A sneak preview of post-Hyogo disaster risk reduction

Technology not only helps nations deal with disasters, but it also makes them more vulnerable to their impacts, according to Margareta Wahlström, the UN secretary-general’s special representative for disaster risk reduction, reports SciDevNet. She told a meeting in London last week that a better recognition of this vulnerability is likely to be one of three top agenda items in the next international framework on disaster risk reduction.

Last week’s meeting, on ‘Science for disaster risk reduction — an academic exercise?’ at the Royal Society in London, looked at how science can play a role in drafting this framework and dealing with disaster risk.