Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction

Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction
Name	Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction
Publisher	United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
First	2009
Country	United Nations
Language	English

Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction The Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction is a periodic flagship assessment produced by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and coordinated with stakeholders including the United Nations Secretary-General, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, the World Health Organization and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to synthesize evidence on disaster risk, resilience, hazard exposure, vulnerability and governance. The report informs international frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, and United Nations policy deliberations in forums like the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Overview

The report assesses global patterns of disaster risk drawing on contributions from institutions such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and research partners including Columbia University, University of Oxford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Tokyo and the Indian Institute of Technology. It compiles data from monitoring systems maintained by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, EM-DAT, Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, Copernicus Programme, United Nations Environment Programme and national institutions like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Japan Meteorological Agency, India Meteorological Department and China Meteorological Administration.

History and Development

Originating from mandates in the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and coordination among the United Nations Secretariat, the report’s lineage intersects with milestones such as the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015, the launch of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), and the endorsement of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Early editions involved partnerships with organizations like the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank Group, and academic centers including London School of Economics, Harvard University, University College London and the Australian National University. Over successive cycles the report has integrated advances from bodies such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the International Panel on Social Progress, and the Global Risk Institute.

Structure and Methodology

Each edition is organized into thematic chapters prepared by lead authors from institutions including Princeton University, Yale University, Stanford University, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London and think tanks like the Stockholm Environment Institute, Chatham House, Brookings Institution and International Institute for Environment and Development. Methodological inputs combine quantitative analyses from agencies such as the World Bank, European Space Agency, Food and Agriculture Organization, International Atomic Energy Agency and World Meteorological Organization with qualitative case studies contributed by the International Committee of the Red Cross, CARE International, Oxfam International and national ministries including Ministry of Home Affairs (India), Federal Emergency Management Agency, Civil Protection Department (Italy) and National Emergency Management Agency (Nigeria). Data synthesis employs models and tools originating at NASA, NOAA, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis.

Key Findings and Themes

Typical findings emphasize links among climate change documented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, urbanization trends in reports from the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), socioeconomic inequality analyses from the World Bank Group, and exposure mapping using products from the Copernicus Programme and Landsat missions. Themes recurrently covered include disaster loss accounting advocated by the Sendai Framework, resilience financing discussed in forums with the International Monetary Fund, infrastructure risk tied to standards from the International Organization for Standardization, nature-based solutions promoted by the Convention on Biological Diversity and cascading systemic risk examined by the Global Risk Institute and World Economic Forum.

Impact and Influence

The report has shaped policy dialogues at the United Nations General Assembly, influenced financing priorities of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and European Investment Bank, and informed national risk assessments conducted by ministries such as the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (Indonesia), Ministry of Home Affairs (Indonesia), Mexican Secretariat of Civil Protection and Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Its evidence base feeds into legal and regulatory reforms in jurisdictions referencing standards from the International Organization for Standardization, insurance frameworks shaped by firms like Munich Re and Swiss Re, and academic curricula at institutions including University of California, Berkeley and National University of Singapore.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques have come from civil society groups such as Greenpeace International, Amnesty International, Oxfam International and scholars at universities including University of Oxford and London School of Economics arguing the report sometimes privileges macroeconomic models used by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund over localized knowledge held by indigenous organizations like the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs and advocacy networks like the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction. Debates have arisen over data gaps highlighted by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters and disputes about attribution of losses in analyses engaging the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, European Environment Agency and private risk consultancies.

Editions and Major Reports

Major editions released roughly every two to four years have included thematic and regional reports produced in cooperation with partners such as the United Nations Development Programme, World Bank, World Health Organization, United Nations Environment Programme, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and research consortia involving University College London, University of Oxford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stockholm Environment Institute. Specific regional supplements and synthesis documents have been prepared with agencies like the Economic Commission for Africa, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and European Commission.

Category:Disaster risk reduction reports