International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction – more necessary than ever!

On October 13, we observe the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. This year’s theme emphasizes ensuring future generations’ resilience to upcoming disasters. The numbers show there is much at stake—according to the FAO, the number of natural disasters has increased fourfold over the past 50 years! So what is the world doing to protect itself from further catastrophes?

No country is safe today

The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) prepared a report on the social costs of natural disasters between 2000 and 2019. In the 7,348 recorded events, 1.23 million people lost their lives, and 4 billion were affected in some way—that’s every second person on Earth! The total financial cost of disasters in the first two decades of the 21st century is estimated at nearly $3 trillion.

The rise in the number of natural disasters is closely linked to climate change, which, according to UNDRR, has increased the frequency of droughts, heatwaves, floods, snowstorms, hurricanes, and wildfires. Just in the past ten days, our editorial team reported deadly floods in Nepal, drought in Arizona, and Hurricane Milton. Every year, there are more dramatic reports from various parts of the world—even in Poland, 2024 has already been marked by destructive spring frosts, agricultural drought, and a catastrophic September flood.

International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2024

This year’s observance of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction focuses on children. According to the UNDRR, since 2000, natural disasters have upended the lives of over one billion children worldwide. More than 80,000 schools have been destroyed during this time. Deaths, injuries, and damaged buildings are only part of the tragedy. Disasters also hinder children’s access to healthy food, medical care, and education. These deficits will have future repercussions for entire societies.

In its campaign, the UNDRR highlights the need to ensure a safe future for children. Schools should become not only a part of early disaster warning systems but also a place where future generations learn about disaster risk and ways to mitigate it. The focus must not only be on plans for today and tomorrow but also on fostering a “culture of disaster prevention,” as UNDRR representatives advocate.

How can disaster risk be reduced?

The fight to mitigate the effects of climate change is ongoing, but unfortunately, part of the battle is already lost. Even if greenhouse gas emissions were reduced according to the set goals, the weather anomalies we are experiencing will intensify in the coming years. Therefore, the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction focuses on mechanisms that can protect us from the costly impacts of droughts, floods, or wildfires.

The most important plan in this context is currently the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, adopted at the UN conference in Japan in 2015. Its main goals are to reduce the number of fatalities and minimize the impact of disasters on access to essential social services, including water and food supplies, energy provision, and healthcare. Its implementation requires extensive cooperation between national and regional administrations, as well as local organizations, scientific institutes, businesses, and society as a whole.

The priorities of the Sendai Framework include:

• Understanding disaster risk;
• Strengthening disaster risk governance at the national, regional, and global levels;
• Investing in infrastructure and systems that increase social, economic, health, and cultural resilience to disasters;
• Preparing effective disaster responses in the form of recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.

To turn words into action, on October 3 of this year, UNDRR published a guide on reducing natural disaster risks. It includes recommendations on how to use scientific advances and technology to build resilience, including practical examples, best practices, and inspiring concepts aimed at improving cooperation between the scientific, political, and social spheres. The document is available online for review and public comment until November 6. After the public consultation period, UNDRR will prepare a final version of the guide.