March 15, 2015: The second world conference on disaster risk reduction convened in Sendai, Japan will re-invigorate the historic global endeavor started in 1990 by the United Nations. Presentation courtesy of Dr Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction

1. A TIME FOR RE-ENERGIZED DISASTER
RISK REDUCTION ACTIONS
2015-2020 AND BEYOND

2. March 15, 2015: the second world
conference on disaster risk
reduction convened in Sendai,
Japan will re-invigorate the historic
global endeavor started in 1990 by
the United Nations

3. FACT:THE WORLD CONFERENCE
WILL CALL FOR RENEWED ACTION
• Each country will
be asked to play
a major role in
the post-con-
ference call for a
“Global Tsunami
of Action”

4. FACT: THE GOAL IS CLEAR AND
STILL THE SAME:
REDUCTION OF GLOBAL
VULNERABILITIES AND
ACCELERATION OF DISASTER RISK
REDUCTION
THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF
“THE BEST POLICIES AND BEST
PRACTICES”

5. A DISASTER is still---
--- the set of failures that occur when
the continuums of: 1) people, 2)
community (i.e., a set of habitats,
livelihoods, and social constructs),
and 3) recurring events (e.g., floods,
earthquakes, ...,) intersect at a point in
space and time, when and where the
people and community are not ready.

6. FACT:NATURAL HAZARDS STILL
CAUSE MEGA-DISASTERS
• FLOODS
• SEVERE
WINDSTORMS
• EARTHQUAKES
• DROUGHTS
• VOLCANIC
ERUPTIONS
• ETC.

7. FACT:THE PEOPLE CONTINUUM IS
GROWING WITH TIME
• 7 + BILLION
distributed
throughout the
world; many in
vulnerable,
high-risk com-
munities

8. FACT:MANY COMMUNITIES ARE PARA-
LYZED BY FOUR WEAKNESSES
• IGNORANCE
• APATHY
• DISCIPLINARY
BOUNDARIES
• LACK OF POLITICAL WILL

9. INTERSECTION OF THESE
CONTINUUMS IS INEVITABLE
MOST FUTURE
INTERSECTIONS WILL CAUSE
A DISASTER, OR A MEGA-
DISASTER, UNLESS - - -

10. DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IS THE WAY FORWARD
200 NATIONS AND 7+
BILLION PEOPLE
NORTH
AMERICA
CARIBBEAN
BASIN
SUB-SAHARA
AFRICA
MEDITER-
RANEAN
ISLAND
NATIONS
ASIA
SOUTH
AMERICA
EUROPE

11. FACT: EVERY COMMUNITY CAN REDUCE
THE VULNERABILITIES TO - - -
• GOVERNMENT
CENTERS
• DWELLINGS
• SCHOOLS
• HEALTH CARE
FACILITIES
• BUSINESSES
• INFRA-STRUCTURE
• ETC

12. THE GOAL: ADOPT
BEST POLICIES AND BEST PRACTICES
INNOVATIVE ACTIONS: CREATE, ADJUST,
AND REALIGN PROGRAMS, PARTNERS AND
PEOPLE UNTIL YOU HAVE CREATED THE
PARADIGM SHIFTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO
MOVE TOWARDS DISASTER RISK
REDUCTION

13. YOUR
COMMUNITYDATA BASES
AND INFORMATION
HAZARDS:
GROUND SHAKING
GROUND FAILURE
SURFACE FAULTING
TECTONIC DEFORMATION
TSUNAMI RUN UP
AFTERSHOCKS
•FLOODS
•SEVERE WIND
STORMS
•EARTHQUAKES
…ETC
A DISASTER
CAUSES
FAILURES IN POLICIES
FAILURES IN PRACTICES
BEST POLICIES AND
PRACTICES
• ADOPTION
•IMPLEMENTATION
DISASTER RISK
REDUCTION

14. BEST POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
Anticipatory Preparedness
Adoption and Implementation of Modern
Engineering Building Codes & Standards
Timely Early Warning and Evacuation
Timely Emergency Response (including
Emergency Medical Services)
Cost-Effective Recovery/Reconstruction

15. LIKE A CHAIN: A COMMUNITY HAS
WEAK LINKS TO STRENGTHEN

18. BEST POLICIES AND BEST
PRACTICES
WILL IDENTIFY/CLOSE
KNOWLEDGE DIVIDES AND GAPS,
AND
IDENTIFY/FIX WEAK LINKS IN THE
PEOPLE/COMMUNITY
CONTINUUMS

19. BEST POLICIES AND BEST
PRACTICES WILL
CALL FOR STRATEGIC
PLANNING AND
INNOVATIVE USE OF
TECHNOLOGY

20. LIKE AN INFINITE SERIES: A CONTINUUM
OF INNOVATION NEVER ENDS