The
link between Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
and disaster
risk reduction
The UN
Millennium Summit gathered in New York in September 2000.
A total of 189 world leaders met and adopted the UN
Millennium Declaration (A/RES/55/2).
Under “Protecting our common environment” the
declaration "adopt in all our environmental action
a new ethic of conservation and stewardship and, as first
steps, resolves...to intensify cooperation to reduce the
number and effects of natural and man-made disasters” [paragraph
23]."
Strategies
linked to ISDR for moving ahead on this goal were outlined
in the Road
map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium
Declaration (Secretary-General Report to GA
A/56/326), which included:
- developing
early warning systems, vulnerability mapping, technological
transfer and training;
- supporting
interdisciplinary and intersectoral partnerships, improved
scientific research on the causes of natural disasters
and better international cooperation to reduce the impact
of climate variables, such as El Niño and La Niña;
- encouraging
governments to address the problems created by megacities,
the location of settlements in high-risk areas and other
manmade determinants of disasters;
- encouraging
governments to incorporate disaster risk reduction into
national planning processes, including building codes.
Eight
targets, known as the Millennium
Development Goals were also established in this
Roadmap, providing guidance for achieving development for
the international community, national governments and,
in particular, the United Nations.
All of
these targets touch upon areas which are closely linked
to vulnerability to natural hazards, such as eradicating
extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary
education, promoting gender equality, ensuring environmental
stability and partnerships for development. For example,
the goal of improving the lives of thousands of slum dwellers
around the world living in high-risk areas by 2020, involves
poverty eradication, proper land use planning and the improved
understanding of vulnerability to disasters in densely
populated areas.
The UN
Secretary-General report In
larger freedom: towards development, security and human
rights for all (A/59/2005) of 21 March 2005, includes
a section on Other priorities for global action in
chapter II. Section E., in which natural disasters have
been identified as an obstacle to achieve the development
goals.
Natural
disasters
65. The
devastating impact of the Indian Ocean tsunami
has reminded us all of the vulnerability
of human life to natural disasters, and also
of the disproportionate effect they have
on poor people. Unless more determined efforts
are made to address the loss of lives, livelihoods
and infrastructure, disasters will become
an increasingly serious obstacle to the achievement
of the Millennium Development Goals. The
World Conference on Disaster Reduction, held
in early 2005, adopted the Hyogo
Framework for Action 2005-2015, which
identifies strategic objectives and priority
areas to reduce disaster risk in the next
10 years. We must proceed with its implementation.
66. The
countries of the Indian Ocean region, with
the help of the United Nations and others,
are now taking steps to establish a regional
tsunami early warning system. Let us not
forget, however, the other hazards that people
in all regions of the world are exposed to,
including storms, floods, droughts, landslides,
heat waves and volcanic eruptions. To
complement broader disaster preparedness
and mitigation initiatives, I recommend the
establishment of a worldwide early warning
system for all natural hazards, building
on existing national and regional capacity.
To assist in its establishment, I shall be
requesting the International Strategy for
Disaster Reduction secretariat to coordinate
a survey of existing capacities and gaps,
in cooperation with all United Nations system
entities concerned, and I look forward to
receiving its findings and recommendations.
When disasters strike, we also need improved
rapid response arrangements for immediate
humanitarian relief, which are considered
in section V below.
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Failure to incorporate Disaster Risk Reduction measures into strategies
for achieving the MDG’s will lead to instability as demonstrated
by the following graphic:
See also:
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