UNDRR News

The tragic loss of life in yesterday’s earthquake in the Ercis region of Turkey and the reported collapse of almost 1,000 buildings underlines the importance of providing the right incentives and information to builders and owners in the world’s most dangerous earthquake zones, says UNISDR, the UN office for disaster reduction.

UNISDR Chief, Margareta Wahlström, today welcomed the news that both the Lebanese Army and the National Institute of Administration, the country’s civil service, are to make disaster risk reduction a core element of staff training.

One of the world’s most earthquake-prone and heavily urbanized countries, Lebanon, is bringing together 96 mayors and other leaders from over 80 cities and municipalities for two days this week to discuss progress on disaster risk reduction across a wide range of threats.

The new Government of Myanmar intends to adopt the disaster risk reduction plan that was drawn up after Cyclone Nargis two years ago following a series of meetings with the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Margareta Wahlström.

Bangkok which has so far been spared the heavy flooding affecting one third of Thailand is currently preparing for the worst case scenario.

Between observance of the 26th anniversary of the September 1985 earthquake in Mexico City and Mexico’s hosting of the global celebration yesterday of the 2011 World Habitat Day under the theme Cities and Climate Change, the municipal government of the capital city has passed a new law on structural safety that will further protect people living with earthquake risk.

At the opening of the General Debate of the 66th session of the UN General Assembly yesterday, incoming Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser identified disaster prevention as one of the key issues that will “help frame our work this session”.

Seismic risk has taken on a different meaning this week with the trial opening in Italy of six scientists charged with failing to predict the L’Aquila earthquake that killed 309 people in 2009 and left 70,000 people homeless. The scientists and one official are charged with manslaughter.

The Government of the Maldives has fully endorsed the world’s first Strategic National Action Plan (SNAP) that integrates Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA).

UNインタビュー・シリーズ国連の幅広い活動をより多くの日本の皆様に知っていただくために、UNインタビュー・シリーズでは、国連諸機関の親善大使やサポーターをはじめ、国連を通して国際貢献されている方々にお話を伺っていきます。