Regional Report: Midterm Review of the Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 for Europe and Central Asia

This Midterm Review (MTR) Regional Synthesis Report takes advantage of the evaluative moment provided by the MTR to offer an overview of trends and activities in risk management at the national level in the Europe and Central Asia region. It draws extensive primary material from national voluntary reports (NVRs) undertaken by member states as part of the MTR process in the region, as well as supplementary information from interviews with regional stakeholders and contributions to other regional reports. The report offers a qualitative analysis of achievements and obstacles in risk management to 2022, as well as an assessment of future priorities, based closely in the evidence base of the NVRs produced in the region.

The Europe and Central Asia region is affected by natural hazards including floods, earthquakes, droughts, landslides, and wildfires, as well as a range of natech and biological hazards. It has also been faced with the generational challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic: approximately 25 billion life years were lost in Europe from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 alone. Simultaneously, countries in North and Central Asia are losing 4% of their GDP in average annual losses to disaster, with agricultural drought one of the key driving force. Looking to the future, INFORM Climate Change analysis projects that all areas in Europe and Central Asia, and in particular Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Southern Europe, will experience an increase in crisis and disaster risks by 2050. The necessity of implementing the provisions of the Sendai Framework is therefore experienced urgently in Europe and Central Asia.