Floods, drought, heat waves and other extreme weather events pose potential losses to persons and communities: losses in life and health, economic damages, displacement, and reduced access to basic needs and services, such as water, food, energy, and education.
Disaster risk reduction (DRR) entails systematic efforts to reduce those factors in our societies that amplify the impacts of natural hazards. It includes such actions as building more resilient infrastructures, investing in disaster preparedness and in early warning systems, developing new tools such as micro insurances and nature-based solutions, among many others.
Disaster risk reduction, with its aim to strengthen the resilience of communities to all hazards, is an essential piece of the sustainable development agenda. Out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, 10 are strictly tied to the struggle for reducing disaster risk and building resilience.
By choosing the theme of the 2017 Contest, the Best Climate Practices observatory focuses the attention on core aspects of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – contributing, among others, to Goal 1 (End poverty in all its forms everywhere), Goal 2 (End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture), Goal 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages), Goal 11 (Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable), and Goal 13 (Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts).
Although disaster risk reduction efforts are underway, climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Low-income countries and small islands are the most endangered by climate change impacts, but local communities in both cities and rural areas are exposed to disaster risk in the most developed countries as well.
Strategies and actions to cope with climate-related disasters and bounce back quickly are urgently needed. Yet, despite broad recognition that investing in resilience can save lives and money, studies have revealed that only 40 cents of every 100 US dollars spent on international aid is invested in preparedness and measures to reduce disaster risk.
How to join the contest
Proposals of existing projects or brand new ideas can be submitted on the Best Climate Practices website from March 13th to May 31st, 2017.
