News

73 Items

Title	Date	Type
Open debate on “Disaster risk reduction measures at the local level in South Eastern Europe” On the opening day of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, Mayors and local government representatives took part in an open debate on ‘Disaster Risk Reduction Measures at the local level in South Eastern Europe”. Floods, droughts and forest fires – all of which are cross-border hazards – are the main risks in South Eastern Europe, and projections indicate that climate change and variations could lead to more frequent and severe disasters related to weather, water and climate in the region.	21 May 2013	Press release
Launch of European Regional HFA Implementation Report Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) challenges are becoming greater every year. It is well known and understood by all disciplines in disaster prevention that previously unidentified threats are emerging, changes in technology are rendering formerly state-of-the-art systems obsolete or less effective, and migration patterns are causing population shifts to increasingly hazard-prone areas. However, despite the goal posts moving constantly, consistent progress is being made in efforts to reduce damage and losses inflicted by disasters on people, their communities and livelihoods. This is one of the findings of the European Regional HFA Implementation Report, launched today during the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (EFDRR) at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva, Switzerland.	20 May 2013	Press release
UK government welcomes first-ever HFA peer review The UK has become the first country to undergo a peer review to assess its progress in implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), the world's first comprehensive agreement on disaster risk reduction, adopted in 2005 following the Indian Ocean tsunami.	14 May 2013	Press release
UNISDR welcomes EU strategy on climate change UNISDR Chief, Margareta Wahlström, today welcomed the European Union's newly announced strategy on adaptation to climate change and stated: "The adoption of this new strategy is a major incentive for European states to step up their efforts for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.	3 May 2013	News briefs
UN recognizes Barcelona as role model city Five years after energy black outs and major floods exposed serious weaknesses in the city’s infrastructure and services, the Spanish city of Barcelona was recognized today by the United Nations as a role model for urban resilience in recognition of its efforts to reduce the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and services.	4 Apr 2013	Press release
Italy moves on disaster loss database Italy has moved to empower its leaders to make better informed decisions to reduce the country's overall disaster risk.	25 Mar 2013	News briefs
Bosnia and Herzegovina launch disaster risk reduction platform UNISDR Chief Margareta Wahlström today participated in the launch of a National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Bosnia and Herzegovina where over 400,000 people have been affected by floods and drought since the beginning of the century, taking a major toll on the country's economic development.	25 Mar 2013	Press release
US$6.7 billion floodgates to protect Venice in 2014 In 2014 Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico, Italy’s biggest public works project which began nine years ago is scheduled to begin reducing the flood risks faced by the population of Venice each year. Venice stretches across numerous islands in the Venice Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea. At high tide, parts of the city are flooded. Rising sea levels and groundwater pumping are causing the city to sink.	21 Dec 2012	News briefs
Italy seeks EUR 40 billion for flood prevention The Italian Government is urgently seeking EUR 40 billion over the next 15 years for flood prevention following a week of heavy rains that began on 10 November in the north and then wreaked havoc in Umbria and Tuscany in central Italy.	18 Dec 2012	News briefs
New survey on climate change adaptation in Europe There are strong links between climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) across several European countries according to the results of a survey presented by a Working Group on Climate Change Adaptation, chaired by Norway, at the European Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction in Croatia this week.	4 Oct 2012	News briefs
UK completes first-ever HFA peer review Details of the first-ever peer review of a country implementing the world's first agreement on disaster risk reduction, the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), were presented today on the final day of the European Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction in Croatia.	3 Oct 2012	News briefs
European countries meet on international framework for disaster risk reduction Experts from 27 European countries opened three days of discussions today in Croatia on a successor to the world's first global agreement on reducing disaster risk, the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities which expires in 2015.	1 Oct 2012	Press release
UNISDR Chief honours Croatian champion of change The UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, Margareta Wahlström, today urged other countries to follow the example of Croatia in recognising individual efforts to raise awareness of disaster risk in their own communities.	1 Oct 2012	Press release
