Interventions for Promoting Knowledge, Innovations and Landslide Risk Management Practices Within South and Southeast Asia (WCoE 2014–2017)

Abstract

Asia is a dynamic nexus of economic and social change, with population growth, industrialisation and urbanisation playing a large part in shaping the exposure of communities to hydro-meteorological as well as geologic hazards. Among them, landslides have become most widespread and commonly observed events throughout South and Southeast Asia. Recent incidents triggered by South Asian monsoons affected by El Nifio resulted in devastating landslides in many countries in Asia. Realizing the essential need for landslide risk reduction, the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) implements an umbrella program, namely the Asian Program for Regional Capacity Enhancement for Landslide Impact Mitigation (RECLAIM) to undertake various measures for landslide risk mitigation such as pilot demonstration projects, capacity building programs for the stakeholder institutions through regional and national level training courses, networking events for experience sharing. This paper presents some of the needs and gaps in the region and initiatives undertaken by the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) through its programs to address them. In acknowledgement of the initiatives being undertaken for landslide disaster risk reduction in Asia, the International Consortium of Landslides (ICL) has recognized ADPC to be one of the World Centers of Excellence (WCoE).