Ms. Madi said, “As partners, we will also now be able create terms of reference and outcomes to share with senior UN leadership and Member States as a way forward.”

Mr. Ricardo Mena, Chief, Supporting and Monitoring Sendai Framework Implementation Branch (UNISDR), said the group would need to ensure coherence across the New Urban Agenda (2016), the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (2016), and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

“We need information that applies to multiple frameworks and targets, as well as to local and national risk reduction strategies. We have to look at what is happening with cities on risk assessment and risk reduction strategies, and look into collaborations with organizations working with cities”, he said.

Among the issues raised was the use of new technologies to help unpack and understand the interconnected nature of risk as well as create a more compelling communication narrative. The use of machine learning, big data - from the public and private sectors, science, research and academic institutions - to examine patterns, and cloud-based information to enhance accessibility, were also recommended.

Participants stressed the importance of a cultural context in discussions stating that engineering and science interpreted outside of such a context will miss risks. And, many agreed that after 10 years there were now new targets, new risks and interdependencies, new standards, new priorities, and possibly even a new role for UNISDR. It was therefore important to attract a broad range of stakeholders to support and take an active interest in the process which should lead to a greater understanding of disaster risk.

“The 2019 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction will have a different flavour that will open up a whole new way of doing things and position itself to be as game changer for the future,” said David S. Green, Program Manager, Disasters Earth Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Date:

23 Nov 2017

Sources:

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR)