About Conference

Science and technology, and Innovation (STI) can significantly lower the loss and damages caused by disasters given that natural hazards are expected to only increase in the near future. The biennial Asia Pacific Science and Technology Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (APSTCDRR) since 2016 is centered around the role played by science and technology. Every edition of the Conference aimed at extending the understanding of the role of science and technology in supporting the country level efforts towards realizing the full potentials of the Sendai Framework and the follow-up commitments made at global platforms. It is noteworthy that science and technology not only contributed to the disaster risk reduction significantly over years but also generated ways to predict and control for more broader climate change problems. In an effort to generate an in-depth knowledge of vulnerability to natural hazards, the conference provided the necessary space for dialogue that enabled scientists, practitioners and researchers to communicate more freely, breaking disciplinary boundaries with those interest groups having priority and an obligation to reduce disaster impact through resilience building. An outcome of every past edition of the Conference has been a scientific document which is not too scientific in nature but does includes the nuances so that the seemingly complex solutions are easily conveyed for framing a broader disaster risk reduction policy.

The focus of the first two edition was primarily on the progress with the Sendai Framework and how implementation challenges are and could be overcome with reliance on science and technology. In recent years, the focus has drifted towards developing enough evidence that communities and societies at large benefit when science and technology is used to strengthen various enabling infrastructures, irrespective of whether they are soft or hard interventions. The last edition of the Conference had a specific focus on extending the experiences on the use of science and technology to address compound, cascading, and systemic risk; and improve risk governance through critical examination of the local level challenges. Now that the world has acquired knowledge on how to control pandemics, at least with some degree of success due to science and innovation, it is of paramount interest to keep the dialogues going.

A step forward is to engage in constructive dialogues to create a better understanding of the efficacy of the early warning systems (EWSs). It is necessary to discuss the scope for development of the basic infrastructure for developing future ‘smart’ EWSs, use of IoTs, technological challenges and prospects, monitoring of the EWSs and processing of the information collected to generate alerts and warnings; implementation challenges and governance issues, to mention a few. Following the practice in the past editions of the Conference, a outcome document namely, Roorkee Declaration will be prepared and shared at the 2024 Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) scheduled to take place in Manila, Philippines.

Keeping this in mind, the 5th Asia Pacific Science Technology Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (APSTCDRR) will focus on the role of early warning systems in reducing disaster loss and damages.

This has got a new momentum with the advancement of new and emerging technologies during and post COVID-19 era. The global risk landscape is becoming more complex, and cascading, compound and systemic risk becomes the core of risk reduction in the current years. Climate extremes become new normal for many communities and countries, affecting both the rural and urban population. The Sendai Mid-term Review has emphasized enhanced roles of science, technology and innovation in achieving the SFDRR targets and the SDGs. Technological options should provide a platform for innovation and increase the interlinkages between different kinds of knowledge, including local, Indigenous and traditional knowledge (LITK), lay-persons knowledge and overall practical experiences from citizens and communities. All kinds of knowledge, including LITK, must inform decisions and actions on the ground. Options as artificial intelligence and big data should also be considered to better understand and reduce risk. This is also essential to ensure the implementation of gender transformative and disability inclusive disaster risk reduction strategies and initiatives. A holistic and synergetic approach that draws on LITK and experience combined with science, technology and innovation, empowering local civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations is therefore key.

Keeping this in mind, the 5th Asia Pacific Science Technology Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APSTCDRR) will focus on:
1) assessing effectiveness of multi hazards early warning system for all,
2) enhancing localization and inclusion for science-based governance including local and indigenous knowledge (LITK),
3) fostering innovations in climate change and cities to cope with future risks, and
4) providing a platform for innovation and entrepreneurship strategy in disaster risk reduction