A study published on Voluntary Commitments by landslide stakeholders

Because systems are complex, resilience requires an all-of-society engagement. Published in the journal Landslides and using data from UNDRR’s Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitments (VC) platform, the study found that more than 60% of all published VCs selected “landslides” within the scope of hazards covered in their activities. It is estimated that between 2004 and 2016, more than 55,000 people lost their lives in 4,862 distinct landslide events.

Additional results indicate that landslide VCs display relatively more cooperation (higher number of implementers and other partners) and longer duration (7.6 years on average). For example, the International Consortium on Landslides (ICL) published a flagship VC: “Sendai Landslide Partnerships 2015-2025” aimed at reducing landslide disaster risk by promoting research, practical tools, and capacity building. Other landslide VCs are focused on disaster risk management (DRM) and community-based DRR as well.

The study concludes by underlining that a better understanding of individual hazards is useful. However, landslide VCs demonstrate that hazard-by-hazard risk reduction is giving way to more systemic approaches to risk.

The Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitments online platform allows stakeholders to showcase their efforts in support of the implementation of the Sendai Framework. While data from this platform indicate that commitments have balanced coverage of Priorities 1, 2, and 4, Priority 3 needs more attention. This calls for more investment in structural and non-structural measures to enhance the resilience of persons, communities, and nations.