Prevention Saves Lives

The Path to saving lives starts with prevention


The COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest global challenge we have faced in our lifetime. Millions of lives have been lost, billions affected, and huge economic costs incurred. All countries around the world have felt the heavy social and economic impacts of the pandemic. We cannot afford to do this all over again. We need to recover better, greener and more resilient – especially in the face of the climate emergency. The Prevention Saves Lives campaign engages partners from youth advocates to high-level decision-makers, to call for increased disaster prevention.

Join #PreventionSavesLives in calling on policymakers to integrate disaster risk reduction into investment decisions as a response to the devastating disasters resulting from increased climate change and in the build-up from the pandemic: It is time to make a difference!

HOW WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE: MOVING FROM DISASTER RISK TO RESILIENCE

 

At present, disaster resilience is often not prioritised because it is seen as a cost for an event that might never happen. This results in devastating impacts when disasters do occur. We need to reframe the narrative on disaster resilience, demonstrating that it is an investment and not a cost.

An important step in advocating this necessary transformative approach was taken at the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (EFDRR), held from 24 to 26 November 2021 in Matosinhos, Portugal. With 1250 virtual participants and delegations from 49 European and Central Asian Member States, the EFDRR 2021 set the foundation for strengthened action on disaster prevention and risk reduction. The Forum explored lessons learnt from the recent pandemic and climatic disasters, and championed a pathway to change that delivers a resilient future.

The agreements made at EFDRR have established significant momentum in support of the resilience agenda and the aim of the Prevention Saves Lives campaign. The EFDRR Roadmap 2021-2030 and the Matosinhos Prevention Pledge, endorsed at the EFDRR Ministerial Roundtable, are important outcomes that should further support action for improving multi-hazard risk knowledge, ensuring inclusive and inter-ministerial risk governance, and strengthening investments in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

Building on our continuous efforts to enhance resilience and looking ahead to the 2022 Global Platform on DRR, it will now be important to take forward these shared commitments.

Stand together to support turning these words into action and to deliver a resilience agenda across the Europe and Central Asia region and beyond. Use Social Media resources to raise awareness of Prevention Saves Lives: EFDRR and Prevention Pledge Toolkit and Activation Toolkit

x15

The yearly economic cost of future climate-related disasters in a 3°C global warming scenario is expected to be 15 times greater than the present costs.

 

90%

 90% of disasters are climate-related

 

42%

 The 2020 summer heat waves in Europe were the deadliest events for the 2nd year in a row, COVID-19 notwithstanding, accounting for 42% of total reported deaths by disasters worldwide.

 

5 to 10

 DRR costs are estimated to be only 5 to 10 per cent of response and recovery costs and will save lives and resources. Anything governments invest in DRR will reduce the relief and recovery costs.

 

SEE WHAT OUR SUPPORTERS HAVE TO SAY

Patricia Gaspar
Commissioner Lenarcic
Rebecca Freitag
Minister Stylianides

Conclusion of business agreement - Shutterstock-Nadya_Art

Shout-out to youth!


As Rebecca says, we need to integrate and institutionalize long-term thinking – looking at the long-term benefits of investing in prevention. Help us push the change in mind-set amongst decision makers – you are the voice of the future that needs to be listened to now!

 


Your involvement in the campaign will help promote awareness of the importance of investing in prevention – at the government level and throughout communities.

The pandemic has exposed how all societies have systematically underinvested in disaster resilience. Furthermore, climate extremes and slow onset events due to climate change are happening more frequently and with greater intensity than expected. The recent IPCC report lays out how with every increment of increased warming, the world will face with intensifying disaster risk. UN Secretary General António Guterres warned the report "is a code red for humanity".

We cannot go back to “business as usual”. Prevention Saves Lives. Use the toolkit and spread the word!.

Prevention Web Saves Lives Country Profile Cards

#PreventionSavesLives Country Profile Cards

Prevention Saves Lives Pre-post Disaster Cards

#PreventionSavesLives Pre-post Disaster Cards

Prevention Saves Lives Key Statistics Cards

#PreventionSavesLives Key Statistics Cards

#PreventionSavesLives


The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is a day to take stock of the progress made on disaster risk reduction. But it’s also a day to look forward and continue to put prevention at the centre. #OnlyTogether #PreventionSavesLives #DRRday.

Prevention Saves Lives


Disaster, repond, recover, repeat. To break this vicious cycle, we need to recover better, reduce risk, build resilience and focus on prevention..

Prevention Saves Lives IDDRR2022 Contest Videos


In 2021 as part of the Prevention Saves Lives campaign and as part of the IDDRR, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia announced an Online Video Contest and a Disaster Risk Reduction Questionnaire to raise greater awareness about disaster risk reduction (DRR). Participants were invited to show their talent and contribute to the safety of their community by raising awareness on DRR.

This is a video by one of the Contest winners - Shukurgeldi Myradov from Turkmenistan.

Prevention Saves Lives IDDRR2022 Contest Videos


In 2021 as part of the Prevention Saves Lives campaign and as part of the IDDRR, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia announced an Online Video Contest and a Disaster Risk Reduction Questionnaire to raise greater awareness about disaster risk reduction (DRR). Participants were invited to show their talent and contribute to the safety of their community by raising awareness on DRR.

This is a video by one of the Contest winners - Nozanin Abdulloeva from Tajikistan.

The Prevention Poem


The Prevention Saves Lives campaign seeks to engage all partners, including youth and youth advocates. The voice of youth on climate change is loud and clear, and part of the solution to prevent the impacts of disasters.
 


 

Young people have no power to prevent climate change
So you'll never hear me say that
I have a voice worth sharing
I know deep down that
We can only now wait for the inevitable
And
We must simply adjust to disasters like
floods, heatwaves and fires.
I refuse to believe that
Preventing these disasters is still possible
I'm disappointed and helpless
No longer can I say that
I am part of the solution to prevent climate change.
 
NOW READ IT BACKWARDS

#PreventionSavesLives

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