Rio+20 agreement addresses disaster risk reduction

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) - also known as Rio+20 - was helf from20 to 22 June 2012 . World leaders, along with thousands of participants from governments, the private sector, NGOs and other groups, came together to shape how we can reduce poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection on an ever more crowded planet to get to the future we want.

The final agreement "The future we want" is available online. It specifically addresses disaster risk reduction, one of seven topics that have been identified beforehand as needing urgent attention. The agreement states: "We call for disaster risk reduction and the building of resilience to disasters to be addressed with a renewed sense of urgency in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, and, as appropriate, to be integrated into policies, plans, programmes and budgets at all levels and considered within relevant future frameworks. We invite governments at all levels as well as relevant subregional, regional and international organizations to commit to adequate, timely and predictable resources for disaster risk reduction in order to enhance the resilience of cities and communities to disasters, according to their own circumstances and capacities."

It furthermore stresses the importance of early warning systems: "We recognize the importance of early warning systems as part of effective disaster risk reduction at all levels in order to reduce economic and social damages, including the loss of human life, and in this regard encourage States to integrate such systems into their national disaster risk reduction strategies and plans. We encourage donors and the international community to enhance international cooperation in support of disaster risk reduction in developing countries, as appropriate, through technical assistance, technology transfer as mutually agreed, capacity-building and training programmes. We further recognize the importance of comprehensive hazard and risk assessments, and knowledge- and information sharing, including reliable geospatial information. We commit to undertake and strengthen in a timely manner risk assessment and disaster risk reduction instruments.