News Archive

Checklist for the Resilient Cities Campaign

UNISDR Regional Office for Arab States are seeking good examples on urban risk reduction activities in the Arab region for the Global Biennial Campaign 2010 - 2011 "Resilient Cities". Globally, the aim is to have as many cities commited to meet the criteria for more resilient cities. This checklist builds on the priorities adopted in the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015.

55 million people affected by extreme weather disasters in 2009

2009 Stockholm Policy Forum on Climate-Smart Disaster Risk Reduction - outcome documents now available

A Policy Forum on Climate Smart Disaster Risk Reduction was held in Stockholm, Sweden on October 26, 2009. Co-organized by the World Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and UNISDR, the event gathered approximately 100 country representatives, practitioners and experts from both the disaster risk management and climate change communities to identify promising practices and critical actions for implementation of adaptation efforts.

The outcome documents of the event are now available for download:

Stockholm Policy Forum Summary

Stockholm Policy Forum Joint Communiqué

New National Platform in Europe – Republic of Croatia

UNISDR in support of Yann Arthus-Bertrand's "6 Billion Others - Climate Voices"

"6 billion Others - Climate Voices", which will be launched in Copenhagen during the climate change negotiations, presents the collective voice of people whose lives have already been devastated by climate change impacts and those who are forced to live with these impacts. The film serves as an insightful and persuasive wake-up call from the global scientific community.

Creating Linkages for a Safer Tomorrow - Proceedings of the second session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction released

This report captures the discussions and recommendations of the second session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction held in Geneva, 16-19 June 2009. It provides a summary of the multi-stakeholder deliberations on progress in implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action and identification of priorities for the ISDR system for 2010-11 and beyond. Available on-line in English, a hard copy of the document will be disseminated in late January 2010. On-line versions of the document in all UN official languages will be made available as soon as possible.

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International Roundtable of Parliamentarians adopts ‘Malta Declaration of the Commitment of Parliamentarians to COP15 and Beyond’

The International Roundtable of Parliamentarians on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, organized by UNISDR in partnership with the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, adopted a common declaration in Malta on 24 November 2009. Recognizing disaster risk reduction as a first line of defence in adapting to climate change, the parliamentarians urge for political commitment through action at the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

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Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal Points, 11–13 November 2009, London (UK)

Meeting of UNISDR Director, Dr Sálvano Briceño, with President of the FYR of Macedonia, Dr Gjorge Ivanov, Skopje, 3-4 November 2009

Regional workshop on disaster risk reduction and climate change

The Regional Office for Arab States of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction secretariat (UNISDR), The World Bank, The League of Arab States and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport of the League of Arab States, are co-organizing a Regional Workshop on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: "Challenges and Future Actions", which will take place in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt from 21-23 November 2009.

UNISDR secretariat has launched its new Biennial Work Programme for 2010-2011 "Invest today for a safer tomorrow

The UNISDR secretariat Biennial Work Programme was developed following the second session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in June 2009. It is based on the role and mandate of UNISDR as set by the UN General Assembly. The strategic direction for the 2010-2011 biennium is derived from the outcomes of the Global Platform and from regional consultations. The current programme has been further shaped through broad consultation with the ISDR Support Group in Geneva, donors, the ISDR Inter-Agency Group and other partners.

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Related links

UNISDR secretariat Biennial Work Programme: 2010-2011

Adaptation to climate change by reducing disaster risks: country practices and lessons

First global scientific effort to examine the linkages between disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation

More than 90 world experts have assembled today in Panama City to start a new assessment on how climate change will affect disaster risks in future and how countries can better manage the expected increases in damaging weather events due to climate change. The meeting is being convened by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which decided in April 2009 to prepare a new IPCC Special Report called: “Managing the Risk of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation”. The assessment was proposed by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) and the government of Norway in response to the predictions in the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report that more frequent and severe extreme events such as droughts, floods, storms, heat waves were likely in the future warmer world.

