The first IDRC Risk Award was announced on Friday,13 May 2011 by the award partners at the Third Session of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk reduction in Geneva.
Particularly concerned by the accumulation of risks resulting from population growth, environmental and climate change, the awards partners will give priority to projects that focus on improving infrastructure and technical systems at grassroots level that are at immediate risks when disaster happen. For the first time, Munich Re Foundation, the Global Risk Forum and United Nations secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) join forces and offer €100,000 to a risk reduction project that will contribute to increasing people’s resilience to disasters, especially in developing communities which are most at risk.
"The Award is not only supporting operational projects on a grassroot level-exposin the Award into the public also helps to raise awareness for the important issue of Disaster Risk Management." Thomas Loster, Munich Re Foundation, said in the subsequent press conference.
Disaster costs due to infrastructure damage are increasing in an exponential way that is alarming and will affect more communities in the future, reveals the second Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction released last Monday in Geneva.
“There is an urgent need to finance small projects that will make thousands of people more resilient at the local level. The prize is a very good initiative that will encourage more disaster risk reduction projects to support prevention, intervention and fast recovery from disasters at the community level. It is crucial, as discussed during the Third Session of the Global Platform that we better prepare communities to reduce risks as they are always at the frontline when disasters hit,” says Margareta Wahlström, the Secretary General’s Special Representative for Disaster Reduction.
The prize will be awarded every two years and will accept proposals that are new, under development or upgrades of existing systems or services associated with risk management, early warning or water as a resource to better equip communities to respond to natural hazards.
Any individual, teams or institutions from different sectors, including governmental bodies, can submit their proposal for the Risk Award.
The Risk Award prize will be handed over at the International Disaster and Risk Conference (IDRC) Davos, starting with the first award ceremony at the IDRC Davos 2012, on 26 August 2012.
“The Risk Award fits exactly into GRF Davos' strategy to promote integrative risk management solutions at a community and city level,” says Walter Ammann, President GRF Davos. “We are very pleased to provide the right forum to honour the Risk Award laureate.”
The first 2012 award will focus on early warning in urban areas to emphasize the importance of the current UNISDR campaign “Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready!”
Further information on the Risk Award and the International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC Davos 2012 is available >>>here.
