Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
Target E of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which called for all countries to develop and implement national and local disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies by 2020, represented a critical milestone. It however was not an end in itself and, rather, marked the beginning of a continuous process aimed at strengthening disaster risk governance and building adaptive resilience over time.
While many countries achieved Target E by adopting national DRR strategies by 2020 and have since pursued effective implementation with concrete impacts and deliveries on the ground, the evolving and increasingly complex, interconnected, and systemic nature of risks —driven by climate change, biological hazards, water-related threats, and displacement— demands that these strategies remain dynamic, forward-looking, anticipatory, and adaptive.
Recognizing this, many countries are now taking proactive steps to review and enhance their strategies. A growing and effective practice in this context is the use of peer review mechanisms, such as those facilitated by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). These participatory and collaborative approaches enable countries to assess the coherence and robustness of their strategies against the guiding principles of the Sendai Framework and the evolving global risk landscape. They also promote mutual learning, knowledge exchange, cross-country learning and capacity-strengthening across institutions and countries.
The sustained relevance and effectiveness of DRR strategies rely on a regular review, inclusive stakeholder engagement, and alignment with the rapidly evolving risk environment. These strategies must be undermined by a strong political commitment and leadership to prioritize DRR as part of national development planning, boost dedicated, predictable and sustainable budgetary allocations, and associated with robust capacity building efforts, monitoring, evaluation and learning mechanisms to keep DRR efforts adaptative and effective.
By promoting coherence across sectors and engaging a broad range of actors, national DRR strategies are becoming more holistic, inclusive, and future-oriented. This evolution underscores a fundamental understanding that resilience can only be built through collaboration, shared responsibility, and integrated governance at all levels.
The global community, along with national governments, are pursuing efforts towards achieving the targets of the Sendai Framework through to 2030. Achieving these goals will require accelerated efforts to overcome remaining challenges and ensure that national and local DRR strategies are effectively implemented, ultimately contributing to enhanced resilience across all regions and communities.