International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
Name	International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
Formation	1999
Type	Intergovernmental program
Headquarters	Geneva, Switzerland
Parent organization	United Nations

International Strategy for Disaster Reduction is an intergovernmental program established to coordinate international efforts to reduce disaster risk, mitigate natural hazards, and promote resilience across nations. It works with a wide network of United Nations agencies, regional bodies, national authorities, and scientific institutions to mainstream risk reduction into development planning. The program connects stakeholders involved in climate change adaptation, humanitarian response, urban planning, and sustainable development to translate global frameworks into national and local action.

Background and Origins

The initiative emerged from deliberations in the United Nations General Assembly, influenced by precedents such as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World, and the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. Key diplomatic and scientific actors included the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Meteorological Organization, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Environment Programme, alongside technical partners like the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Council for Science, and the World Bank. Major events informing its creation were the Second World Conference on Disaster Reduction and negotiations at the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Influential figures and delegations from member states including Japan, United States, India, Mexico, and France shaped its mandate during sessions at United Nations Headquarters and regional commissions such as the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

Objectives and Guiding Principles

The stated objectives align with international agreements including the Hyogo Framework for Action and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Core principles draw on concepts endorsed by bodies like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Strategic aims emphasize risk-informed development promoted by actors such as the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, the International Labour Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization. Guiding values reflect commitments made at conferences including the Rio Earth Summit, the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).

Organizational Structure and Governance

Governance arrangements involved coordination among organs of the United Nations Secretariat, advisory panels drawing experts from the World Health Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the International Organization for Migration, and partnerships with research institutions like the United Nations University and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Decision-making processes intersect with the United Nations General Assembly and reporting mechanisms to committees such as the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Regional implementation was facilitated through regional commissions including the Economic Commission for Europe, the Economic Commission for Africa, and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, while funding and project oversight engaged multilaterals such as the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Key Programs and Initiatives

Programmatic work included disaster risk reduction capacity building in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union, early warning system development with the World Meteorological Organization and the Global Flood Partnership, and urban resilience projects with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and the United Cities and Local Governments. Initiatives integrated scientific input from the Global Earth Observation System of Systems, applied tools developed by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, and collaborated with humanitarian networks like the United Nations Office for Project Services and International Organization for Migration on preparedness. The program supported thematic campaigns involving the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Secretariat with counterparts in the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and academic centers such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University College London.

Partnerships and International Collaboration

Partnerships extended to multilateral institutions including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and transnational initiatives such as the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction and the Private Sector Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction. Collaborative research and capacity development involved universities like Stanford University, Columbia University, National University of Singapore, and institutes such as the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and the Stockholm Environment Institute. Engagement with philanthropic organizations included the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, while technical cooperation linked to standards bodies such as the International Organization for Standardization and regional bodies like the Pacific Islands Forum.

Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation

Implementation mechanisms relied on national focal points in ministries and agencies including counterparts from Japan Meteorological Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, while monitoring used indicators aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and reporting through the United Nations Statistical Commission. Evaluation frameworks referenced methodologies from the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery and audit practices of the United Nations Board of Auditors. Data and modeling inputs were sourced from networks such as the Group on Earth Observations and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, and results were communicated in forums including the United Nations Climate Change Conference and the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Impact, Criticisms, and Reforms

The program influenced adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and catalyzed investments through institutions like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, impacting initiatives in countries such as Nepal, Philippines, Bangladesh, Chile, and Italy. Criticisms cited by scholars from Harvard University, London School of Economics, and Australian National University focused on bureaucratic overlaps with entities like the United Nations Development Programme and challenges coordinating with regional organizations such as the African Union and Mercosur. Reforms proposed in policy papers from the Brookings Institution, Chatham House, and the International Crisis Group recommended streamlined governance, stronger links to the Sustainable Development Goals reporting, enhanced engagement with local actors including Red Cross Societies and municipal authorities represented by Local Governments for Sustainability, and improved financing mechanisms drawing on instruments like the Green Climate Fund.

Category:United Nations