ReliefWeb

Introduction

Government officials involved in public investment planning, including officials from ministries of planning, and planning units of line agencies and local government are increasingly being called upon to undertake resilient development, in support of efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Disaster risk management (DRM) is an important aspect of resilient development and should be factored in all stages of the public investment planning process. In doing so, however, the role of public investment planners should not be limited to being passive users of disaster risk information, but instead be at the center in defining their risk information-related needs and supporting the development of such information in close partnership with hydrometeorological and geological institutes and relevant national agencies that address DRM and climate change.

This knowledge note is based on lessons learned from Southeast Asian countries, largely drawn from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) regional technical assistance project on Enhanced Use of Disaster Risk Information for Decision Making in Southeast Asia. The project was supported by the Integrated Disaster Risk Management Fund, administered by ADB and funded by the Government of Canada. The knowledge note provides guidance to government officials involved in public investment planning on increasing their engagement in understanding disaster risk. Such engagement is crucial if the SDGs are to be achieved.