MIL-OSI United Nations: Disaster risk reduction and resilience building: From commitment to action

Background 

Building resilience and disaster risk reduction (DRR) are key enablers to the achievement of sustainable development, particularly in Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs). These countries grapple with persistent developmental challenges, while possessing geographies that leave them disproportionately vulnerable to natural hazards. The impacts of climate change, including droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, floods, and melting glaciers, among others, negatively affect people’s livelihoods, access to water and sanitation, agricultural production, infrastructure systems, biodiversity and, ultimately achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

LLDCs are not only impacted by disasters within their own borders, but their supply chains and economies also suffer consequences from disasters in neighboring transit countries. Moreover, desertification and land degradation, dependency on natural resource-based commodities, border closures, rising food and energy costs, and debt burden, as well as socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, all have had a dramatic effect on the resilience of LLDCs. 

In light of these circumstances, the Programme of Action for LLDCs (2024-2034) highlights as its fourth Priority Area “Enhancing Adaptive Capacity, Strengthening Resilience and Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Change and Disasters”. This emphasis acknowledges the importance of building economies and societies in LLDCs that are resilient to current and emerging disasters, external shocks and the adverse impact of climate change and environmental degradation. To this end, the Programme of Action commits to targeted action on climate adaptation; disaster risk reduction; access to climate change finance; capacity building and technology transfer; resilient infrastructure development; loss and damage; and halting and reversing biodiversity loss. 

While LLDCs have been making efforts to implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, they continue facing numerous resource and capacity challenges that limit the fulfillment of their commitment to DRR. The new Programme of Action for LLDCs seeks to ensure that sufficient domestic, external, public and private resources are mobilized to meet the growing investment and spending needs of LLDCs, while emphasizing the need to build more resilient societies, including through capacity development, technology transfer and international cooperation. 

Moving forward, LLDCs need enhanced engagement and support from development partners – in the North and South – to complement national and regional efforts towards regionwide resilience. Additional support and improved access are critical to ensure adequate financing for resilient infrastructure projects, including building resilient trade and transport systems and improving capacity for risk management, including though regional integration. Greater efforts are also needed to mobilize stakeholders and to create proactive plans for identifying and addressing future risks. A focus on regional collaboration is not just a means to mitigate risk but an opportunity to improve cooperation and build long-term partnerships with transit countries.