A catalyst for change: how the Hyogo Framework for Action has promoted disaster risk reduction in South East Europe

This report celebrates some of the many achievements made in the South East Europe (SEE) region in the context of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters (HFA), and suggests areas for further development and improvement. It is set in the context of the South Eastern Europe Disaster Risk Mitigation and Adaptation Programme (SEEDRMAP) and aims to present some evidence-based elements of success and key regional achievements in addressing the HFA, as well as highlighting areas for further work at regional and national level. The results of this review will also contribute to the celebrations due to take place on the occasion of the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in 2015.

The report identifies the following areas where continued work on a regional basis will promote further comprehensive resilience building: (i) expanding networks and collaboration among key national stakeholders; (ii) mainstreaming climate change adaptation and pursuing reinforced synergies between climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction; (iii) empowering local risk governance and improving coordination between national and local levels; (iv) improving countrywide risk assessment to support risk mitigation measures; (v) enhancing the timely flow of information between researchers and disaster risk management practitioners and policy- makers to support disaster risk reduction actions and evidence-based decision-making; and (vi) raising public awareness and understanding of risk reduction to affect a further shift from response to mitigation.