MECHANISMS, TOOLS AND INSTRUMENTS TOWARDS A DISASTER RISK REDUCCTION FRAMEWORK BEYOND 2015
 Photo: UNISDR |
1. BACKGROUNDDisaster risks related to hazards such as tropical cyclones, flooding, earthquakes, droughts and tsunamis; as well as risks related to technological hazards 1, constitute an important challenge for development. During 2011 only, 302 disasters took 29.782 lives, affected 206 million people and caused damages estimated in 366.000 million dollars. |
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Whereas developing countries and the most vulnerable people are under a great risk, losses such as the eastern Japan large-scale earthquake and tsunami, show an increase in global social and economic losses due to the increasing magnitude and frequency of disasters. Therefore, the disaster risk reduction (DRR) constitutes one of the major challenges for the region´s sustainable development, and in this context, the reduction of vulnerability and exposure to risk, as well as the increase of resilience, require an integral approach (public and private) for the incorporation of strengthening mechanisms such as public and private investment planning systems on infrastructure and social protection.
The Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (HFA), the international agreement that guide the governments, communities and private sector to promote a culture of prevention and disaster management in order to minimize the loss of human lives and economic damages due to natural hazards and increase resilience at regional, national and local level; establishes five priorities for action that draw practical directions for all the key actors involved in disaster risk reduction.
2. MECHANISMS, TOOLS AND INSTRUMENTS TOWARDS A DISASTER RISK REDUCTION FRAMEWORK BEYOND 2015
Recent impacts in lives and economical damages reaffirm that despite de significant progress made to improve the response capabilities to disasters, the disaster risk reduction –DRR still constitutes a challenge at global level. In this sense, as part of the Hyogo Frame for Action – HFA, approved by the General Assembly –UN GA in 2005, it was agreed the follow-up to the progresses and implementation of the HFA priorities. In this sense UNISDR was requested to "prepare periodical reviews about the progresses regarding the achievement of [its] objectives and priorities". As part of this process, UNISDR undertook a HFA midterm review in 2010-2011 that brought together the multiple stakeholders involved in disaster risk reduction and which results were presented at the III Global Platform framework held in Geneva in May 2011.
Based on the identified progresses and gaps concerning the achievement of the priorities according to this midterm review, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution 66/199 through which requested from UNISDR, the facilitation of the consultation process and development of a Post Hyogo Framework for disaster risk reduction. The summary by the Presidency of the 2011 Global Platform for DRR Third Session indicated that a first draft of the Post Hyogo Framework would be presented for its review in the next Global Platform in 2013. Likewise, by the end of 2014 a draft should be completed and ready to be considered and adopted by the Global Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in 2015.
In this process, correspond to the UNISDR regional offices the identification of currently regional, national and local events that favor a deep discussion about the post-HFA, particularly at ministerial level in each region. Moreover, facilitate to the governments spaces for discussion and self-reflextion on the new DRR framework post-HFA.
3. SESSION GOAL
Contribute with the discussion of a new post-HFA DRR framework and identify areas of agreement or general guidelines regarding the tendencies, challenges and emerging solutions, connection with other important areas such as climate change adaptation, sustainable development and poverty eradication, environment and disaster preparedness, that could be reached as inputs to be considered by the participants of the Global Platform for DRR IV Session in Geneva, Switzerland, 2013.
4. SESSION SCHEME AND ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED
First Panel: Experiences at national level
a. Context and process for the development and approval of a new DRR framework post-HFA 2015
b. Main criteria elements for the DRR framework post-HFA 2015 development, based on the national HFA reports presentation process.
c. Impacts and challenges currently faced in implementation of the HFA at national and local level.
d. Self-reflextion of national authorities involved in DRR, with emphasis on the impact of the current work, and on what has not been worked yet, ¿which ones are the main challenges?
Second panel: Experiences at regional level
a. Progresses and challenges in the facilitation towards the development of regional strategies and plans to reduce trans-border disaster risks, and resilience.
b. Lessons learned to facilitate the national integration of DRR within the development planning and investment processes, with poverty reduction, climate change adaptation and environmental management.
c. Opportunities and forums for regional agents to discuss issues and subjects related with DRR regarding common concerns in the region.