The future we want
This document is the outcome document of the Rio+20 conference, adopted by the Heads of State and Government and high-level representatives from more than 190 countries on June 22, 2012.
The following parts from the Thematic areas and cross-sectoral issues section address disaster risk reduction:
As part of Food security and nutrition and sustainable agriculture concerns, §111 reaffirms the necessity to promote, enhance and support more sustainable agriculture, that improves food security, eradicates hunger and is economically viable, while conserving land, water, plant and animal genetic resources, biodiversity and ecosystems and enhancing resilience to climate change and natural disasters.
In Sustainable cities and human settlements, §135 underlines the importance of considering disaster risk reduction, resilience and climate risks in urban planning.
Within the Oceans and seas part, §165 calls on the international community to enhance its efforts to address the challenges posed by sea-level rise and coastal erosion, which represent are serious threats for many coastal regions and islands, particularly in developing countries.
The §178 recognizes the exposure of Small Island Developing States to global environmental challenges and external economic shocks, including to a large range of impacts from climate change and potentially more frequent and intense natural disasters. It remains concerned about the significant risk sea-level rise and other adverse impacts of climate change continue to pose to them and to their efforts to achieve sustainable development, and for many represent the gravest of threats to their survival and viability, including for some through the loss of territory.
In the Disaster risk reduction part:
(i) §186 reaffirms the commitment to the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (HFA) and calls for States, the United Nations system, the international financial institutions, subregional, regional and international organizations and civil society to accelerate implementation of the Framework and the achievement of its goals;
(ii) §187 recognizes the importance of early warning systems and encourages States to integrate such systems into their national disaster risk reduction strategies, plans and budgets; it also encourages donors and the international community to enhance international cooperation in support of disaster risk reduction in developing countries through technology transfer, capacity building, risk assessment, information sharing, including geospatial information;
(iii) §188 calls for more coordinated and comprehensive strategies integrating disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation considerations, including the integration of a gender perspective into the design and implementation of all phases of disaster risk management; and
(iv) §189 calls for all relevant stakeholders, including Governments, international, regional and subregional organizations, the private sector and civil society to take appropriate and effective measures to reduce exposure to risk for the protection of people, and infrastructure and other national assets, from the impact of disasters in line with the HFA.
The §191 of the Climate change part recognizes the importance of mobilizing funding from a variety of sources, including public and private, to support nationally appropriate mitigation actions, adaptation measures, technology development and transfer and capacity-building in developing countries and welcomes the launching of the Green Climate Fund.
About Desertification, land degradation and drought, §207 notes the importance of mitigating the effects of desertification, land degradation and drought, including by preserving and developing oases, restoring degraded lands, improving soil quality and improving water management, in order to contribute to sustainable development and poverty eradication. §209 reiterates the need for cooperation through the sharing of climate and weather information and forecasting and early warning systems related to desertification, land degradation and drought, as well as to dust storms and sandstorms, at the global, regional and subregional levels.
The Mountains part, in §210, recognizes the vulnerability of fragile mountain ecosystems to the adverse impacts of climate change, deforestation and forest degradation, land use change, land degradation and natural disasters; and mountain glaciers around the world are retreating and getting thinner, with increasing impacts on the environment and human well-being.
As part of the Means of implementation section, §208 of the Capacity-building part invites all relevant agencies of the United Nations system and other relevant international organizations to support developing countries in enhancing knowledge and capacity to integrate disaster risk reduction and resilience into development plans.
Explore further
