“Disaster risk is rising in an alarming way, threatening development gains, economic stability and global security while creating disproportionate impacts on developing countries and poor rural and urban areas,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon while launching the United Nations first ‘Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction’ on Sunday 17th May.

“While we cannot prevent natural phenomena such as earthquakes and cyclones, we can limit their consequences. Pre-emptive risk reduction is the key. Sound response mechanisms after the event, however effective, are never enough,” he continued.

The Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction reveals ‘previously unidentified trends’ which will ‘help refocus risk reduction priorities worldwide and push climate change adaptation even further up the international agenda’.

The report’s foundation is a huge disaster database drawing from a cross-section of UN, governmental, scientific and academic sources.

The full report and related documentation can be accessed from www.preventionweb.net/gar09

•Date: 19th May 2009• Region: World •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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