News Archive

Shanghai Expo 2010 to hold forum on disaster risk reduction

Mayors from around the world declare commitment to making cities resilient to climate change

Mayors from 22 cities in 19 countries gathered in Bonn, Germany to launch the Mayors Adaptation Forum - the first annual platform of the World Mayors Council on Climate Change to help local leaders with advocacy and local adaptation practices. The Bonn Declaration of the Mayors Adaptation Forum commits to the implementation and monitoring of the Making Cities Resilient campaign, and urges the international climate community to recognize the increased leadership of local governments in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

UNISDR ECOSOC side event brief: Accelerating MDGs by reducing risk to natural hazards

The UNISDR ECOSOC side event was attended by over 70 participants including representatives from the Permanent Mission, UN agencies and civil society organizations. Panellist Marianne Fay of the World Bank said that disaster risk reduction and achievements of the Millennium Development Goals support each other – the converse is that a failure of one will undermine the other. Disaster risk reduction makes eminent sense from an economic point of view.

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Nearly 30 Asian cities sign up to the ‘Making Cities Resilient Campaign’

New UNISDR Champion appointed at West African Parliamentarian Meeting on DRR

Parliamentarians from Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, the Gambia, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Togo, Kenya and Senegal gathered at a ‘Consultative Meeting for West African Parliamentarians on Disaster Risk Reduction: An Instrument for Achieving Millennium Development Goals by 2015’ in Dakar, Senegal. From 1-2 June they discussed ways to reduce disaster risk in the region and adopted a Plan of Action. MP Abdou Sane, Chair of the Parliamentarian Network on Disaster Risk Reduction at the National Assembly of Senegal, was appointed UNISDR’s Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction in West Africa for 2010-2011.

Asian Cities to Join UN in Disaster Risk Reduction Campaign

City leaders join UN 'Making Cities Resilient' campaign

City leaders join UN Making Cities Resilient campaign

Campaign launches in Lima, Peru and Davos, Switzerland

Back-to-back to the Global Launch in Bonn, Germany, two more launches are taking place on 31 May 2010 with more cities committing to getting ready, reducing the risks and becoming resilient to disasters.

The launch in the Americas will be held at the Andean Community of Nations headquarters in Lima, Peru, where the mayors of Santa Tecla, El Salvador and Port-au-Prince, Haiti will be signing up to the 2010-11 World Disaster Reduction Campaign ‘Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready’.

At the International Disaster and Risk Conference (IDRC) in Davos, Switzerland, Baofeng County, P. R. China and the City of Davos will join the campaign in a plenary session partly devoted to the campaign launch.

> Watch the Campaign Launch live in Davos!

> More information on the Campaign Launch at the International Disaster and Risk Conference (IDRC)

> UN Secretary-General's Message to International Disaster and Risk Conference (IDRC)

My city is getting ready is yours?

UNISDR at Cities on Volcanoes 6 (COV6)

Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, May 31 - June 4, 2010

Volcanic risks are of great urban concern, as many settlements are situated on volcano flanks or in historic paths of mud and lava flows. COV6-Tenerife is an international forum where experts will discuss ways to improve volcanic risk management in densely populated volcanic regions. Henri Gaudru, President of the European Volcanologist Society, will present the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction as well as the 2010-11 World Disaster Reduction Campaign “Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready” at the meeting.

My City is Getting Ready, Is yours? UNISDR launches 2010-11 World Disaster Reduction Campaign

With more than half the world’s population living in urban areas, cities are particularly vulnerable to the risks of natural hazards, such as earthquakes, drought and floods. To strengthen a city’s readiness to reduce disaster impacts, the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction is launching this Sunday, 30 May 2010 in Bonn, Germany, a new campaign to raise awareness and boost commitment for sustainable development practices that will increase a city’s well-being and safety.

UNSG report on MDGs highlights the importance of reducing disaster risks

The UN Secretary-General’s report 'Keeping the Promise' presents progress made with regard to the Millennium Development Goals through a comprehensive review of successes, best practices and lessons learnt, obstacles and gaps, challenges and opportunities, leading to concrete strategies for action. The report stresses that reducing disaster risks is vital for the achievement of MDGs. It has been issued in all the six UN languages.

