Report of the Secretary-General: implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
Sixty-fourth session
Item 55 (c) of the provisional agenda*
Sustainable development: International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
The present report provides an overview of progress on the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, in response to General Assembly resolution 63/216. While good progress has been made in implementing some aspects of the Hyogo Framework for Action, such as improvements in institutional capacities and in disaster preparedness, acceleration in implementation is required towards all goals of the Framework. New information contained in the recently launched Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction indicates that growing exposure to risk is outstripping current abilities to reduce vulnerability.
There is an urgent need to invest more in systematic implementation and to address the driving factors: rural poverty and vulnerability, unplanned urban growth and declining ecosystems. The second session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, held in June 2009, called for action to integrate disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation efforts and to strengthen community-level action. It also discussed a number of specific targets and new initiatives to scale up action and investment for disaster risk reduction.