Policy brief: Disaster risk reduction and climate change

This policy brief explores the challenges faced in disaster risk governance in relation to the climate emergency. Collective action, political leadership, and financing are needed to keep the global average temperature within the 1.5 degrees safer limit outlined in the Paris Agreement. However, prudent risk management requires preparation for a range of negative outcomes associated with varying degrees of warming and to effectively manage unexpected concurrent threats, such as the current COVID-19 crisis.

The brief provides the following policy recommendations:

1. Galvanize political leadership and momentum;
2. Scale up comprehensive disaster and climate risk management;
3. Empower communities, mobilize society to ensure no one is left behind;
4. Invest in sustainable, resilient infrastructure systems;
5. Promote innovative investments and financing mechanisms;
6. Ensure behavioural change through science, evidence and effective communication.