In October 2012, the Jakarta Climate Adaptation Tools (JCAT) team co-organised a session at the 5th Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

AMCDRR is a biennial conference organised by rotation in different Asian countries since 2005. The conference serves as a forum to exchange experiences on successful practices and innovative approaches in implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action’s five priorities for action at national and local levels.

The 5th AMCDRR conference had the theme “Strengthening Local Capacity for Disaster Risk Reduction”. JCAT contributed to this theme by co-organising a session on local risk reduction initiatives in Asia. In the session, the team presented the first results of JCAT. The presentation highlighted the need to assess both the costs and benefits, in economic and social terms, of a large range of flood risk reduction measures. Instead of only focusing on traditional infrastructural measures (such as dikes and sea-walls, which are of great importance), more attention should also be paid to options such as forestation in the upper catchment areas, early warning systems, spatial zoning, and reducing land subsidence through the improved supply of drinking water. A fruitful exchange of knowledge took place between researchers, NGOs, and policy–makers from countries including Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and South Korea.