World Conference Adopts New International Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction After Marathon Negotiations

First major agreement of the Post-2015 development agenda reached at landmark UN Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.

One of the largest storms to ever make landfall, Haiyan affected some 9.5 million people in the Philippines and caused widespread destruction and displacement in November 2013. Photo: UN Photo/Evan Schneider

19 March 2015, Sendai - Representatives from 187 UN member States today adopted the first major agreement on the post-2015 development agenda, a far-reaching new framework for disaster risk reduction with seven targets and four priorities for action.

Conference President, Ms. Eriko Yamatani, Minister of State for Disaster Management, announced the agreement on the text, the Sendai Framework for Action - the new international framework for disaster risk reduction, following a marathon final round of negotiations which went on for over 30 hours.

"Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Action over the next 15 years will require strong commitment and political leadership and will be vital to the achievement of future agreements on sustainable development goals and climate later this year. As the UN Secretary-General said here on the opening day, sustainability starts in Sendai."Margareta Wahlström, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction said, "The adoption of this new framework for disaster risk reduction opens a major new chapter in sustainable development as it outlines clear targets and priorities for action which will lead to a substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health."

The Framework outlines seven global targets to be achieved over the next 15 years: a substantial reduction in global disaster mortality; a substantial reduction in numbers of affected people; a reduction in economic losses in relation to global GDP; substantial reduction in disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services, including health and education facilities; an increase in the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020; enhanced international cooperation; and increased access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments.

The Sendai Framework also, for the first time, recognizes environment as a cross-cutting issue in disaster risk reduction. A major milestone is the recognition of the sustainable management of ecosystems as a way to build disaster resilience. Environmental impact assessments are also cited as important tools to achieve risk-sensitive public and private investments. The Sendai Framework further acknowledges the need to tackle environmental drivers of disaster risk, including ecosystem degradation and climate change, as well as the environmental impacts of disasters.

UNEP, together with the Partnership of the Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR), actively engaged throughout the World Conference on Disaster risk Reduction (WCDRR) in Sendai, co-organizing several plenary working sessions and side events on ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction, as well as supporting a number of Member States during the negotiations for the post-2015 disaster risk reduction framework. Recognizing environment as a cross-cutting issue, ecosystem-based approaches to disaster risk reduction, as well as the need for a multi-hazard approach to disaster risk reduction, comprised the core messages of UNEP at the WCDRR, which have now been largely adopted in the new Sendai Framework.

UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner also attended the WCDRR, where he moderated a high-level event with UN Chief Executives, who collectively called for disaster risk sensitive programming as key to achieving sustainable development in countries. Mr Steiner also highlighted the importance of ecosystem-based approaches to disaster risk reduction as solutions that are already being widely adopted in both developed and developing countries.

Conference President Ms. Yamatani said, "Japan's special relationship with the global disaster risk reduction community has been strengthened by the outcome of this World Conference. Successful implementation of this new framework will mean a reduction of existing levels of disaster risk and avoidance of the creation of new risk."

Conference Main Committee Co-Chair, Ambassador Päivi Kairamo from Finland said, "Delegates have taken into account the experience gained through implementation of the current Hyogo Framework for Action. We have agreed on four priorities for action focused on a better understanding of risk, strengthened disaster risk governance and more investment."

"A final priority calls for more effective disaster preparedness and embedding the 'build back better' principle into recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction. These will be the four points of the disaster risk reduction compass for the next 15 years."

Her fellow Co-Chair Ambassador Thani Thongphakdi from Thailand said, "I would like to thank all those who have persevered over these last five days to deliver a framework that will guide disaster risk reduction for the next 15 years."

The World Conference was attended by over 6,500 participants including 2,800 government representatives from 187 governments. The Public Forum had 143,000 visitors over the five days of the conference making it one of the largest UN gatherings ever held in Japan.