Themes in disaster risk reduction
DRR-related themes and issues are wide and cross-cutting.
Most DRR topics cover more than one theme or issue, and some themes have a high degree of correlation with others. In each section, you can learn more about common DRR themes and see the latest developments.
Natural environment
- Climate change
Adaptation benefits, costs, measures, capacity; climate resilience, climate-proofing, climate risk management, climate change as a disaster risk driver. - Environment and ecosystems
Deforestation, ecosystems and environmental management, environmental degradation, environmental impact assessment, INRM and land-use. - Food security and agriculture
Agricultural micro loans and finance, agricultural risk management, climate smart agriculture, crop distribution, diversified cropping system, food storage capacity, rural land-use planning. - Water
Sustainable water resource management, including: drinking water, freshwater, irrigation, preventive protection of drinking water supplies, sanitation, transboundary water management.
Human development and inclusion
- Capacity development
Capability utilization, capacity assessment, capacity development response, individual, community and institutional learning, development planning, training and development, institutional strengthening and development, functional capacities, technical capacities. - Children and youth
Child-centred disaster risk reduction, child protection, orphans, information and participation of children and youth, impact of disasters on children and youth. - Civil society/NGOs
Civic action, collective community action, community-based organization (CBO) action, grassroots action, integrative DRR, NGOs and PVOs. - Community-based DRR
Community vulnerability assessment, community disaster response preparedness, community risk mitigation, local capacity assessment, local risk mapping. - Cultural heritage
Heritage conservation, traditional methods, knowledge, know-how, housing; ancient communities coping practices and systems, community resilience mechanisms. - Gender
Gender mainstreaming, gendered vulnerability, gender-sensitive disaster risk management. - Human mobility
Participation and protection of migrants, refugees, internally displaced people; migration induced by disasters, climate migration, planned relocation. - Inclusion
Participation, inclusiveness, empowerment, at-risk populations, including: children, orphans, women, disabled, elderly, homeless, LGBTs, migrants, etc. - Social impacts and resilience
Coping capacity, cultural impacts, loss absorption, loss acceptance, loss of livelihood, psychological impacts, psychological support, social vulnerability.
Science knowledge and advocacy
- Advocacy and media
Advocacy and public awareness raising, disaster risk reporting, public information on disaster risk reduction, risk communication, social media. - Traditional and Indigenous knowledges
Indigenous early warning system, local implementation, knowledge, skills, technical knowledge; traditional knowledge, transferable indigenous knowledge. - Science and technology
Science-informed initiatives, technology and innovation output, informing policy-making and practice, co-designing, co-producing and co-delivering new knowledge.
State governance and economy
- Economics of DRR
Disaster damage and loss assessment, funding, financial effects, poverty, socio-economic impacts, cost-benefit analysis, forecast-based financing. - Fragility and conflict
Humanitarian crisis, conflict, post-conflict, peacebuilding, violence. - Governance
Accountability, empowerment, coordination, policy and legislative framework; regional, national, and local platforms; cross-border collaboration. - Insurance and risk transfer
Disaster insurance, re-insurance, catastrophe bonds, contingency funding and credit, micro-insurance, loans, reserve funds, risk financing, risk insurance. - Private sector
Business partnerships for DRR, civil action and public-private partnership, corporate social responsibility, government and private sector partnership.
Infrastructure and critical services
- Critical infrastructure
Communications systems and networks, health facilities, emergency evacuation shelters, elements of transportation systems, waste disposal, water supplies. - Education and school safety
Disaster prevention education and curricula, education continuity, safe schools, school disaster management. - Health & health facilities
Capacity of health practitioners, health facilities and services, preparedness, gender, mental health, psychosocial support, safe hospitals, trauma prevention. - Structural safety
Building codes, building standards, building materials, construction, retrofitting. - Urban risk and planning
Resilient cities, urban planning, urban management.
Understanding and managing risk
- Disaster risk management
Mitigation, preparedness, prevention, risk reduction plan, policies and strategies; preparedness and contingency planning, prospective disaster risk management. - Early warning
Alert and warning dissemination; end-to-end warning system; monitoring, analysis and forecasting; people-centred early warning system, policies and strategies. - GIS and mapping
Geographic information systems, hazard exposure mapping, vulnerability mapping, risk mapping. - Information management & technology
Data and information exchange standards, databases and information management, portals, knowledge management, networks and communities of practice, ICT. - Risk identification and assessment
Hazard assessment, risk assessment; risk modelling; risk analysis process; vulnerability assessment. - Small Island Developing States
Small island and developing states (SIDS), Small Islands, coastal resilience. - Space & aerial technology
Satellite imagery, earth observation, remote sensing, geospatial technology, UAV, drones, optical and radar imagery, meteorological satellites. - Systemic risk
Cascading effects, compound risks, disruption of systems, interconnections, risk governance, feedback loops, interdependencies, tipping points.
Recovery
Recovery
Build back better, humanitarian planning for long-term risk reduction, early recovery, shelter, reconstruction, psycho-social issues for rehabilitation.
Related resources
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