News

Indonesia and UN to work closely on disaster prevention following 2018 disaster death toll

 Following the deaths or disappearances of over 4,600 people last year in 2,426 recorded disaster events, Indonesia is stepping up efforts to improve disaster risk management.

Asia and the Pacific gears up for the Global Platform and beyond

Youth are key to a resilient Pacific

Nepal's corruption-free reconstruction effort

How Nepal ensured there was no corruption in the massive reconstruction effort that got underway after the 2015 earthquake which damaged a million homes.

Fani's hard lesson on resilient infrastructure

Early warnings saved lives when Cyclone Fani hit the Indian state of Odisha but there are lessons to be learned on resilient infrastructure as a result of the widespread damage caused by the category 4 storm.

Nepal's safe school lesson

Four years after an earthquake which destroyed 14,500 classrooms, efforts continue in Nepal to mainstream school safety 

Joint UN effort bolsters Iran’s ability to reduce its disaster risk

In partnership with Iran’s Planning and Budget Organization and the National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO),  the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the Asian and Pacific Centre for the Development of Disaster Information Management (ESCAP-APDIM), and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) organized a training meeting to boost the capacity of Iran's national agencies to reduce disaster risk. The three UN entities jointly lead the UN Regional Coordination Mechanism’s working group on disaster risk reduction and resilience.

Kathmandu "not most-at-risk" for earthquakes

Scientists working with the UN Country Team in Nepal have found that earthquake risk in the west of the country is being overlooked.

Nepal earthquake recovery enters 5th year

Four years on from the April 2015 earthquake, reconstruction efforts are continuing.

Early warning systems and "the last metre"

Events such as last year's deadly Sulawesi tsunami in Indonesia underline the importance of communication and outreach to vulnerable populations.

Cambodia steps up fight against climate change

Cambodia is stepping up efforts to reduce disaster risk as it battles climate change and extreme weather events with a new National Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction

Brisbane to host the 2020 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

Brisbane, host of the next Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, is also home to the Queensland Reconstruction Authority.

Coalition for Resilient Infrastructure takes off

India's vision for the creation of a global coalition for resilient infrastructure moved closer to becoming a reality today.

'Now is the time to do bold things...'

Representatives from 33 countries - including the majority of the G20 - are gathered in New Delhi today and tomorrow to discuss the creation of an international Coalition for Resilient Infrastructure

India launches private sector alliance to reduce disaster losses

ARISE India, a private sector alliance for DRR, was launched today on the 4th anniversary of the adoption of the Sendai Framework

Deadline for Submitting Voluntary Commitments approaching

Organizations log voluntary commitments online in new platform

Organizations working on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) have started to log their voluntary commitments in support of the Sendai Framework - the global roadmap for reducing disaster losses by 2030 - in a new online platform. More than 50 users have registered in the first few weeks of operation. In addition, the platform has already received the first submissions of voluntary commitments by organizations working in DRR. In close coordination with these organizations, UNISDR reviews the submissions before publishing them in the platform.

Launch of online learning course for Sendai Framework Monitor

In partnership with the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) has launched an online learning course on the use of the Sendai Framework Monitor. This free online course is available to all Member States to guide officials on how to prepare and upload national and local data to the Sendai Framework Monitor. Since March 2018, Member States can report on their progress in implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, and the disaster risk-related indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals, by using the online Sendai Framework Monitor.  

Thailand limits death toll from Pabuk

In the aftermath of Storm Pabuk, UNISDR is working with the Government of Thailand to align its national disaster management plan with the Sendai Framework.

Online system records voluntary commitments to Sendai Framework

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction is launching an online platform which allows partners to log their voluntary commitments towanrds implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Tsunami Museums meet in Japan

Japan hosted the 2nd World Tsunami Museum Conference which attracted 156 participants from 17 countries to help raise awareness of tsunami risk.

Planning for a Resilient Future in Asia and the Pacific

The Asia Pacific region needs to accelerate progress on increasing the number of national and local disaster risk reduction strategies if they are to reach the first target of the Sendai Framework by 2020. This was a key conclusion of a two-day workshop in Bangkok, Thailand, convened by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Bringing DRR to the local-level in Asia and the Pacific

Delegates at the ISDR-Asia Partnership Forum, a two-day gathering of 100 representatives from 20 governments, intergovernmental organizations, stakeholder groups, the United Nations and international organizations, organized by UNISDR Asia Pacific Office, agree that countries in the region need to accelerate action to reduce disaster risks and achieve the goals of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Science Expo 2018: Science and DRR

UNISDR and partners organised a science workshop in the sidelines of the Indonesian Science Expo, to strengthen, empower and mobilize young scientists to contribute to advancing disaster risk reduction in Asia and the Pacific.

Students from 48 countries mark #TsunamiDay2018

For the third year, Japan hosted a High School Students Summit to mark World Tsunami Awareness Day. UNISDR head, Mami Mizutori, urged them to become youth ambassdors for disaster risk reduction.

Earth observation data essential to DRR

The UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Mami Mizutori, gave the keynote speech at the GEO-XV Plenary as part of GEO Week 2018, in Kyoto, Japan yesterday.

Lights, camera...climate change

Both winners focussed on extreme temperatures in the UNISDR video competition at the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

Asia honours its local champions

Five local leaders with inspiring stories were hononoured for their actions at the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.

Ulaanbaatar Declaration calls for greater accountability on disaster losses in Asia

The Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction closed today with the adoption of the Ulaanbataar Declaration, agreement on a two year plan of action and the news that Australia will host the next Conference in 2020.

Social protection reduces disaster risk for poor

Eradicating poverty and reducing the number of people affected by disasters are at the heart of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Social protection works well in Mongolia and Pakistan.