Does Europe need a framework for disaster risk reduction after 2015? I am honoured to be here today with you for this 3rd meeting of the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction, a key event to stimulate and facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge among participating National HFA Focal Points and Platforms and regional partners from the 27 countries present.	1 Oct 2012	Statements & speeches
Gothenburg becomes 400th European city to join UN campaign to protect cities The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) today welcomed Sweden's second largest city, Gothenburg, into the global "Making Cities Resilient" Campaign, a two-year old campaign to protect lives and reduce economic losses from disasters in urban settings.	4 Sep 2012	Press release
Building resilience to disasters in Western Balkans and Turkey The United Nations, European Commission and national authorities have launched a new project in the Western Balkans and Turkey that will reduce disaster risks and increase resilience to climate change.	30 Aug 2012	Press release
Community resilience tops Davos agenda Major roll-outs of UNISDR's Making Cities Resilient campaign in Austria and Iran were outlined yesterday at the 4th International Disaster and Risk Conference, in Davos, Switzerland, which has brought together experts from around the world.	29 Aug 2012	News briefs
The 4th International Disaster and Risk Conference - Address by Margareta Wahlström Any worthwhile narrative on the 21st century must begin with a prologue on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and end with an epitaph on the triumph of human resilience if there is to be any narrative at all for future generations.	27 Aug 2012	Statements & speeches
Emilia earthquake spurs collaboration on study of risk It is truly humbling to see how easily we are fooled by nature but we can also draw hard-won insights from the defeats caused by earthquakes. We used to think that the age and speed of a subducting slab governs its maximum earthquake magnitude but the Great East Japan Earthquake forever puts to rest that view.	16 Jul 2012	News briefs
UNISDR Chief praises resilience of Italian earthquake towns The head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, UNISDR, Margareta Wahlström, today praised the social cohesion and community solidarity which she observed during a two-day visit to Emilia Romagna where 13,000 people continue to live in tented camps and other emergency accommodation following two severe earthquakes in May.	12 Jul 2012	News briefs
Switzerland prepares for an earthquake UNISDR chief Margareta Wahlström today congratulated Switzerland for getting ready to face the consequences of a major earthquake even if the last one happened over 1,000 years ago.	12 Jun 2012	News briefs
Cities Campaign gets major new partner UNISDR's "Making Cities Resilient" campaign received a significant boost today with the announcement that the Ibero-American Union of Municipalities (Unión Iberoamericana de Municipalistas (UIM) is now an official campaign partner.	1 Jun 2012	News briefs
Campaign city Arborg adopts Jericho City as resilience 'twin' Earthquake and flood-prone Arborg, Iceland, a member of the 'Making Cities Resilient' campaign, is boosting the preparedness of its new twin -- the Palestinian city of Jericho -- starting with a four-week crash course on disaster management that begins today.	30 May 2012	News briefs
Cities to help create Post-HFA framework The Mayor of Bonn, Jürgen Nimptsch, who helped launch the "Making Cities Resilient" campaign two years ago is now urging mayors around the world to get involved in the UNISDR-led consultations taking place on a post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction.	15 May 2012	News briefs
Cities 'going it alone' on climate change adaptation A new survey by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, shows that 68% of cities are pursuing adaption planning for climate change but "only 7 per cent of cities surveyed believe that their national governments fully understand the realities of adaptation planning at the local level."	14 May 2012	News briefs
IPCC climate change report gets European launch The UN Special Representative of the Secretary General for disaster risk reduction, Margareta Wahlström, has urged governments to commit resources to building national disaster loss data bases so they can better target spending on infrastructure to avoid recurring losses and damages.	11 May 2012	News briefs
UNISDR backs European cities climate adaptation project UNISDR today backed a newly launched project from the European Commission, Adaptation Strategies for European Cities, designed to provide capacity building and support for European cities in developing and implementing an adaptation strategy for climate change.	3 May 2012	News briefs
Mayor says Venice will be an icon of resilience The Mayor of the fabled city of Venice, Giorgio Orsoni, has been chosen by UNISDR as Europe's first Champion of Urban Resilience in recognition of his efforts to build resilience to disasters and protect cultural heritage.	28 Mar 2012	News briefs
Risk reduction promise at World Water Forum Prevention and response to water-related disasters and crises are high on agenda at this week's Sixth World Water Forum which has resulted in a Ministerial Declaration that "we intend to develop and strengthen national and trans-boundary disaster prevention and response strategies."	16 Mar 2012	News briefs
EU creates academic network for disaster resilience Inspired by UNISDR’s flagship 'Making Cities Resilient' campaign, the European Commission’s Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency is to boost disaster preparedness in European cities by turning higher education institutes into 'reliable partners to reduce society’s vulnerability to hazards.'	14 Mar 2012	News briefs