Enhancing Anticipatory Actions for Disaster and Climate Resilience

Enhancing Anticipatory Actions for Disaster and Climate Resilience aims to reduce the loss of lives and damage to properties and crops from floods and droughts by improving early warnings using satellite data and geospatial information. 

The impact-oriented early warnings are tailored to users’ needs, facilitating targeted early action and preparedness activities in anticipation of floods and droughts. This service will support the Mekong River Commission and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre)  to enhance their early warning services for the benefit of member countries. 

Rationale

Southeast Asia, home to over 680 million people with an overall economy of more than $3 trillion, is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. Annual economic losses from disasters in the region are estimated to be $86.5 billion.

Across Southeast Asia, over 152 million people (approximately one in four persons) are living within areas experiencing floods, and over 60% of the population is living within areas that experience droughts. If left unchecked, climate change impacts could shrink the region’s economy by 11% by the end of this century (according to ADB estimates), affecting local communities and pushing people back into poverty.