In-depth study on the United Nations contribution to the implementation of the Hyogo Framework For Action External study commissioned for the Mid-Term Review 2010-2011 In-depth study on the United Nations contribution to the implementation of the Hyogo Framework For Action External study commissioned for the Mid-Term Review 2010-2011 Prepared by Ms. Eva von Oelreich January 2011 … The Chile earthquake is yet another tragic reminder that disaster risk is increasing globally. The Hyogo Framework for Action commits all countries to make major eff orts to reduce their disaster risk by 2015. The entire UN system is engaged in supporting these eff orts. It is clear that much more needs to be done to ensure that disaster risk reduction becomes natural part of our development eff orts. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s remarks to informal plenary meeting of the General Assembly on Chile, 10 March 2010. Hyogo Framework for Action Acknowledgements UNISDR is grateful to all members of the Advisory Group of the Mid-Term Review, who dedicated their time and advice to this project free of charge and with great commitment to the cause of disaster risk reduction, including by providing insightful comments on various drafts of this report under time pressure. In particular, we want to thank Susanne Frueh for advising on the methodology of the Mid-Term Review, Mukesh Kapila for facilitating the online debate on a post-2015 framework, Ronald Jackson for initiating the study on disaster risk reduction in the Caribbean, Virginia Murray for spearheading the study on databases for disaster risk reduction, Marco Ferrari for helping in defi ning the issue of international governance for disaster risk reduction, and Kenzo Oshima for requesting that the Japan International Cooperation Agency conduct an internal review of its contribution to the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action. Several UN colleagues contributed to the Mid-Tem Review throughout 2010. Special thanks are in order to Kamal Kishore of UNDP and David Jackson of UNCDF for dedicating their personal time to this project and contributing with signifi cant pieces of work: the literature review and the study on fi nancial mechanisms at national and local levels for disaster risk reduction. Salvano Briceño has kindly provided valuable advice throughout the Mid-Term Review process. Helena Molin Valdes and Bina Desai of UNISDR and Joern Birkmann at the United Nations University in Bonn facilitated the on-line debates. Marco Toscano-Rivalta contributed on the defi nition of international governance issues, post-2015 elements, on the study on the UN implementation of HFA, and provided critical advice throughout the process. Thanks are Ialso due to UNISDR colleagues in our regional offi ces for their help with the organization of regional workshops, facilitation of contacts with national experts and access to national literature. The UNISDR Information Management Unit provided key support in setting up the Mid-Term Review dedicated pages on PreventionWeb and in backstopping the on-line debates. A word of thanks also goes to Mohammed Omer Mukhier at IFRC, Melisa Bodenhamer at World Vision, and Catherine Dennis at Oxfam International for their contributions. Three interns from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva - Nena Nedeljkovic, Luca Corredig, and Carina Strahl - collaborated at diff erent times with the Mid-Term Review project and provided valuable support. Letizia Rossano was the Senior Coordinator for the Mid-Term Review in UNISDR. UNISDR also wishes to thank the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Disaster Management Centre, the United States Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, National Science and Technology Council and the government of Japan for the organization of thematic sub-regional workshops for the Mid-Term Review as well as the European and Mediterranean Major Hazards Agreement (EUR-OPA) for hosting a meeting to test the Key Questions developed for the Mid-Term Review. The Italian Civil Protection Department of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers organized and supported the launch of the Mid-Term Review Report. 2 The governments of Australia, Japan, and Switzerland provided fi nancial contributions to the Mid-Term Review process. Foreword by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for External study — Mid-Term Review Introduction This in-depth study on the United Nations contribution to the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (HFA) is one of a series undertaken within the Mid-Term Review of the HFA. The objective is to review actions taken by the United Nations system as a whole and by its specialized agencies, funds and programmes more directly involved in disaster risk reduction, to ascertain how and to what extent the United Nations is undertaking the tasks outlined in the HFA for international organizations; and to suggest ways in which the engagement of the United Nations System and its specialized agencies focusing on disaster risk reduction can be increased, including by looking at other fi elds where diff erent parts of the UN System have been required to work together on a cross-cutting issue, i.e. HIV/AIDS, mine action, gender issues. The HFA states that its implementation “will be appropriately reviewed” and requests partners (in particular the Inter-Agency Task Force, which in 2007 was replaced by the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction) in the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) to “prepare periodic reviews on progress towards achieving [its] objectives and priorities....and provide reports and summaries to the [General] Assembly and other United Nations bodies ... based on information from national platforms, regional and international organizations and other stakeholders ...”. Anticipating the approaching mid-point of the HFA, in 2008 the Secretary-General indicated to the General Assembly (GA) that the second session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in June 2009 would initiate the Mid-Term Review of the HFA expected by 2010; this was welcomed by the GA. The second session of the Global Platform for Disaster Reduction, held in Geneva on 16-19 June 2009, discussed the scope and modalities for the Mid-Term Review and concluded that it should “address strategic and fundamental matters concerning its implementation to 2015 and beyond”. 3 Hyogo Framework for Action the Implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action In 2005 the 168 countries that endorsed the Hyogo Framework for Action agreed to achieve by 2015 “the substantial reduction of disaster losses, in lives and in the social, economic (HFA) and environmental assets of communities and countries”. An ambitious task to achieve in ten years. Yet, as Henri David Thoreau wrote in 1854, “In the long run, men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, they had better aim at something high”. The Mid-Term Review of the Hyogo Framework for Action has been a critical step in formulating a clear understanding of some of the key strategic issues that will require our full attention and commitment to ensure the further implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action. The Hyogo Framework for Action has been determinant in strengthening and guiding international cooperation eff orts, in generating the political momentum necessary to ensure that disaster risk reduction be used as foundation for sound national and international development agendas as well as in giving a common language and a framework of critical actions to follow to which governments have clearly responded. Whereas it is evident that more eff orts are required and that the challenges at hand are complex, we do have the knowledge, the means and the resources to tackle them. In most cases it is a matter of harnessing these resources (fi nancial, institutional, and human) in more creative, integrated and thus eff ective ways. Strengthening of communities’ resilience requires IInew and innovative forms of public-private partnerships in the political, economic, fi nancial, and research fi elds. This report shows that the HFA has been instrumental in embarking on a path of change that is now irreversible, yet our continued commitment is a critical requirement for success. We are still far from having empowered individuals to adopt a disaster risk reduction approach in their daily lives and demand that development, environmental and humanitarian policies and practices be based on sound risk reduction measures. For the devastating eff ects in terms of lives lost and impact on the social and economic fabric of the societies brought about by the earthquake in Haiti in January 2010 and New Zealand in September 2010 and February 2011, the fl oods in Pakistan in July 2010 and in Australia in December 2010 are only the most recent examples of the long way we still have to go – as individuals, as governments and as an international community – in putting in place eff ective measures to strengthen communities’ resilience to disasters and ensure truly sustainable and resilient development policies and practices. This report provides a contribution to catalyze discussion and focus attention on some of the most urgent and important activities that can be undertaken if we are to achieve the outcome 4 External study — Mid-Term Review Disaster risk reduction, its mandate and the United Nations System II.1 Milestones prior to the Hyogo Framework for Action In 1971, the General Assembly asked the Secretary-General of the United Nations to appoint an Emergency Relief Coordinator for assistance in cases of natural disasters (resolution 2816 (XXVI)): it was a concrete step forward in supporting the need for international coordination. At that time the focus was on relief, warning systems, stock piling and other pre-disaster planning. Prevention was barely mentioned. During the same period, a separate strand of thinking emanated from the development and environment sides.