In 2015 three UN Landmark Agreements were adopted: the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 – 2030 (UNDRR 2015a), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (UN 2015), and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (UNFCCC 2015). All three highlighted the importance to ‘monitor and review implementation’ calling for ‘a data revolution, rigorous accountability mechanisms and renewed global partnerships’ (UN, 2015).
The Sendai Framework broadened the scope of hazards to be considered to natural and man-made (now termed as human-induced) hazards and related biological, technological and environmental risks (Sendai para 15) and called for inclusion of an all hazard approach in Priority 1 – Understanding risk.
The need for greater consistency in hazard terminology was also highlighted by multiple international bodies and reports and whilst there are several hazard definition lists existing or in development in different sectors; there is currently no technical comprehensive overview of all hazards available which would provide a description of all hazards comprised under the Sendai Framework.
To address this gap the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the International Science Council (ISC) developed the UNDRR/ISC 2020 Sendai Hazard Definition and Classification Review Technical Report.
Unpacking the Report, the session will address challenges related to broad range and complex nature of hazards and related calls for a standardized fully-fledged characterization of hazards that serves as a basis for countries to assess and accordingly enhance their risk reduction policies and operational risk management practices. Aligned with the recommendations of the report it will explore opportunities to accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda through support for interactions-based research and policy prioritization and programming at all levels of governance.
Read more about the Sendai Hazard Definition and Classification Review
