3 December 2014: The event ‘Disaster Risk Management (DRM) for Climate Change Adaption in Peru’ explored collaborative initiatives between the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Peruvian government, highlighting the necessity of incorporating DRM into all sectors of Peru’s planning processes. JICA and Peru’s Presidencia del Consejo de Ministros (PCM) convened the side event at the Lima Climate Change Conference.

Kunio Okamura, Senior Special Advisor, JICA, said Peru’s approach to DRM is “management by results.” Alberto Bisbal, DRM Secretary, PCM, explained how Peru has used public policies and integrated planning to reduce disaster risk and created financial mechanisms to guarantee adequate resources. He identified proactive management processes in use, including: risk estimation and prevention; corrective management through risk reduction, reconstruction and preparation; and risk management through response and rehabilitation processes.

Toshitaka Takeuchi, Director of the South American Division, JICA, identified DRM as one of the top three priorities for the Peruvian government following a marked increase in natural disasters in the region. Takeuchi stressed that prior investment and collaboration across the health, urban planning, transport, governance and energy sectors minimize the impacts of disasters.

Kazuto Suzuki, CTI Engineering International, outlined research on the trends and characteristics of disasters in Peru and presented DRM institutional systems, policies and projects. He identified various gaps and challenges, including: lack of detailed plans to mitigate or prevent damages; capacity of local staff; lack of guidelines and policies for disaster management actions; and lack of detailed risk assessments in several sectors.

Participants posed questions about ways of incorporating disaster risk reduction (DRR) into development planning, improving flood mitigation strategies in river basins and systems, including the agricultural sector in DRM strategies and DRM mainstreaming into local and traditional authorities. [IISD RS ENBOTS Coverage] [IISD RS Coverage of Lima Climate Change Conference] [JICA Website] [PCM Website]