News Archive

Three more mayors join resilient cities campaign from Philippines

Independent assessment on disaster risk reduction in Dominican Republic by UNISDR and partners

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.

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

Africa Environment Day

Disaster risk reduction training held in South Africa

External Evaluation of the UNISDR and Management Response

UNISDR is pleased to share its Management Response to the second external evaluation of the secretariat. The Management Response sets out the process and main activities to implement recommendations arising from the evaluation carried out by Dalberg Global Development Advisers. Initiated by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and major UNISDR donors, the evaluation’s purpose was to assess the secretariat’s performance over the last four years and to provide guidance for UNISDR's future direction. The independent report presents 42 recommendations based on 25 findings, which are summarized in five key messages included in the executive summary.

> View executive summary

> View full report

> View management response

Flash floods in Red Sea coast of Egypt forecasted by early warning system

African Union and League of Arab States Commit to Strengthen Cooperation on Climate Change

Climate change was among the items discussed during the fifth Annual Inter-Secretariat Meeting on General Cooperation between the African Union (AU) and the League of Arab States, which met at the headquarters of the League of Arab States in Cairo, Egypt, on 16 January 2010

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

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.

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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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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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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2009 International Day for Disaster Reduction - 14 October

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

UNISDR at World Climate Conference 3 (WCC-3)

World Climate Conference - 3

International Conference on ‘Building a Local Government Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction’, 11-13 August, Incheon, Republic of Korea