Meteorological and Hydrological Cooperation within APEC: Todays Challenges, Tomorrows Opportunities

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Meteorological and Hydrological Cooperation
within APEC Todays Challenges, Tomorrows
Opportunities

• Reduction of Vulnerability to Natural Disasters
• Dr. William H. Hooke,
• Senior Policy Fellow
• American Meteorological Society

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Talk Outline

• the case for APEC emphasis on natural disaster
  reduction
• candidate meteorological/hydrological proposals
• related actions underway in the U.S.

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Reduction of Vulnerability to Natural Disasters

• the case for APEC emphasis

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Natural disasters are

• a public safety issue, but also
• an economic issue
• not just property loss, but also
• economic/business disruption,
• cross-cutting
• inherently regional/multinational

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Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was
established in 1989 in response to the growing
interdependence among Asia-Pacific economies.
Begun as an informal dialogue group, APEC has
since become the primary regional vehicle for
promoting open trade and practical economic
cooperation. Its goal is to advance Asia-Pacific
economic dynamism and sense of community. Today,
APEC's 21 member economies had a combined Gross
Domestic Product of over US18 trillion in 1999
and 43.85 percent of global trade.
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Infrastructure

• uniquely vital
• to urban life and safety
• to modern economic development
• to APECs mission
• uniquely vulnerable

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APEC working groups

• industrial science and technology
• human resources development
• regional energy cooperation
• marine resources conservation
• telecommunications
• transportation
• tourism
• fisheries
• ...

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Natural disasters

• currently receive little publicity, but
• trigger losses comparable to the Asian Flu.
• are regional, not simply national
• will only increase in number and cost unless APEC
  acts

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APEC Industrial Science and Technology Working
Group (ISTWG) PRIORITIES

• improved availability of information
• improved human resources development
• improved business climate
• contribution to sustainable development
• enhanced policy dialog and review
• facilitation of networks and partnership

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Meteorological/hydrological agencies should take
the lead

• From weather prediction to air pollution
  research, climate change related activities,
  ozone layer depletion studies and tropical storm
  forecasting, the World Meteorological
  Organization coordinates global scientific
  activity to allow increasingly prompt and
  accurate weather information and other services
  for public, private and commercial use, including
  international airline and shipping industries.
• WMO's activities contribute to the safety of life
  and property, the socio-economic development of
  nations and the protection of the environment.

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Reduction of Vulnerability to Natural Disasters

• candidate meteorological/hydrological proposals

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candidate met/hydro proposals build resilience
to natural hazards

• Regional vulnerability assessments
• incentives for pre-event mitigation
• improved hazard detection/warnings
• build societal resilience
• create partnerships and put them to work
• measure progress
• learn from mistakes
• work cooperatively

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candidate proposalsbuild met/hydro services
capacity

• Accelerate regional/multi-national investment in
  vital weather and climate monitoring and
  prediction infrastructure
• strengthen international commitments to free and
  open exchange of meteorological data
• augment weather and climate RD
• improve meteorological education
• strengthen links to economic sectors

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Reduction of Vulnerability to Natural Disasters

• related actions underway in the U.S.

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related actions underway in the U.S. (Bush
transition documents)

• A National Priority Building resilience to
  Natural Hazards
• A National Priority Coping with Weather and
  Climate
• (both these documents stress international
  cooperation)