The 2014 UN Climate Change Conference and what it means for disaster risk reduction
By Reid Basher

A new level of cooperation and commitment on climate change is emerging ahead of the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, to be held this year in Lima, Peru, over 1-12 December.

Substantive progress is expected toward a new agreement hopefully to be settled at next year’s conference in Paris. This is good news for disaster risk reduction. Governments are clear that climate change and disasters must be dealt with as separate issues, under different international policy instruments, but this does not prevent synergies between the two. The Climate Change Convention’s focus on climate risk management is closely aligned to disaster risk reduction concepts and practice and it also contributes to sustainable development goals. UNISDR argues for coherence and mutual reinforcement among these three policy areas. Disaster risk advocates can help by informing national delegations on risk reduction approaches and how these can serve the needs of the Convention.

Reid Basher is a global expert in science and policy of disaster risk reduction and climate variability and change

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