An international aid agency has called for a dramatic shake-up in dealing with natural disasters linked to climate change.

The latest report from Save The Children says governments, international organizations and aid agencies must change their tactics and prepare for natural disasters rather than merely responding to them. They must start investing to prepare in advance for the increase in the number and severity of disasters that climate change will bring. It is too late to concentrate solely on reducing carbon emissions, because climate change is already having an impact. Now is the time to plan for disasters before they happen to reduce the damage they cause to the lives of vulnerable children and their families.

The report entitiled "In the Face of Disaster" estimates that every US$1 spent on preparing for a disaster can $7 of losses. The report says that if all the countries that give money to humanitarian assistance programs invested an additional 10 percent of the approximately $10 billion they spend on responding to disaster on preparation, they could prevent $7 billion in losses. This amount is enough to respond to five tsunamis.

The projects that should be funded to prepare for disasters includes everything from planting mangrove trees, to building disaster resistant public buildings, making clear evacuation routes or setting up early warning systems. These projects, known as Disaster Risk Reduction, should involve everyone, including children living in villages, governments and international organizations.

In an interview with CRI, Amelia Bookstein Kyazze, Emergency Expert from Save the Children based in London responded to questions as below:

A. What is the Report, In The Face of Disaster about?

B. What will the investment achieve in the long run?

C. How do we predict when and where the disasters will take place and also, how do we input limited resources to these areas to prepare for the disasters?

D. Are there any other preparations need to be done for the project?

E. Which country can we emulate in this aspect?