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Mr Carlson stated that disaster risk and climate change management are now seen as a core responsibility
across all government sectors in Cook Islands.
'In the past, anything to do with disaster management- people would look at us and say it was our responsibility,
but what we're saying now is that it's everybody's responsibility. For example, if you look at our Ministry of
Infrastructure, it is clearly their job to make sure that our infrastructure is climate or disaster proof,' he says.
Across the Cook Islands Government, he continues, efforts are being made to include JNAP implementation as
a core function of not only the Office of the Prime Minister but of each implementing agency.
'This includes providing criteria for disaster risk reduction, climate change, environmental risks and resilience
in each of our agencies' business plans, and establishing policy and legislative frameworks that recognise these
linkages,' he says.
Mr Carlson also acknowledges that the SPC Disaster Reduction Programme has already provided support for
Pacific Island countries to shift disaster management efforts toward towards a greater focus on prevention
rather than response.
'SPC has been the backbone in developing disaster risk management within the region. I've been to a couple of
the global conferences, and I can see that the region is quite advanced compared to other regions, and I think
that is largely due to the support provided by SPC's Disaster Reduction Programme,' he commented.