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News Archive
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286 Items
| Title | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
Finance, insurance, construction sectors announced joint private sector commitment to tackle disaster vulnerabilityRepresentatives of the finance, insurance and construction sector at the Global Platform yesterday sounded a call for action on the five essentials for business in disaster risk reduction, in line with the main finding of the United Nations Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction that losses from disasters are rising faster than gains made through economic growth. |
11 May 2011 | News briefs |
Indonesian President recognized as “UNISDR Global Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction” at Global Platform opening ceremonyThe United Nations secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) yesterday recognized President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia as “UNISDR Global Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction,” at the opening ceremony of the 2011 Global Platform for Disaster Reduction. |
11 May 2011 | News briefs |
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to open the latest session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk ReductionThe Global Platform will be opened today by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who will also launch a report entitled 2011 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction – Revealing risks, redefining development. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro will chair the forum in Geneva. |
10 May 2011 | News briefs |
Economic Disaster Losses Increasing, Threatening All Regions, Rich and Poor Countries, Warns New United Nations ReportDisaster-related economic losses are increasing across all regions, critically threatening the economies of low-income countries and even outstripping wealth creation across many of the world’s richer nations, says a United Nations report titled Revealing Risk, Redefining Development to be launched today by the United Nations' Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the Third Session of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction. |
10 May 2011 | Press release |
UN Secretary-General announces a discussion on nuclear energy in SeptemberThe international community must “risk proof” development because disasters are taking a heavy toll on rich and poor countries as well as outpacing their ability to respond, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told delegates today, at the foremost gathering of stakeholders on reducing disaster risk which opened this afternoon in Geneva and will run until Friday, 13 May. |
10 May 2011 | Press release |
Two days until the official opening of the Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk ReductionThe final touches are being added to the Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, which will take place in Geneva, Switzerland from 8-13 May. The Global Platform will be opened officially by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on May 10. |
8 May 2011 | News briefs |
Finalists for the 2011 Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction showcase durable solutions in resilient urban planningFour cities and two organizations have been shortlisted for the Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction, worth $50,000, with winners to be announced 10 days from now at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, on 12 May. |
3 May 2011 | Press release |
Geneva Press Club invites all press to introduce the Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk ReductionThe Third Session of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction Global Platform, to be held from 10 to 13 May in Geneva, is being organized to discuss and decide on immediate actions that will reduce the economic cost of damage from disasters. UNISDR and the Swiss government invite all media based in Geneva to attend a press conference where they will be briefed on the Global Platforms's expected outcomes. |
25 Apr 2011 | News briefs |
Four African cities commit to urban resilienceFour cities - Addis Ababa, Kampala, Narok and Yaoundé - joined the Making Cities Resilience campaign after their mayors took part in a debate on city resilience on Tuesday, 29 March, moderated by top Kenyan journalist Yvonne Okwara. Panellists pointed to poor planning, corruption, and “negative attitudes” as elements that could erode city resilience. |
4 Apr 2011 | News briefs |
African Working Group agrees to implement the Strategy for disaster risk reductionThe inaugural meeting of the reconstituted African Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction (AWGDRR) ended on Thursday, 31 March, with delegates agreeing to accelerate the implementation of the extended programme of action for the implementation of the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (2006-2015), in line with the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA).The meeting took place after the Executive Council of the African Union had endorsed the Report of the Second African Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in April 2010, where it also endorsed the extended programme of action. |
31 Mar 2011 | News briefs |
Statement by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction on the 11 March Earthquake and Tsunami in JapanThe United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) expresses its profound regret at the loss of life and the immense damage inflicted upon the people of Japan on 11 March 2011, when an earthquake and tsunami struck the north-eastern coast of the country. We take this opportunity to offer our deepest condolences to all who have lost family members and homes as well as those who still await information about missing relatives and friends. |
18 Mar 2011 | Statements & speeches |
Top UN officials speak about the importance of disaster risk reduction following a massive earthquake off Japan's coastSpeaking to UN Radio, two of the UN's top officials on disaster reduction weigh in on the devastation caused by an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale that struck northeastern Japan on Friday and triggered a tsunami that engulfed coastal towns and cities along Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima prefectures. In the interviews, they highlighted the importance of disaster risk reduction and Japan's disaster preparedness. |
14 Mar 2011 | News briefs |
Response to the UK DFID Multilateral Aid Review of UNISDRUNISDR welcomes the report of the Multilateral Aid Review (MAR) of the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) as an innovative and critical contribution to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of international cooperation frameworks for the delivery of aid. The analysis of strengths and weaknesses of the multilateral system is very interesting and reiterates familiar issues, particularly on the perceived weaknesses; some of which require solutions that are not always possible for organizations in isolation. |
10 Mar 2011 | News briefs |
In times of dwindling resources, disaster risk reduction is an easy winA new report from the United Nations confirms what governments already hear but are slow to believe: that disciplined public sector involvement in “disaster risk reduction” can significantly reduce setbacks brought by hundreds of droughts, earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes and other hazards that befall the world each year, on average. |
9 Mar 2011 | Press release |
