UN SG Report on Implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

The number of disasters and the scale of their impacts continue to grow, driven largely by the increasing vulnerability to natural hazards, but also by the effects of climate change, threatening the lives and livelihoods of ever more millions of people and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. There is growing urgency to increase efforts to implement the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters. The world is not on track to achieve the aim of a substantive reduction in disaster losses by 2015.

Decisive and systematic action is therefore needed. That means a high-level commitment to reduce risks, supported by sound policies, strong institutional capacities and adequate budgets, at both national and local government levels. One notable step in accelerating the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action was the convening of the first session of the multi-stakeholder Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction from 5 to 7 June 2007 as the main global forum to facilitate concerted efforts in disaster risk reduction at all levels.

The present report provides an overview of progress on the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and the Hyogo Framework for Action at the national, regional and international levels, in response to General Assembly resolution 61/198. It also considers trends in disasters and disaster risks, and the development of coordination, guidance and resourcing through the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction system.

The report is available for download from Reliefweb.