Emergency Preparedness

Most APEC economies are situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where strong earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions pose constant threats. The region is also the world’s most frequented by tropical cyclone formations, including yearly occurrences of Category 5 cyclones, or super typhoons. Furthermore, the Asia-Pacific region is subjected to temperature changes in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the El Niño and La Niña phenomena. All these conditions could be further exacerbated by climate change.

Catastrophes in the region—such as the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the 2008 earthquake in China's Sichuan Province, the 2010 earthquake in Chile, and the 2011 earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan—are critical reminders of the importance of APEC's emergency preparedness work.

The APEC Emergency Preparedness Working Group (EPWG) was first established as the APEC Task Force for Emergency Preparedness (TFEP) by APEC Senior Officials in 2005.  In 2009, APEC Leaders reaffirmed the importance of enhancing human security and reducing the threat of disruptions to business and trade in the Asia-Pacific Region. In 2010 the TFEP—the importance of its work recognized—was elevated to an Emergency Preparedness Working Group (EPWG).

The EPWG seeks to build capacity in the region so that APEC member economies can better mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and natural disasters. This is achieved by building business and community resilience; fostering private-public partnerships to protect communities and businesses from disruption; and by sharing information, knowledge and technology to improve regional capacity on disaster risk reduction.

The EPWG continues to improve coordination efforts within APEC, by fostering research and collaboration, sharing knowledge, lessons learned and best practices in the field of emergency management. The group enhances cooperation among members, and seeks integration of best-practice emergency and natural disaster preparedness.

In 2015, APEC Leaders adopted the APEC Disaster Reduction Risk Framework (DRRF), primarily to address the pressing concerns resulting from the persistence of disasters in the Asia-Pacific region, which are considered to be the “new normal.”

This “new normal” is characterized by at least two phenomena: the increasing frequency, magnitude and scope of natural disasters, and the resultant disruption of the increasingly integrated and interlinked production and supply chains of the region. It disrupts the free flow of trade and investment across economies; it presents tremendous challenges and serious threats to the inclusiveness and sustainability of growth and development in the region. According to a World Bank estimate, APEC economies have been incurring disaster-related losses of over $100 billion every year for the last ten years.

In 2016, the EPWG was tasked to lead in the creation of the APEC DRR Action Plan (DRRAP), which is composed of the four pillars of disaster risk reduction, specific areas for collaboration, corresponding activities, the responsible partners, timelines for accomplishment, and indicators for evaluation.

Last page update: January 2025

Contacts

Current Activities

Annual Convening and Senior Disaster Management Officials' Forum

The EPWG convenes annually, typically during the third APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM3) cluster in August, to address key issues, share best practices, and set strategic priorities for disaster preparedness across the region. Following the EPWG meeting, the Senior Disaster Management Officials’ Forum (SDMOF) gathers high-level officials to further refine and advance APEC’s collective efforts in disaster risk reduction and resilience building.

Overview of EPWG's Activities in 2024

Extreme weather events continue to affect millions across the Asia-Pacific region. In response, EPWG has focused on advancing disaster preparedness through the updated APEC Disaster Risk Reduction Framework and Action Plan, introduced in 2023 during the US host year.

In May 2024, the 20th EPWG Meeting (EPWG20) and the 17th Senior Disaster Management Officials’ Forum (SDMOF17) were held back-to-back in Arequipa, Peru, under the theme “Emergency Preparedness for Sustainable Growth and Sound Development with an Inclusive and Community Approach.” The discussions emphasized the importance of community-led hazard mitigation and resilient infrastructure. Key topics included:

Addressing the Changing Climate

The current disaster landscape calls for enhanced coordination among economies to better understand and manage climate-induced emergencies. With phenomena such as El Niño resulting in some of the warmest temperatures in the past 20 years, the region's economic growth and prosperity have been significantly impacted. EPWG prioritizes bridging the gap between climate change and disaster risk reduction, equipping crisis managers, policymakers, and the public with the knowledge and tools needed to tackle complex emergencies.

Strengthening Local Preparedness

A key focus for EPWG is strengthening local preparedness, particularly in areas frequently impacted by volcanoes, landslides, earthquakes, and other disasters. This includes developing community-led hazard mitigation plans and aligning emergency preparedness and response programs with economy-specific development plans. EPWG is also exploring nature-based solutions and resilient infrastructure to contribute to APEC’s broader disaster resilience efforts.

Enhancing Early Warning Systems

Timely and accurate information is crucial for saving lives during disasters. EPWG aims to identify regional gaps and opportunities for greater collaboration on early warning systems. Strengthening these systems will help economies respond more effectively to impending disasters.

Empowering Communities

Empowering communities to adopt effective disaster preparedness measures is essential for comprehensive disaster risk reduction. EPWG's  activities focus on the roles of youth and women in leading successful capacity-building programs. For example, in the Cajamarca Department of Peru, women leaders have pioneered community risk mapping and family emergency planning, providing valuable lessons for other APEC economies.

Promoting Resilient Recovery

EPWG's activities also include robust dialogues and concrete deliverables that support the response and resilient recovery pillars of disaster management. A critical focus area is the impact of disasters on ports and airports, which play a vital role in maintaining post-disaster supply chains and ensuring the continuity of services and operations.

Collaboration with the Private Sector

The engagement of companies, associations, private sector financial institutions, and regulatory bodies is crucial in disaster risk management. EPWG emphasizes the continuity of business operations to help normalize livelihoods post-disaster. Learning from international success stories in recovery and reconstruction is a key priority for enhancing economic resilience.