To build the resilience of nations and communities to disasters, we need equal and active participation of men and women in disaster risk reduction.Disasters affect men and women differently, and so we will continue to lobby for gender-sensitive vulnerability, risk and capacity assessments. Studies show that women’s vulnerabilities during and after disasters is linked to their role and status in society, making women and children 14 times more likely to die than men during a disaster. |
8 Mar 2011 | News briefs |
Lami signs up to the World Disaster Reduction Campaign: Making the Pacific Resilient – My community is getting ready!In a signing ceremony held in Lami on 8th March 2011, Special Administrator Suva/Lami Mr. Chandu Umaria signed Lami’s Certificate of Commitment to Disaster Resilience for the 2010-2011 World Disaster Reduction Campaign “Making Cities Resilient“. Lami is the first Pacific island city to join the global campaign coordinated by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR). |
8 Mar 2011 | Press release |
Reducing vulnerability to natural hazards must become top international priority says General Assembly PresidentAddressing journalists at the Palais des Nations on 28 February, General Assembly President Joseph Deiss said that reducing vulnerability to natural hazards must be a top priority of the international community. “Reducing disaster risks is essential if we are to consolidate progress made in development and poverty reduction,” he said, briefing correspondents on the outcome of the General Assembly Thematic Debate on disaster risk reduction, held on 9 February at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. |
28 Feb 2011 | News briefs |
Pakistan cannot risk its future, lives of people, by being ill-prepared, says top UN disaster official, as country begins rebuilding flood-affected areasAddressing journalists in Islamabad on 22 February, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, Margareta Wahlström, stressed the importance of building resilience to future floods, just as Pakistan embarks on the reconstruction of flood-affected areas following the devastating floods of July 2010. |
22 Feb 2011 | Press release |
Malaysia commits to maintain safety of cities, schools and hospitals in lead-up to 2011 Global Platform on Disaster Risk ReductionKuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Melaka were named Role Model Cities as part of the United Nations-led “Making Resilient Cities” campaign, which was launched during Malaysia’s National Disaster Awareness Day celebrations from 18 to 19 February. These three major Malaysian cities were chosen for their ability to meet and inspire others around the world to take up ten essential actions that reduce disaster risk. |
19 Feb 2011 | Press release |
GA debate stresses need to invest in planning, preventionJoseph Deiss, President of the General Assembly said DRR was crucial for protecting progress made towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and for achieving sustainable development, at the GA Thematic Debate on DRR on 9 February. Throughout the day, he and other participants called for the enhancement of data collection and the scaling-up of investments in education, better urban planning, the sharing of information and technology, and the raising of awareness, especially to ensure that specific disasters and the needs of victims, remained high on the international agenda long after they had dropped from the news headlines. |
9 Feb 2011 | News briefs |
Surviving Yasi due to planning and not ‘miracle’, says top UN disaster officialNorth-eastern Australia suffered no casualties after Cyclone Yasi, which UNISDR says was due to a high level of risk awareness and planning, rather than a “miracle,” as some call it. Tropical Cyclone Yasi crossed the Australian mainland at midnight local time on Wednesday, but despite its category-5 strength, there were no reports of serious injuries or fatalities, according to a situation update from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. |
4 Feb 2011 | Press release |
Strengthening climate change adaptation through effective disaster risk reductionThis briefing note highlights that climate change adaptation relies on the reduction and management of climate-related disaster risks and why both need to become central to development planning and investment. It incorporates evidence that illustrates how climate risks are constructed and which risks can be reduced cost effectively. |
2 Feb 2011 | News briefs |
Killer year caps deadly decade - reducing disaster impact is "critical" says top UN disaster officialGeneva – Some 373 natural disasters killed over 296,800 people in 2010, affecting nearly 208 million others and costing nearly US$110 billion, according to the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED). The top two most lethal disasters -- the 12 January earthquake in Haiti, which killed over 222,500 people, as well as the Russian heat wave in summer, which caused about 56,000 fatalities made 2010 the deadliest years in at least two decades. |
24 Jan 2011 | Press release |
Killer year caps deadly decade - reducing disaster impact is "critical" says top UN disaster official |
24 Jan 2011 | Press release |
Over one hundred Municipal Leaders in Orissa pledge to strengthen environmental sustainabilitySome 102 Municipal leaders in the State of Orissa battling with recurrent cyclones, floods, droughts and heat waves agreed today to make their cities more resilient to multiple hazards, by signing up to the UNISDR “Making Cities Resilient” campaign. Orissa, despite being one of the poorest states in India, is slowly becoming the hub for industries, IT, education and medical infrastructure. |
21 Jan 2011 | Press release |
Governments need to create options for people, says UN’s top disaster officialIn an interview with BBC World News, Margareta Wahlstrom, UN Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, stressed the importance of urban planning and creating safe living environments following the flooding and landslides that have hit Australia and Brazil. |
17 Jan 2011 | News briefs |
Campaign cities and partners urged to nominate candidates for the UN-Sasakawa awardIn a message from Helena Molin Valdes, Deputy Director of UNISDR, all campaign cities and partners are encouraged to submit a nomination for the UN-Sasakawa award to highlight good practice and achievements against as many of the "ten essentials" for making cities resilient as possible. |
17 Jan 2011 | News briefs |
Mayors and children lead fight against climate change in the PhilippinesJust as climate negotiations were wrapping up in Cancún, Mexico, government officials from vulnerable islands in the Philippines took action to reduce the damaging effects of climate change on their communities by joining UNISDR’s world disaster reduction campaign. |
13 Dec 2010 | Press release |
COP16 from a DRR Perspective: AfricaAmong the Karamajong pastoralists in Uganda, hundreds of thousands are struggling to find enough pasture. Seasons appear to have shrunk in number and variety. Rainfall is more unpredictable and shorter in duration. Wind storms have increased in strength. Worsening drought and changing rainfall patterns are ever-present. |
6 Dec 2010 | News briefs |
Asian Parliamentarians call on governments to allocate at least 1 per cent of national budget to disaster risk reductionParliamentarians from ten Asian countries have issued a call to national governments to allocate at least 1 per cent of the national budget and development funding for reducing disaster risk. |
30 Nov 2010 | Press release |
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The Fourth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction will take place in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2013.
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Evidence, monthly UNISDR newsletter: issue 15, February 2013
This monthly newsletter highlights UNISDR activities around the world. This issue reports on: (i) the Global Assessment ...
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