences in Risk Assessment from the Region, Enhancing Application of Disaster Loss Data.

Pakistan's composite Risk Assesment Scoping Workshop

GRIP team — 14-03-2008 17:06:24 GMT

The Government of Pakistan has taken the lead for a National Composite Risk Assessment which is planned to be implemented during the next two years.GRIP will be participating in the upcoming scoping workshop

Data base standards meeting Munich February 28-29

GRIP team — 14-03-2008 17:06:24 GMT

The main objectives of this first meeting were to reach to an common understanding on the conceptual framework regarding data base standards and quality. The meeting was hosted by Munich Ree and took place on February 28-29

Japan Mission March 18-22

GRIP team — 14-03-2008 17:06:24 GMT

A mission to Japan is scheduled for discussions with the Cabinet Office of Japan and other Japanese partners with regards to the GRIP Programme

GRIP Steering committee

GRIP team — 25-03-2008 17:06:24 GMT

The biannual GRIP steering commitee meeting will take place in Panama on April 7. The meeting will link with the Provention Meeting and the GRIP Regional Group Induction meeting on April 11 in Panama City

GRIP Launch in Mozambique

GRIP team — 25-04-2008 17:06:24 GMT

GRIP will be launched in Africa with a first workshop in Maputo on May 7 and 8 in close collaboration with the Government of Mozambique and UNDP

Launch of GRIP Risk Assessment Activities in Mozambique

GRIP team — 02-07-2008 17:06:24 GMT

The Global Risk Identification Program (GRIP) recognizes the need for a sound understanding of risk (magnitude, characteristics, causes, distribution) for the preparation of realistic and effective National Strategies for Disaster Risk Management

Risk Mapping and Shelter Response Planning

GRIP team — 01-10-2008 17:06:24 GMT

The usually chaotic situation at all levels that results from the physical, human, and economic impacts of a disaster, makes it difficult to provide quick and efficient shelter response. It makes sense, therefore, to develop in advance strategies for shelter procurement, preparation and deployment. These strategies need to be based on realistic and accurate risk estimates that provide information not only on the magnitude of damage but also on its geographic distribution, characteristics, and causes. Shelter provision is also the first step towards the recovery of the affected communities. Ensuring housing reconstruction considering disaster risk reduction techniques is essential. UN-HABITAT and GRIP, on behalf of the IASC Emergency Shelter (ES) Global Cluster, have embarked on a long-term activity that will support the systematic incorporation of risk management into urban planning and city governance and development. Funded by the ES Global Cluster, UN-HABITAT and GRIP initiated a global activity called Risk Mapping and Shelter Response Planning. The goal of this initiative is to improve capacities to predict and address future post-disaster shelter recovery needs as well as to manage information about on-going risk after a disaster and their implications for shelter planning. This improved capacity will ensure rapid and efficient shelter provision after a disaster and will help to optimize resource utilization at local, national and international levels. By applying, adapting and calibrating the methodology in various pilot countries using actual past events, the wide applicability and usefulness will be demonstrated before its large-scale deployment and utilization. The initial pilot cities include Maputo (Mozambique), Kathmandu (Nepal), and Tijuana (Mexico). It is envisaged that the same exercise will be replicated in other cities around the world, gaining experience and providing major predictability in future emergency shelter responses.

Pre Disaster Risk Mapping and Shelter Response Planning in Kathmandu

GRIP team — 01-10-2008 17:06:24 GMT

Nepal is preparing Shelter Response Strategy and Plan for Kathmandu Valley which is expected to guide organized and systematic shelter response in case of a major disaster event like a major earthquake. The response strategy and plan is being prepared by National Society for Earthquake Technology – Nepal (NSET) as part of Risk Mapping for Shelter Response Project. The project work is being carried out under the broad guidance and leadership of the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC) of the Government of Nepal which is a responsible government institution for urban development and shelter planning. In addition, five municipality offices within Kathmandu Valley; three Disaster Development Committees (DDCs); and other national, international organizations and UN agencies will be involved in such strategy and plan development process. The process of strategy and plan formulation builds upon rich experiences of NSET from similar projects in Nepal and recent disaster response in India, Pakistan, and Indonesia. The project tries to identify immediate shelter response, transitional shelter response and long-term housing reconstruction and rehabilitation into a logical continuum and tries to address the inter-linkage between all three phases. A draft report on shelter response plan and strategy for Kathmandu Valley is under preparation. Existing earthquake risk of Kathmandu Valley is currently being evaluated - the input parameters for earthquake risk assessment such as demographic information, building typologies and building construction trends etc. are being updated to get the potential damage and casualty figures which will form the basis for shelter response plan. A Shelter Response Planning Workshop has been planned for third week of September in Kathmandu. The workshop will provide inputs on different aspects of shelter response and make decisions on key issues.

GRIP Priority Country - Ecuador

GRIP team — 01-10-2008 17:06:24 GMT

One of the five GRIP Outcome Areas is the implementation of comprehensive risk assessment packages to support sound disaster risk reduction policies and plans in the co-called Demonstration Countries. The comprehensive service packages implemented in those countries can then be replicated in other countries of the region. Mozambique and Sri Lanka are the demonstration countries in Africa and Asia, respectively. In Latin America, Ecuador has been selected to be the model country for the implementation of a Risk Assessment comprehensive package explained above. Preparation of the project has already started in collaboration with the Ecuadorian Government, relevant institutions, and the UNDP Country Office. It must be noticed that Ecuador is also a Pilot Country for the development of the Climate Change Program of UNDP-BCPR.

