UNDRR News

Two executives from IBM and AECOM joined UNISDR’s growing Private Sector Advisory Group to support the organization’s work in engaging and supporting companies and businesses in reducing their risk to disasters.

The first comprehensive training on Disaster Risk Reduction in the Arab region gathered thirty leading specialists to discuss regional and global disaster risk trends. Organized by the UNDP Regional Centre for Arab States, it provided valuable insight on disaster risk assessment, mitigation and preparedness.

Half of humanity is now living in cities - commitment to resilience is urgently needed, said Ms. Asha-Rose Migiro, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General and Chair of the Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in her final summary.

国連国際防災戦略事務局(UNISDR)が作成した国連世界防災白書2011の日本での発表が、5月25日、東京の国連大学(UNU)本部にて行われました。UNISDRとUNUの共催、外務省の後援により開催されました。2011年版のタイトルは「災害リスクを明らかにし、開発を再定義する」です。 The Japan launch of the 2011 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction, prepared by the United Nations Secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), was held at UNU Headquarters in Tokyo on 25 May 2011, in a forum co-organized by UNISDR and UNU and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Disasters are not natural; hazards are, says a new UNISDR media book launched at the Third Session of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction by Tim Sebastian of BBC Hard Talk.

Cairo, 22 May - The United Nations report titled "Revealing risk, redefining Development", launched this May by Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon at the Third Session of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva, reveals a new interest and concern for disaster risk reduction in the Middle East and North Africa.

After announcing last week that Geneva would take part in the United Nations "Making Cities Resilient" campaign, Pierre Maudet, the incoming Mayor of Geneva as of 1 June, said the city would share experiences with other local governments seeking to manage risk.

In a year marred by disaster losses over US$300 billion, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called, at the Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, for a “coalition of action” and a high-level meeting during the next General Assembly to address the link between natural hazards and nuclear safety.

For the first time, Munich Re Foundation, the Global Risk Forum GRF Davos and United Nations secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) join forces and offer €100,000 to a risk reduction project that will contribute to increasing people’s resilience to disasters, especially in developing communities which are most at risk.

The cities of San Francisco (Philippines), Santa Fe (Argentina), and District of North Vancouver (Canada), were unveiled as winners of the United Nations-Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction last night at a special ceremony on the second last day of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva.