Table of Contents
The News
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The News
What is this IRIS?
- India along with some other nations will be launching a new initiative called Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) on the sidelines of the upcoming Conference of Parties (COP26).
- IRIS will a the platform aimed at creating a coalition for putting in place infrastructure that can withstand disasters and lessen economic losses in island nations.
- Australia, India and UK have committed an initial funding of $10 million for IRIS.
Who all are involved?
- India, along with Australia, UK and small island developing states (SIDS) will partners in this new initiative Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS).
- SIDS (small island developing states) comprises of about 58 countries in the Caribbean, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Sea regions which are among the most vulnerable countries to geophysical and hydro-meteorological hazards.
- IRIS is still at the inception stage, more countries, including Japan are expected to join or atleast contribute to this initiative.
Why IRIS makes sense?
Why IRIS makes sense?
- SIDS are among the most vulnerable countries to geophysical and hydro-meteorological hazards. The impact of climate change in the form of tsunamis, cyclones, earthquakes and heavy rains are more frequent and intense in many of these SID countries.
- The Susceptibility of SIDS to very high relative economic losses due to disasters averages in the range of 1-10 per cent of GDP annually.
- SIDS accounts for two-thirds of the countries in the world that suffer the highest relative losses due to disasters.
- According to the ADB and Inter-American Development Bank, infrastructure investment deficit in the Pacific and the Caribbean SIDS is $42 billion and $46 billion, respectively, over a period of 2015-2040.
Why IRIS makes sense for India?
- In 2019, Indian PM Narendra Modi had launched Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) at UN climate action summit.
- CRDI is a multi-stakeholder global partnership of governments, UN agencies, multilateral development banks, private sector & other knowledge institutions. CRDI aims to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks in support of sustainable development.
- India as co-chair of CRDI has already helped in 78 rounds of consultations among SIDS. Consultations included resilient building codes, making available technical and institutional capacities etc. This knowledge will ensure that investments in infrastructure projects will systematically manage current and future risks by incorporating appropriate measures.
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