What We Need to Understand About Disasters with Mr. Ricardo Mena

Crisis Lab

Welcome to the second season of the Crisis. Conflict. Emergency Management Podcast brought to you by Capacity Building International (CBI), where we discuss all aspects of international crisis management and the nexus between crisis, conflict, and emergency management as well as impacts on communities.

In this episode, let's talk about disaster management and risk reduction.

From tsunamis and hurricanes to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the understanding of disaster management and risk reduction has changed. It is no longer just about hazards. International organizations are now taking into account all other aspects of the risk formula to detect early signs of the next health crisis or natural catastrophe to hit the world.

In this conversation with host Kyle King, former Director of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Mr. Ricardo Mena dives deeper into the major changes in disaster risk reduction, the current state of how international organizations fund risk mitigation, where the responsibility of implementing an integrated DRR ultimately falls on, the important tools that can influence nations to mitigate risk, and the role of local emergency managers in preventing what could go wrong in the future.

Show Highlights

[01:18] What has changed in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) over the last few years and where it is going

[06:34] Ricardo explains this is how society should start seeing hazards moving forward

[07:10] The topics Ricardo talked about when he started in DRR vs. the topics he talks about now, 29 years after

[13:40] The five catalysts Ricardo thinks fueled change in the way international organizations approach DRR

[19:26] How investments and funds are allocated in the implementation of DRR programs today

[23:39] Why incorporating climate change scenarios into future planning prevents the creation of new risks

[25:06] Where the responsibility to integrate all aspects of DRR ultimately falls on

[30:37] What Ricardo believes to be the most important tool to influence nations in mitigating risk

[36:08] What could go wrong in DRR today and the issues Ricardo thinks society should keep an eye on

Connect with Ricardo on LinkedIn

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