Countering disasters, targeting vulnerability
2001 United Nations World disaster reduction campaign
Solutions to counter the increasing impact of natural hazards world-wide exist. The knowledge and technology necessary to apply these solutions are widely available. Disaster reduction is the sum of all the measures, which can be undertaken to reduce the vulnerability of a socio-economic system to natural hazards. The measures cover a wide spectrum of activities ranging from avoiding disasters all together (disaster prevention) to measures aimed at limiting the severity of a disaster when it strikes. Sound information and political commitment are the basis of successful disaster reduction measures.
This is an ongoing process which is not limited to a single disaster. It seeks to motivate societies at risk to become engaged in conscious disaster management, beyond the traditional response to disasters. Disaster reduction is multisectoral and interdisciplinary in nature and involves a wide variety of interrelated activities at the local, national, regional and international level.