European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (EFDRR)

The European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction serves as forum for exchanges at the regional level. The European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction facilitates discussion and advances on disaster risk reduction issues in a coordinated fashion at the regional level.

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1. The European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction is intended to serve as a forum to stimulate and facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge among participating National HFA Focal Points and Platforms and regional/sub regional partners.
2. To provide advocacy for effective action to reduce disasters, by contributing to the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the resilience of nations and communities to disasters (HFA), and by promoting and supporting the creation of new National Platforms
3. To create a safer Europe by reducing the impact of natural hazards to reduce vulnerability, and increasing the ability to minimize consequences of disasters
4. The forum facilitates exchanges among European nations on the implementation of the HFA, for expanding the political space devoted to the issue and would provide an opportunity for innovative ideas in the field of DRR.

Based on the objectives of the European Forum, the outcomes of previous NP and HFA Focal Points meetings, and the conclusions of the “Implementing the HFA in Europe” report, the following outcomes and focus areas have been identified:

• Increased awareness on disaster risk reduction as an integral aspect of sustainable development and adaptation to climate change, recognizing that it is “everybody's business”;
• Enhanced commitment of policy and decision-makers to implement the HFA;
• Stimulated engagement of national and regional actors to promote joint activities towards disaster risk reduction;
• Enhanced coordination of relevant national and regional actors in disaster risk reduction;
• Fostered understanding of the HFA reporting mechanisms;
• Identified specific opportunities for cross-fertilization between countries and sub-regions for exchanging knowledge and information, as well as inter-government and inter-sector cooperation.

Focus areas and activities identified for the period 2011 and forward are the following:

• Adaptation to climate change and extreme weather events;
• Information sharing and exchange;
• Local level / community level approach (Making Cities Resilient, protection of critical infrastructures such as hospitals and schools etc.);
• Harmonize risk mapping and assessments including data collection;
• Cost-benefit analysis case studies.