Preparing for extreme weather in Myanmar
Myanmar is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate extremes; severe weather is a constant threat. Over 141,000 lives were lost between 2008 and 2013 due to extreme weather.
To improve the resilience of people in Myanmar, BBC Media Action has produced a series of national radio and TV public service announcements (PSAs).
Simple, doable actions
Each PSA provides information on simple, low-cost ways people can respond to extreme weather, including flooding, cyclones and drought. The PSAs feature real-life stories of survival from rural communities, illustrating what actions individuals and households can take to help themselves, while engaging and motivating people to act.
In one PSA, a woman shares why she’s keeping her important documents, such as birth certificates, wrapped in a waterproof plastic bag and stored in a safe place. She explains that this makes them easily accessible if she needs to leave the house suddenly due to severe weather.
Our PSAs are informed by our research into audiences’ experiences with climate and environmental change. Research reveals that people in Myanmar believe that climate and disasters are outside of their control. It also found that people – in reflection of their limited resources – wanted practical and low-cost ways to prepare for and respond to extreme weather.
The PSAs are part of BRACED (Building Resilience and Adaption to Climate Extremes and Disasters), a project BBC Media Action is implementing alongside Plan International UK.
In 2015, BBC Media Action’s daily Lifeline radio programmes provided practical information for people affected by 2015 flooding in Myanmar
|Project name||BRACED (Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climatic Extremes and Disasters)|
|Funder||The UK’s Department for International Development|
|Themes||Resilience and Humanitarian|
Myanmar Radio and MRTV
|Partners||Plan International UK, (UN Habitat, ActionAid, World Vision, Myanmar Environment Institute)|