The Philippines, through the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), partnered with the United States of America (USA) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in organizing the workshop on harnessing science, technology and innovation (STI) for disaster risk reduction (DRR).
Held from February 29 to March 1, the workshop was an initiative of the Philippines and the USA under the countries’ membership in the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD).
The workshop was attended by about 50 experts, policy-makers, researchers and diplomats coming from 14 member States across different regions, including Austria, Brazil, Guinea, Japan, Oman, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Tanzania, Türkiye, the USA and Uzbekistan.
Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., in his keynote speech, called on everyone to collectively address challenges, especially that hazards know no political boundaries.
He further stated that disasters are seemingly intractable. But if framed as inefficiency and failure, disasters become preventable.
Solidum highlighted three key messages to guide the workshop—cooperative action, best-fit science, technology and innovation, and the will of State and people.
“We hope that by holding this Forum, we can trigger a conversation that leads to a more inspired, and perhaps new way of thinking and doing STI for pushing forward disaster and climate resilience,” the DOST chief said.
Science Undersecretary Leah Buendia welcomed the delegates, while Shamika N. Sirimanne, director of the Division on Technology and Logistics (DTL) of UNCTAD and head of the CSTD Secretaria,t and Dr. Patricia Gruber, Science and Technology adviser to Secretary of the US Department of State, sent video messages.
“This workshop reinforces the Philippines’ steadfast commitment in joining hands with the international community, such as the [UNCSTD], in providing STI solutions to global challenges and significantly contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda,” Buendia said.
For her part, Sirimanne encouraged the group to leverage satellite and quantum technologies to develop sound and well-grounded STI policies, and develop networks to support learning and sharing spaces.
Gruber highlighted that STI in DRR enables effective early warning systems, comprehensive community planning, and swift and coordinated response through resilient and interoperable communications networks.
“Together, we can shape the landscape of disaster risk reduction with the appropriate use of digital solutions in a manner consistent with our shared values and accelerate progress of the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals]. Like the SDGs themselves, these efforts should integrate and mutually reinforce the social, economic, environmental, and governance goals across the agenda,” Gruber said
In the two-day workshop, the participants listened to presentations from the Philippines, USA, Austria, Brazil, Japan, and South Africa on the most pressing disaster and climate risk challenges faced by their countries and regions, as well as the best practices, approaches, and programs for addressing those challenges.
The participants and speakers also had the opportunity to engage in more interactive discussions through the working group sessions.
The workshop also saw posters that featured innovations that address disaster and climate-risk challenges.
Besides the common and unique best practices and issues that emerged from the discussions, the participants were able to come up with a list of policy recommendations that would be useful for future STI resolutions, studies, and initiatives of the CSTD.
The DOST also organized a brief study tour at selected DRR facilities at the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute, DOST-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, DOST-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, and the Office of Civil Defense.
The results of the workshop are expected to be presented at the 27th Annual Session of CSTD in Geneva, Switzerland, in April.
Image credits: DOST PHOTO