Economic assessment of climate-related disaster losses in the forestry sector in Belarus: current status and areas for improvement based on international experience

Abstract

This report has been drawn up within the study “Assessing the current losses and improving the economic analysis of the costs of the on-going climate related catastrophic forestry events based on international experience” funded by The Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). This report was largely encouraged by the need to support the forest sector of Belarus to recover from the forestry catastrophic event of 2016 and to increase the resillience of Belarusian forests to future windblows and other adverse weather effects. The goal of the study was to improve economic assessment of the impact of catastrophic weather events on Belarusian forests. The study was carried out based on analysis of available research from the countries that have considerably advanced in this area, and were developed with regard to the practices existing in the forest sector of the Republic of Belarus. The work involved meetings with the authorities and professionals of the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus, visits to forestry enterprise with relevant study of methods for economic assessment of costs and the recovery operations after natural disasters.