Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 is a global agreement adopted by United Nations member states in March 2015 at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan. It is the successor to the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015.

Background

The Sendai Framework was developed in response to the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters worldwide, which have caused significant loss of life, economic damage, and social disruption. It recognizes that disaster risk reduction is essential for sustainable development and aims to substantially reduce disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods, and health.

Objectives and Priorities

The Sendai Framework sets four priority areas for action:

• Understanding disaster risk: This involves investing in disaster risk research, data collection, and analysis to better understand the causes, effects, and potential solutions to disaster risk.
• Strengthening disaster risk governance: This involves integrating disaster risk reduction into policies, plans, and programs at all levels of government and across all sectors of society.
• Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience: This involves allocating resources for structural and non-structural measures to enhance the economic, social, health, and cultural resilience of communities and countries.
• Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction: This involves strengthening disaster preparedness, early warning systems, and emergency response capabilities, as well as ensuring that post-disaster recovery and reconstruction efforts incorporate disaster risk reduction measures.

Targets

The Sendai Framework sets seven global targets to be achieved by 2030:

• Substantially reduce global disaster mortality.
• Substantially reduce the number of people affected by disasters globally.
• Reduce direct disaster economic loss in relation to global GDP.
• Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services.
• Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies.
• Substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries for disaster risk reduction.
• Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments.

Implementation and Monitoring

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is responsible for supporting the implementation, follow-up, and review of the Sendai Framework. The UNDRR works with governments, partners, and stakeholders to provide guidance, tools, and technical assistance for disaster risk reduction.

Progress towards the Sendai Framework targets is monitored through the Sendai Framework Monitor, an online platform for reporting and analyzing disaster risk reduction data. Countries are encouraged to develop national disaster risk reduction strategies and report on their progress regularly.

Linkages with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Sendai Framework is closely linked to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Disaster risk reduction is explicitly addressed in several SDGs, including Goal 1 (No Poverty), Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and Goal 13 (Climate Action). Implementing the Sendai Framework is essential for achieving the SDGs and ensuring sustainable development.

Challenges and Way Forward

Despite the progress made since the adoption of the Sendai Framework, significant challenges remain in reducing disaster risk globally. These include limited resources, inadequate institutional capacities, and the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events due to climate change.

To address these challenges, it is essential to strengthen international cooperation, mobilize resources, and enhance the capacity of countries and communities to understand and manage disaster risk. This requires a multi-stakeholder approach involving governments, civil society, the private sector, academia, and communities.

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 is a critical global agreement that aims to reduce disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods, and health. By setting clear targets and priorities for action, the Sendai Framework provides a roadmap for building resilience and achieving sustainable development. Implementing the Sendai Framework requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders at the local, national, and international levels to create a safer and more resilient world for all.