Puri: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) member and head of the department, Krishna S Vatsa, on Thursday cited Odisha as a model in disaster management, pointing to sustained investments in preparedness, early warning, community participation, evacuation planning and resilient recovery. Referring to the state’s progress since the 1999 Super Cyclone and subsequent cyclone responses, he said Odisha’s experience offers lessons for India and the wider global community.Vatsa, also the chair of the Second Brics Technical Meeting of Disaster Risk Reduction Group in Puri, was addressing the delegates when he called for a unified global push on disaster resilience. He said disaster risk management must evolve into a “global public good”, stressing that Brics cooperation is critical to protecting vulnerable nations and strengthening collective preparedness.“Disaster risks are changing rapidly as climate change increases the frequency, intensity and unpredictability of hazards. A heatwave may trigger power failures and water shortages. Intense rainfall may lead to urban flooding, infrastructure disruptions and public health emergencies. Droughts can affect food security, livelihoods and migration patterns,” he said, adding that countries are increasingly confronting cascading and compounding risks rather than isolated hazards.Vatsa added responding to these challenges requires major investments, technological innovation, scientific capability, strong institutions and close cooperation among govts, communities, academia, the private sector and civil society. “No single institution can manage these risks alone,” he said, noting that the Brics countries, despite different geographies and development pathways, have undertaken significant efforts to strengthen disaster risk reduction systems.He said these efforts have delivered measurable outcomes across Brics nations, including reduced hazard-related mortality, improved preparedness and protection of lives and livelihoods, adding that progress must be sustained and expanded.Vatsa highlighted five thematic areas identified by the working group — early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, disaster risk financing, nature-based solutions, and science, technology and innovation — as key opportunities for cooperation with the potential to improve resilience outcomes for millions.He said the Brics platform can help countries pool experiences, innovations and practices, learn from one another and adapt successful approaches to local contexts.To deepen cooperation, Vatsa called for more investment in knowledge systems, including mechanisms to document good practices, evaluate what works, share lessons and build communities of practice. He also urged the creation of knowledge platforms linking policymakers, practitioners, scientists, financial institutions, local govts and communities, alongside innovation ecosystems that support experimentation and accelerate adoption of proven solutions.“The challenge before us is not a shortage of ideas. It is the challenge of bringing proven solutions to scale and ensuring that they reach the communities that need them the most,” he said.
