Forum tackles natural disasters’ impact on business
The private sector’s profitability and growth are increasingly affected by both moderate hazards and major catastrophes such as floods, storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, droughts and tsunamis, the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center has warned.
The 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, followed by unprecedented flooding in Thailand in the same year, were both wake-up calls for the private sector at both the global and regional level due to the effects on global supply chains and the number of smaller businesses that ceased operations.
The impact of disasters caused by such natural hazards is also likely to increase in Asia as climate change brings more extreme weather events and causes sea levels to rise.
To identify opportunities and challenges to enhance the resilience of the private sector against disasters and climate change, the first Asian Business Forum on Risk Reduction and Resilience Building will take place on Wednesday and Thursday at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Bangkok.
Almost 200 representatives from the private sector, government agencies and diplomatic missions will participate.
The forum is being organised by the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Asian Development Bank, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Global Disaster Preparedness Center and The Asia Foundation.