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Regional workshop on urban risk reduction

UNISDR, the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery of the World Bank, UNDP Syria and the Syrian Ministry for Local Administration convened a regional workshop on Urban Risk Reduction in Damascus on 4-5 November 2009. More than forty participants representing local authorities, researchers, academic experts, international and regional organizations have gathered to discuss regional priorities and challenges with respect to urban risk reduction as well as key actions to be undertaken regionally, nationally and locally to build safer cities and increase resilience to disasters.

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UNISDR Terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction launched in three East Asian languages

Global Assessment Report launched in Philippines

The launch of the 2009 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR), prepared by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, took place yesterday, 28 October 2009, in the urban village of Barangay Nangka, Marikina City, one of the Metro Manila cities severely affected by floods. The report highlights the underlying drivers of disaster risk; poor urban governance, vulnerable rural livelihood and the decline of ecosystems.

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Experts and Policy Makers Gather to Discuss Critical Actions for Climate Change Adaption

Global experts and policy makers working on disaster risk reduction begin discussions today at the 2009 Stockholm Policy Forum on Climate-Smart Disaster Risk Reduction. The Forum aims to address the issue of reducing risks associated with weather-related hazards, a key component of climate change adaptation. The Forum will also identify promising practices and critical actions for post-Copenhagen implementation of adaptation.

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Rachel Shebesh appointed African Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction

Rachel Shebesh, Member of Parliament of the Republic of Kenya and Chair of the African Parliamentarian Initiative for Climate Risk Reduction, was appointed today as the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction champion for disaster risk reduction in Africa during the launch of the Black and Green, Ready to Lead campaign that took place at the Pan-African Parliament in Johannesburg, South Africa.

New Legislation in the Philippines places Disaster Risk Reduction as the first line of defense against climate change risks

African Parliamentarians agree on concrete actions to reduce the impact of climatic disasters

International Day for Disaster Reduction: Disaster Risk Reduction initiative for Nepal launched

Katmandu - A new disaster risk reduction initiative for Nepal was launched by a consortium of partners that comprises the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, other United Nations organizations, the International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to mark the 2009 International Day for Disaster Reduction.

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International Day for Disaster Reduction: new initiatives launched in London

2009 International Day for Disaster Reduction in Kenya

The biannual campaign for ‘Hospitals safe from Disasters’ was widely promoted in Nairobi Kenya as part of the celebration of the 2009 International Day for Disaster Reduction. The event took place in the August 7th Memorial Park of Nairobi, the former site of the US Embassy that was bombed in 1998 which is also a public place to develop awareness. The event was organized by the Kenya Ministry of Special Programmes, Kenya Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, Medics 24 and hospitals in coordination with the Memorial Park administration, UNISDR, UNOCHA and WHO. Among the participants were civil society, universities, practitioners and public were present.

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Maldives celebrates International Day for Disaster Reduction

School children from the Maldives will be visiting one of their native islands, Dhuvaafaru today for an awareness raising activity within the context of the International Disaster Risk Reduction Day. Dhuvaafaru was among the several islands severely affected by the 2008 tsunami.

2009 International Day for Disaster Reduction - 14 October

New National Platforms in Europe

National Platforms for Advancing Disaster Risk Reduction at National Level Workshop, 31 August-02 September 2009, Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina)

Typhoon Ondoy - Realities on the ground deserve priority for action

As the death toll rises in the Philippines, after Typhoon Ondoy struck the country and left the main capital Manila in havoc, poor drainage systems and garbage disposal problems appear to have aggravated the impacts of the disaster.

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The Summit on Climate Change acknowledges disaster risk reduction

Disaster risk reduction was highlighted during the one-day Summit on many occasions. The outcome of the Summit, captured in the Chair’s Summary, emphasized clearly that adaptation must be given higher priority and in this context called for greater synergy with disaster risk reduction.

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UN Secretary-General to convene summit on climate change - disaster risk reduction on the agenda