Bi-national Program – Chile and Peru

GRIP team — 01-10-2008 17:06:24 GMT

Two risk assessment projects being implemented under the GRIP Grants programme join forces. Five cities in northern coastal Chile are doing urban earthquake and tsunami risk assessments that will be integrated to produce a multi-state risk reduction strategy while municipalities of the Arequipa region of Peru are using glacier melting risk assessment results to incorporate adaptability in their development plans. Because these two regions border each other and face similar risks, it is only logical that they combine and share their experiences with each other. With assistance from GRIP, the two parties have already started contact with each-other and, in mid-September, a workshop organized in Peru with the participation of their Chilean neighbours will provide the opportunity to kick off the bi-national collaboration.

Disaster Data Standard Meeting in Geneva, Oct. 27-28, 2008

GRIP team — 18-11-2008 17:06:24 GMT

One of GRIP objectives is to expand and improve the evidence base on disaster-related losses by promoting and supporting the systematic organization of loss data into databases for analysis and use. Historical loss data is necessary for risk assessment and for measuring progress towards achieving the expected outcome of the Hyogo Framework of Action - the substantial reduction of disaster losses. In order to provide governments, academicians and in general the international community the opportunity to use and leverage existing indicators about historical loss data in different regions of the world, the project will attempt to produce a series of recommendations in the form of Disaster Data Standards. These Data Standards are planned to contain the following sections: - Terminology and Content: This section of the standard will provide a reference glossary with definitions of concept, mandatory identification (dimensions) fields, definition of the meaning of impact variables, etc - Transactional compatibility: This section of the standard will propose sets of standard codes (such as codes for events, GLIDE, geographic codes, etc) that will allow the computer systems to exchange, integrate, compare and in general interoperate disaster data - Interoperability Specification: this section of the standard deals with standard generic formats for information exchange and especially the definition of protocols by which computer (or better, automated systems) can communicate and exchange information making possible the physical implementations of the use cases that will drive the standards.

Final Review Meting of Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR/DRR)

GRIP team — 21-11-2008 17:06:24 GMT

One of the components of the ISDR’s 2009 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR/DRR) is Disaster Risk-Poverty Interface Analysis which study the effects of disaster on poverty and vice-versa. It is an intutive and frequently claimed statement that disasters deepen and perpetuate poverty and conversely, poverty is a key factor in increasing disaster risk.

The meeting on 5-6 November 2008 in Bangkok provided an opportunity for the country teams to present and to share the findings of this analysis. The discussions at the meeting also contributed to finalizing inputs to the Global Assessment Report. The Report will consist of a thematic focus on addressing the relationship between disaster risk and poverty. The evidence presented will make the case for disaster risk reduction as a key instrument to reduce poverty and for poverty reduction strategies in turn, to contribute to reducing disaster risks.

Situation Evaluation Tool for National Disaster Risk Assessment

GRIP team — 20-02-2009 17:06:24 GMT

The Global Risk Identification Programme (GRIP) has developed a situation evaluation tool for national risk assessment to facilitate understanding of risk assessment and management in a country, ultimately leading to the creation of a preliminary national risk management profile. The tool assesses the risk assessment studies done in the country, risk information needs and requirements for decision/policy making, data available and their sources, professional expertise and skills existing in the country, institutional capabilities (including methodologies), and existing DRR strategy, framework and programmes. The situation evaluation exercise is a preparatory phase towards the development and implementation of a national risk identification programme or project. In addition, the process also provides an excellent chance to engage main stakeholders to raise awareness, generate demand for risk assessment, ensure support and participation in national risk assessment, and lay down a governance framework for national risk assessment.

Regional Workshop on Risk Assessment for South Eastern Europe

GRIP team — 07-04-2009 17:06:24 GMT

The Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), UNDP Regional Bureau, UNDP Country Office and GRIP organized a regional workshop for South Eastern Europe in Sarajevo on Jan 20-23, 2009. Nine countries of the region participated. The workshop's main objectives were to agree on the methodology for National Risk Assessment in BiH, to identify the risk assessment needs of countries in the region and agree on the best match between those needs and the services offered by UNDP and GRIP, and to develop the understanding of the role of risk assessment within the risk reduction process among Government Officials and UNDP Country Offices (COs). The workshop triggered awareness, encouraged to move from emergency response to risk reduction, and promoted adoption of risk reduction activities into development planning of a country. GRIP will provide the COs with the necessary materials and information to promote Risk Assessment activities in the countries based on the identified needs and the COs will assist the National Governments to design programmes that fit the local needs.

GRIP Side Event at Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction - Wednesday 17th

GRIP team — 16-06-2009 17:06:24 GMT

GRIP is organizing this side event in coordination with ISDR Secretariat and with support from its implementing partners. It will take place on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 from 13:30 to 15:00 hours in rooms 18.

At the side event, GRIP and few of its implementing partners (5 or 6 out of approximately 100 implementing partners) will present the progress achieved during the two years since the 2007 Global Platform when GRIP was officially launched. The side event will also present GRIP's products, services, and future vision and provide opportunities to forge new partnerships and to strengthen existing ones. Participants will have the opportunity to share their experiences and increase their understanding of the importance of risk assessment in disaster risk reduction.
Highlights of the side event include presentations on:

DisDat portal
GLIDE project
Risk Assessment in Mozambique
GRIP projects in Nepal
Global Programme on Pre-Disaster Shelter Response Planning
GRIP projects in Tijuana
GRIP, the way forward

GRIP is also having a booth at the Market Place that will be held for the whole duration of the Global Platform. This booth is open to show the work of GRIP and its implementing partners and discuss needs and learn of opportunities for work collaborations and partnerships. A detailed agenda is attached available here