Rio+20: Thematic debate on disaster risk reduction

The preparatory process of Rio+20 has identified ‘disaster risk reduction and resilience’ as one of the emerging issues in the context of sustainable development. This coincides with the growing desire of Member States to increase dialogue on innovative solutions to address the challenge of disaster risk. Against this background, it is very timely to hold an informal thematic debate on addressing disaster risk through public investment decisions.

The overall objective is to support and advance the dialogue already underway on how best to integrate the disaster risk reduction approach into the Rio+20 outcomes.

Building on the Hyogo Framework for Action (and its Mid-Term Review 2011), the outcome document of the High-level Review Meeting on the Implementation of the Mauritius Strategy, the Fourth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries, and the Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, and in reference to the ongoing preparations for the Rio+20 Conference, the intended outcome of the dialogue are to strengthen understanding of how urban risk reduction through public investment contributes to urban resilience, and what opportunities are available through private sector engagement, and to explore opportunities to advance sustainable development through adaptation in the context of Africa, SIDS, LDCs, and other high-risk countries.

The outcome of the thematic debate, a President’s Summary, will inform and contribute to the Rio+20 process.