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DRR at the World Health Assembly

Side Event “Will your health services function in disasters? Experiences from recent earthquakes”
19 May 2010, 17h30 -19h00, Palais des Nations - Salle VII

Ministries of Health and Governments face intense scrutiny from national and international actors on their performance in disasters and face mounting expectations for quick, decisive and appropriate action. During this side event of the 63rd World Health Assembly, Ministers of Health will share country experiences in dealing with the health impact of recent earthquakes. Participants will also share knowledge of how communities, countries and the international community can improve health outcomes and protect health services in disasters by improving the safety of health facilities through risk reduction and strengthening of health systems. Margareta Wahlström, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction will give the closing remarks.

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Risk reduction plans needed to minimize volcanic disruption

Second Africa Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction: Ministers adopt the extended Programme of Action

The extended Africa Programme of Action for the Implementation of the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction was adopted by African ministers. The ministers were among more than 250 participants from 42 African countries who gathered at the Second Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction that took place from 14 to 16 April 2010 at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya in parallel to the First Ministerial Conference of Ministers Responsible for Meteorology in Africa . The ministers also adopted the Declaration of the Second Africa Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.

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Publication "Local Governments and Disaster Risk Reduction: Good practices and lessons learned" now available

These good practices show how building the capacity of local institutions is key to sustaining disaster risk reduction, and demonstrate the immediate impact of local and national political commitments that institutionalise disaster risk reduction. Collaboration between local and national governments, civil society organizations and international agencies is another notable strength of the initiatives showcased in this publication.

African ministers adopt the extended Programme of Action

The extended Africa Programme of Action for the Implementation of the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction was adopted by African ministers. The ministers were among more than 280 participants from 42 African countries who gathered at the Second Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction that took place from 14 to 16 April 2010 at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya in parallel to the First Ministerial Conference of Ministers Responsible for Meteorology in Africa . The ministers also adopted the Declaration of the Second Africa Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.

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African ministers meet to adopt the extended Programme of Action to reduce disaster risk

Mediterranean: Launch of PPRD South web portal

Africa gears up for the second disaster risk reduction ministerial conference

Global pledging initiative to make schools and hospitals safer launched today (8 April) in Manila

More than 300 participants from the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the civil society are launching today in Manila the 'One Million Safe Schools and Hospitals Initiative' to make hospitals and schools safer from disasters.

This global action is part of the new 2010-2011 World Disaster Reduction Campaign 'Making Cities resilient,' that will be launched in May, 2010, in Bonn, Germany.

The One Million Schools and Hospitals Initiative with the slogan “Make a Pledge, Save a Life” encourages an individual, a family, community, organization, government, or business entity to pledge to make a school or hospital safer from disasters in three ways: as an advocate, leader or champion.

“Making sure that schools, hospitals and other key public infrastructure meet certain safety standards are key steps to ensure that natural hazards do not turn into disasters,” said Margareta Walhstrom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction. “Individuals commitments are as important as mutual commitments” she added.

Official website of the online pledging initiative: www.safe-schools-hospitals.net/

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Regional training on HFA monitoring

Rebuilding for resilience: How science and engineering can inform Haiti’s reconstruction

Help shape the 2010-2011 world disaster reduction campaign

Know more – Invest wisely – Build more safely! Cities and local governments need to get ready and become resilient to disasters. For the next two years and beyond, the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) will campaign together with its partners for this to happen. Get involved, reduce risk, get your city ready!

> Find out more about the 'Making Cities Resilient' Campaign

Africa Environment Day

Regional Training on Disaster Inventories: Towards developing capaities for risk reduction in the Arab region

Disaster risk reduction training held in South Africa

ECOWAS risk assessment training

ECOWAS and UNISDR regional office for Africa, with the support of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), organized a three-day training workshop on mitigating disaster risk to improve the resilience of West African states against disasters. The training enabled government officials and disaster risk  reduction practitioners to understand the role of hazard assessment, risk analysis and vulnerability mapping in reducing the impact of natural hazards as well as how ISDR partners can support their efforts at national and sub-regional levels in West Africa.

Ten percent of relief aid should be allocated to building safer houses, hospitals and schools

As relief continues to be the main priority for thousands of Haitians who have been affected by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Port-au-Prince, the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) and its partners are working together to ensure that disaster risk reduction principles are fully integrated into the different phases of the Haitian reconstruction process.

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