Citation
Haigh, R. (2014), "3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction 2015", International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, Vol. 5 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJDRBE-03-2014-0022
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction 2015
Article Type: News article From: International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, Volume 5, Issue 4
On December 20, 2013, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution to hold the 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction from March 14-18, 2015 in Sendai, Japan, outlining the modalities for the preparations of the 3rd World Conference.
The work of the international community on reducing disaster risk is built on the knowledge and experience matured by countries and other stakeholders over the past several decades. Milestones include:
in 1987, the 1990s was declared the international decade for natural disaster reduction (A/RES/42/169) by the United Nations General Assembly;
in 1989, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the International Framework for Action for the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (A/RES/44/236);
in 1994, the Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action for a Safer World was adopted by the 1st World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction;
in 1999, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (A/RES/54/219); and
in 2005, in Kobe, Japan, the 2nd World Conference on Disaster Reduction adopted the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters.
In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly (A/RES/67/209) decided to convene the 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction to review implementation of the HFA and to adopt a post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction. The 2012 resolution requested UNISDR to serve as secretariat of the World Conference in 2015, to facilitate development of a post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction (HFA2) and to coordinate the preparatory activities in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.
Specific objectives of the 3rd World Conference
As specified in the 2013 United Nations General Assembly resolution, the objectives of the 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction include:
to complete assessment and review of the implementation of the HFA;
to consider the experience gained through the regional and national strategies/institutions and plans for disaster risk reduction and their recommendations, as well as relevant regional agreements under the implementation of the HFA;
to adopt a post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction;
to identify modalities of cooperation based on commitments to implement a post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction;
to determine modalities for periodic review of the implementation of a post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction;
the 3rd World Conference will have an intergovernmental session, a high-level segment, as well as multi-stakeholder sessions and events;
a National Platform Forum and a Youth Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction will also be organized; and
in addition, announcements related to a Global Safe Schools campaign (as agreed at the High-Level Segment at the Global Platform in May 2013) will be encouraged.
The 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and its preparatory process welcome the participation and contributions of all relevant stakeholders, including parliaments, civil society, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, non-governmental organizations, national platforms for disaster risk reduction, focal points for the HFA, local government representatives, scientific institutions and the private sector, as well as organizations of the United Nations system and intergovernmental organizations.
Registration
The registration and accreditation process starts in March 2014, one year prior to the 3rd World Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Planning participants’ attendance
An estimated 6,000-8,000 delegates and observers are expected, alongside several thousand members of the Japanese public.
The Web site http://www.preventionweb.net/wcdrr/home provides current information on hotels, travel and safety. Details on meeting venue, timetable, registration, accommodation reservation system, administrative arrangements will be regularly updated on the Web site.
Richard Haigh, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK