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Local Authorities
Inputs to the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction
I. Local Authorities and the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction
1. Consultations with local authorities started in early 2012 and included online and local,
national, regional and global events, including eight Regional Platforms1 and the 4th Global
Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction2. The Regional Platforms are multi-stakeholder forums
that reflect the commitment of governments to improve coordination and implementation of
disaster risk reduction activities while linking to international and national efforts. The Global
Platform for Disaster Reduction that was established in 2007 as a biennial forum, is now the
world's foremost gathering of stakeholders committed to reducing disaster risk and building
the resilience of communities and nations.
2. As of March 2014, there have been 63 dedicated or inclusive local and urban issues related
consultations3 where the views of local and national authorities on the post-2015 framework
for disaster risk reduction have been sought.
3. These consultations were supplemented by the results of the local government selfassessment reports (LGSAT) from 450 cities and municipalities from 38 countries, which
represent almost 30% of the cities that participate in the Making Cities Resilient Campaign 4.
The Making Cities Resilient: 'My City is getting ready!' campaign, launched in May 2010,
addresses issues of local governance and urban resilience. 1760 (April, 2014) cities from 96
countries currently participate in the campaign committing to implement the Ten Essentials5
for local resilience. By participating in the campaign, cities get access to tools such as
LGSAT, City Disaster Resilience Scorecard to identify existing resilience strengths and
technical support to reduce risks and protect investments.
Context
4. The IPCC in 2012 6 noted that in the next few decades, a major driver of the growing
economic damages and losses from disasters will be the increasing concentration of people
and assets in hazardous locations, especially in urban areas. IPCC WGII AR5 2014 7 based on
analyses of disaster impacts reiterated that a high proportion of the world’s population most
affected by extreme weather events is concentrated in urban centres. These urban centres lack
both local governments with the capacity to reduce disaster risk, and much of the necessary
infrastructure.
5. The 2011 World Urbanization Prospects8 highlighted that approximately 890 million people
were living in areas of high risk of exposure with most of them from cities in Latin America,
in Northern America and especially in Asia.
1
http://www.unisdr.org/we/coordinate/regional-platforms
http://www.preventionweb.net/globalplatform/2013/home
3
Includes 15 dedicated consultation of local governments, 1 online survey, 1 consultation, 30 consultations of National governments
which included specific feedback on local and urban issues, 4 stakeholder consultations, 3 thematic events, 5 regional declarations,
community surveys, local workshops and three global events. Also includes, communications of regional organizations such as EU,
ADB, SAARC etc.
4
http://www.unisdr.org/campaign/
5
http://www.unisdr.org/campaign/resilientcities/toolkit/essentials
6 http://ipcc-wg2.gov/SREX/
7
http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg2/
8
http://esa.un.org/unup/
2
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6. The Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR 2009)9 notes that poor
urban governance drives urban risks. Cities’, commercial, industrial and residential locations
prove to be livelihood centers for the urban poor, who left with no choice but to settle on
dangerous locations subject to natural or man-made hazards. In addition, GAR 2013
reiterated that the estimated exposure of economic assets in thirteen of the most populated
cities in the world is expected to increase between 2005 and 2070 from USD 416 billion to
USD 3,513 billion in Miami, USD 8 billion to USD 544 billion in Dhaka and USD 84 billion
to USD 3,557 billion in Guangzhou.
7. Although local governments are at the forefront of reducing risk and managing disasters,
HFA progress at the local levels has been lagging behind. Major barriers included insufficient
devolution of authorities and resources to local levels and insufficient capacity of local
institutions. It is therefore clear that promoting action to reduce risks by local governments
would be critical in order to reduce the increasing risks from disasters worldwide.
Considering inputs from local authorities
8.
The post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction will be adopted at the 3rd UN World
Conference on DRR (WCDRR), which will be held in Sendai Japan in March 2015. The
WCDRR is an inter-governmental process with local authorities forming part of the nine
major groups that will be part of the official process. Local authorities can submit inputs to
the first Preparatory Committee meeting in July 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland. In addition
local authorities are part of and can submit inputs through the six Regional Platforms for
Disaster Risk Reduction that take place from May to June 2014.
II. Key Issues raised by local authorities
The consultations raised the following issues relevant for local authorities for the post-2015
framework for disaster risk reduction.
9.
Consider urban risk as a major threat to global and national development. In regions like
Asia or Africa, urban risks are already or will pose the greatest challenges to countries
development. Urban risk reduction and building local resilience would be a priority of the
post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction. There is an urgent need to asses urban risks
and develop appropriate programs to reduce these risks, including the development, analysis,
and sharing of hazard, vulnerability, exposure and disaster risk information, and enforcing
the consideration of disaster and climate risk management in local development planning and
implementation.
10. Reinforce the role of urban and local authorities and strengthen their capacities
(technical, financial, etc.) as essential implementer of the post-2015 framework for
DRR. Raising awareness, knowledge and capacity of local government officials or locally
elected representatives is a must for ensuring that risk sensitive development strategies are
supported with adequate legislation and enforcement. City officials need to be equipped with
better understanding of risks, vulnerabilities and strengths to promote inclusive and
accountable planning and implementation with proactive engagement of community groups
(women, youth, people with disability) and community-based social networks including
9 http://www.preventionweb.net/english/hyogo/gar/2009/
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volunteer networks. Local authorities must have access to capacity building, funding and
other resources (technology, knowledge) for implementation.
