Looking Back and Beyond Sendai: 25 Years of International Policy Experience on Disaster Risk Reduction

Abstract

The evolution in knowledge and application of disaster risk reduction in the 25 years of global cooperation on this issue has been uneven. While advances in knowledge have improved our understanding of the full nature of risk-the combination of hazards meeting vulnerabilitythe application of such knowledge has not been conducive to the development of institutional and technical mechanisms to address the full range of risk elements. Governance of risk (policies, legislation, and organizational arrangements) still focuses largely on preparing to respond to the hazards and planning for recovery. This leaves largely unattended the vulnerability component of risk, which is the only component on which change can be effected. Governance arrangements, risk assessments, early warning systems, and other institutional and technical capacities still concentrate on natural hazards and this is the main change that remains to be substantively addressed.

The Role of Knowledge in Disaster Risk Reduction

“…We believe that the domains of disaster risk reduction, knowledge management, and social learning are interlinked and that understanding these connections can help us to improve DRR. This view is supported by both scholarly research (Glantz and Baudoin 2014;Renn 2015) and international organizations (UNISDR 2015a;Briceño 2015). Moreover, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (SFDRR)-adopted by representatives from 187 United Nations member states on 18 March 2015 at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR-3) in Sendai, Japanaffirms in paragraph 14 of the preamble that ''in order to reduce disaster risk, there is a need to address existing challenges and prepare for future ones by focusing on: monitoring, assessing and understanding disaster risk and sharing such information and how it is created; strengthening disaster risk governance and coordination across relevant institutions and sectors and the full and meaningful participation of relevant stakeholders at appropriate levels'' (UNISDR 2015b).…”

“…The former director of the secretariat of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) pointed out that during the last 25 years the evolution in knowledge and application of DRR has been uneven (Briceño 2015). We believe that the domains of disaster risk reduction, knowledge management, and social learning are interlinked and that understanding these connections can help us to improve DRR.…”

International Council for Science (ICSU)—On the Future Challenges for the Integration of Science into International Policy Development for Landslide Disaster Risk Reduction

“…Along the same line, the use of the term natural disasters should be avoided (Briceño 2015). (2) Identifying and addressing the root or underlying causes of disaster risk and disasters (Blaikie et al 1994;Wisner et al 2004;Burton 2010Burton , 2015Oliver-Smith 2013;Oliver-Smith et al 2016).…”

Una mirada de la gestión de riesgo de desastres desde el nivel local en Argentina

“…Si bien las instituciones de manejo de emergencias son de enorme importancia, no pueden asegurar la inclusión de enfoques de RRD en todos los sectores debido a que su énfasis está en la rápida respuesta a la crisis y no en las soluciones a largo plazo de los problemas fundamentales (Briceño, 2015).…”