Leveraging technological innovation, evidence-based decision-making and south-south cooperation to address systemic urban risk and strengthen disaster resilience

Background

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Global Education and Training Institute (GETI), the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have jointly organized five online certificate training programmes, establishing a leading multilateral platform for South-South and triangular cooperation (SSTC) on disaster risk reduction (DRR) and public health emergency preparedness. Since its launch in 2020, the Joint Certificate Training Programme has grown steadily, reaching more than 11,000 live-session participants and over 6,500 self-paced learners from 155 countries and territories.

The 2026 edition, co-organized by UNDRR, UNOSSC, PAHO, and the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries (UNTB), builds on this momentum. It focuses on leveraging technological innovations, practical tools, and SSTC to enhance evidence-based decision-making and address systemic urban risks while strengthening disaster resilience and health emergency preparedness.

Urban areas are at the forefront of DRR and climate resilience efforts. Cities concentrate populations, infrastructure, economic assets, and essential services that are increasingly exposed to complex, interconnected, and cascading risks. Climate-induced hazards such as extreme heat, combined with health-related emergencies and the growing interdependence of urban systems place unprecedented pressure on local governments and communities. The Midterm Review of the Sendai Framework underscored the urgent need to strengthen evidence-based decision-making, supported by technological innovation, to improve risk understanding and scale resilience measures across contexts.

In this evolving risk landscape, cities have a pivotal role in driving integrated approaches that leverage data, science, technology and innovation (STI), and South-South cooperation to reduce vulnerabilities and safeguard development gains. National governments also play a critical role by providing policy direction, regulatory frameworks, technical guidance and financial support that enable cities to implement risk informed development strategies. They can further support technology transfer, facilitate the adaptation of tools and methodologies to national and local contexts, and create enabling conditions for successful replication and scaling up of urban resilience initiatives. Strengthening the ability of local and national institutions to access, interpret, and apply technological innovations, practical tools, as well as data systems is essential for supporting risk-informed urban planning and disaster preparedness.

South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) offers significant opportunities to advance knowledge sharing, capacity development and technology exchange across countries and cities at all levels of development. The Buenos Aires outcome document of BAPA+40 (2019) underscores the vital roles of local authorities, national governments, and all stakeholders in promoting SSTC and fostering more inclusive, resilient and sustainable societies. By engaging in SSTC partnerships, cities can more effectively access and apply innovative solutions for disaster and climate resilience, including the use of technology for early warning systems, data analytics and the design of risk-informed and inclusive urban infrastructure. Through expanded SSTC, enhanced use of technological innovation and a continued focus on inclusivity, cities can significantly bolster their DRR capacities and better prepare for the growing challenges associated with rapid urbanization, health emergencies, environmental stressors, and other complex urban risks.

In many developing countries, particularly Least Developed Countries (LDCs), the adoption of technological solutions to address systemic urban risks and strengthening disaster resilience is often constrained by limited access to technology, insufficient technical capacities, and gaps in institutional and policy frameworks. Strengthening national STI ecosystems and improving access to knowledge, data, and emerging technologies are therefore critical to enable countries and cities to effectively apply technology-based solutions for disaster preparedness and climate resilience. In this context, initiatives that combine technological innovation with capacity building and South-South cooperation can play an important role in supporting countries to access, adapt and scale technologies suited to their local contexts.

Course Structure:

This training aims to build the capacities of urban practitioners and stakeholders, including national counterparts, to understand and apply practical tools and approaches that support more resilient, risk-informed, inclusive, and health-prepared urban environments. 

Course Objective:

This course provides practical policy training for urban planners, DRR practitioners, health emergency professionals, and national and local government decision-makers. By the end of this training, participants shall be able to:

• Articulate the conceptual foundations of DRR, systemic urban risk management, geospatial intelligence, and STI for resilience, as well as the role of SSTC in creating inclusive, resilient, risk-informed, and healthy cities;
• Apply key concepts and tools, such as the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities – Addendum on Extreme Heat Risk Management, geospatial intelligence, and STI including digital technologies, data systems and early warning tools, in enhancing evidence-based decision-making and strengthening institutional capacities to address systemic urban risk and disaster resilience;
• Identify good practices and relevant solutions implemented by local authorities, national governments, development partners and diverse stakeholders to inform and enhance evidence-based urban resilience and health emergencies preparedness planning;

• Identify concrete entry points for SSTC in knowledge sharing, co-development, technology transfer, and the institutionalization of geospatial intelligence and technological innovations for health emergency and disaster preparedness decision-making.

   

Targeted Audience

Local and national government officials responsible for disaster risk reduction and management, urban development and planning, and public health emergency preparedness, national municipal associations, urban resilience and development practitioners, as well as representatives from civil society, private sector and academia.

The course is open to participants from both developed and developing countries, with strong encouragement for participants from LDCs and Small Island Developing States (SIDs).

No. of Trainees: Open registration. However, access to the live online sessions is limited to a maximum of 3,000 participants, on a first come first served basis. 
 

Workshop Language:

English with simultaneous interpretation in Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and International Sign Language.

Certificate:

1. Certificate of Completion is awarded to participants who attend all four online sessions live and complete the post-course survey;
2. Certificate of Attendance is awarded to participants who attend at least one online session live and do not meet the completion requirements.

Programme and Session Recording:

Organizers

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Global Education and Training Institute (GETI) is the training and capacity development arm of UNDRR. Located in Incheon, Republic of Korea, GETI was established in 2010 to develop a new cadre of professionals in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation to build disaster resilient societies. GETI helps to develop capacity through design and delivery of training programmes that build skills for disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and sustainable development, including through a ‘training of trainers’ approach to amplify the impact and promote wider dissemination of knowledge and skills. GETI also serves as the global secretariat of the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030), an international multi-stakeholder partnership for building global and urban resilience.

United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) since 1974, was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation (SSTC) on a global and UN system-wide basis. UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the UN General Assembly and through its subsidiary body, the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation. The UNOSSC Strategic Framework is presented every four years to the Executive Board of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is the specialized health agency of the Inter-American System and also serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO), leading international health cooperation across the region. Founded in 1902—the world’s oldest public health agency—PAHO’s mission is to lead strategic collaborative efforts among Member States and other partners to promote equity in health, to combat disease, and to improve the quality of, and lengthen, the lives of the peoples of the Americas. PAHO works with countries of the American Region to increase the health sector resilience to emergencies and disasters and is ready to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain disasters, including outbreaks, and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.

United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries (UNTB) supports Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in strengthening their science, technology, and innovation (STI) capacities to accelerate sustainable development. Established by the United Nations General Assembly and operational since 2018, the Technology Bank works with governments, research institutions, and development partners to enhance access to knowledge, build institutional capacities, and promote the use of technology and innovation in addressing development challenges. Through initiatives in technology needs assessments, capacity-building, policy support, and partnerships, the Technology Bank helps LDCs leverage science, technology, and innovation to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and advance resilient and inclusive development.
 

Acknowledgement

The training is supported by the Government of China and Türkiye through the UN Fund for South-South Cooperation, and the Government of the Republic of Korea (Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Incheon Metropolitan City).