11. Strengthen local institutions to reduce risks and ensure the development of countries in
the future. This includes the need to clarify roles and responsibilities of institutions,
promoting implementation of disaster risk management measures and strengthening the
capacity at local level through the application of horizontal and vertical approach in
developing sectorial policies. Disaster Risk Management bills should clarify the role of local
authorities and institutional mechanisms which allow structured dialogue between national
institutions and city managers /local authorities and enhanced vertical and horizontal
coordination. Short and long term actions should be undertaken to address the common
quick turnover of elected local officials. There is also a need for policies and regulation to
reinforce the integration of DRR into urban planning, spatial and land-use planning, building
codes and regulations, environmental management and local development.
12. Bolster local government – private sector partnership for urban disaster resilience in
the context of sustainable urbanisation. Considering that private sector account for a huge
proportion of investments in cities and at local level, their involvement in capacity
development and technical support will help authorities in filling the gap. Local authorities
and the private sector should play a key role in advancing action and accountability. It will
further encourage both public and private investments becoming more resilient while
preventing risk creation.
13. Avoid policies that further induce risks - National strategies, policies and their
implementation should be designed based on the local needs, capacity and risk
scenarios. There is a need for local risk information, needs and reality to be included in
national policy decisions otherwise the implementation of these at local level “will further
induce risks”. There is also a need for the inclusion of local governments in national
decision-making process and greater use of available local technical, human, and financial
resource. The reluctance of national entities to share capabilities with and strengthen the
capacities of local authorities needs to overcome. Finally, there is a need to ensure that
national authorities, while maintaining local autonomy, need to communicate and frequently
engage with city and local officials to inform them about the national and global
commitments.
14. Establish stronger linkages with the sustainable development agenda and climate
change framework. An integrated approach between urban risk reduction, sustainable
development and climate change adaptation need to be promoted, not only because the
threats are common, but also because the options for solutions are similar at the local level.
This will also address to a larger extent the lack of financial resources to address the need in
each sphere.
III. Targets towards the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction
The consultations also raised a number of possible targets that can be in the post-2015 framework
for disaster risk reduction. Samples of such targets are listed below:
15. Ensure the production of local disaster risk information and its dissemination to all
stakeholders. This target will focus the development and dissemination of risk information
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to the local level. It may be possible to set a percentage target over a specific time frame for
this to be accomplished.
16. National Platforms and mechanisms with similar functions for disaster risk reduction
to include local authorities or representatives. This target will include local authorities as
a key member of the National Platforms or relevant multi-stakeholder coordination
mechanisms. The target is comprehensive and immediate.
17. At-least 50% of cities from every country prioritize urban risk reduction and join the
Making Cities Resilient Campaign. This target will ensure commitments of local
governments and support from National governments to address urban risk reduction, which
in turn will generate support to the cities and local authorities. This target is immediate and
measurable. 10
18. Number of cities and local governments set targets and implement school safety. This
target will set a percentage of local schools, whose safety will be enhanced along the three
pillars of schools safety- namely infrastructure, preparedness, and integration of disaster risk
reduction into the curricula. It may be possible to set a percentage target over a specific time
frame for this to be accomplished.
19. All urban development and land use plans should address disaster risk reduction and
climate change adaptation. This target will set a percentage of all local development plans
in disaster prone countries to be risk sensitive. It may be possible to set a percentage target
over a specific time frame for this to be accomplished.
20. Strengthen compliance mechanisms at local level for incorporating risk into local
planning process. This target will reinforce a system in which the authorities maintain order
and compliance to facilitate the development of risk sensitive local plans. The target is
immediate.
IV. Commitments of local authorities towards the post-2015 framework for disaster risk
reduction
The consultations also captured a number of voluntary commitments by local authorities on the
ongoing implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action, and towards the post-2015
framework for disaster risk reduction. These include:
21. Identify disaster risks in all communities, develop risk reduction action plans that are
regularly monitored and shared with national governments.
22. Take a leadership role in making disaster and climate resilience a bold agenda in local
development, through developing appropriate local policies and institutions, reinforcing
disaster risk consideration in strategic, spatial, territorial and urban planning, and investing
in concrete risk reduction measures in on-going as well as new socio-economic development
programs including critical infrastructure projects.
23. Invest in building capacity of local administration at all levels and empower them to collect
data on disaster losses, assess disaster risk, plan, access funding and apply available tools to
improve disaster risk management.
10
Target proposed at 7th World Urban Forum and the 4th Session of Americas Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction
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24. Allocate budget in city/local government plans to incorporate initiatives related to resilience
and DRR, making it a priority within municipal/local investments.
25. Promote Community-based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) particularly in urban
areas and sharing of good practices to scale-up DRR activities.
26. Promote close collaboration and peer learning between local authorities, communities,
schools and especially among people to enhance people’s capacity to cope with disaster
during normal times, including integrating DRR into school curricula
27. Create mechanisms for participation of all segments of the society in risk reduction and
resilience building: recognize the vulnerabilities but more importantly the role and capacity
of women, young people, children, the elderly, migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and
people with disability to enable their valuable contribution; ensuring gender equality,
strengthen the involvement of academia, civil society organizations, private sector, and other
actors to advance the knowledge of risk and accelerate risk reduction actions.
28. Convince the local Disaster Risk Management Council or Board to invest in disaster
mitigation infrastructures that mobilizes the knowledge, expertise and resources of
communities, including of the vulnerable groups.
29. Actively participate in the Making Cities Resilient Campaign including utilizing the
Local HFA-Local Government Self-Assessment Tool (LGSAT) and Handbook for Local
Government Leaders to support the work of local governments.
30. Create an alliance of local governments to promote a “Collaborative Concrete Course of
Action” for disaster and climate resilience that emphasizes concrete actions by Mayors and
Local Government Leaders, the sharing of knowledge and experience and enhancing
collaboration between cities and local governments.
31. Build on existing networks and opportunities at international, regional and national level
that promote risk reduction related actions to capitalize on existing opportunities and
knowledge sharing platforms.
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