Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction: Driving action on disaster risk reduction

Source(s): International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis

The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction is a biennial multi-stakeholder forum established by the UN General Assembly to review progress against these commitments, share knowledge and discuss the latest developments and trends in reducing disaster risk.

Globally, disaster risks are increasing, and climate change is expected to further drive risks up. Systems- based holistic action is needed to reduce disaster risks and build resilience. With the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) countries have engaged to substantially reduce disaster risk and bring down disaster-related mortality, people affected and economic loss by 2030. The participation of representatives from a wide range of sectors of governments and stakeholder groups reflects the shift – enshrined in the Sendai Framework – from managing disasters to managing disaster risk.

The Global Platform is a fundamental mechanism to foster practical coherence in implementation of disaster risk reduction with other international agendas, in particular the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement on climate change and the New Urban Agenda. The outcomes of the Global Platform inform the deliberations of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and the UN 2019 Climate Summit from a disaster risk reduction perspective. These efforts contribute towards the successful achievement of a risk-informed 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In this year’s edition, the Global Platform focuses the multiple dividends of disaster risk and risk-informed investments and the need for inclusive and bold action on climate and disaster risk, particularly at local levels. It is also the last global gathering for all stakeholders before the deadline for achieving Target E of the Sendai Framework: to substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020.

IIASA contribution

IIASA is making critical contributions with knowledge products and active participation to the debates as part of the Flood Resilience Alliance, a partnership of nine INGO and private sector institutions engaged in co-generating community-level options and solutions in more than 15 countries across the globe.

The Alliance among others things, is represented with a booth throughout the meeting and organizes a side-event on the opening day of the Global Platform (May 15 at 10 in CICG - Room 15). IIASA staff Adriana Keating, Finn Laurien and Teresa M. Deubelli are making critical contributions to showcasing the Flood Resilience Measurement for Communities (FRMC) tool throughout the session on Flood Resilience Measurement for Communities, as well as throughout at the Innovation platform.

IIASA colleagues have led and contributed to two policy briefs feeding into the conversations on the multiple dividends of resilience and on the need for increased disaster and climate resilience funding particularly flowing to local levels.

In the lead up to the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, Reinhard Mechler, Deputy Program Director of IIASA’s Risk and Resilience Program, will speak at the Science and Policy Forum, a platform for advancing linkages between the science community and policy-makers to build effective and coherent approaches to risk reduction and resilience building. Reinhard Mechler’s talk will focus on the need for co-generated and valid data for building community flood resilience, drawing on insights from the work on the Flood Resilience Measurement for Communities (FRMC) tool. 

Explore further

Hazards Flood
Themes Governance
Country and region Switzerland
Share this

Please note: Content is displayed as last posted by a PreventionWeb community member or editor. The views expressed therein are not necessarily those of UNDRR, PreventionWeb, or its sponsors. See our terms of use

Is this page useful?

Yes No Report an issue on this page

Thank you. If you have 2 minutes, we would benefit from additional feedback (link opens in a new window).