DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND NATIONAL CLIMATE ACTION

In its “Analysis of disaster risk reduction-related requests to the NDC Partnership,” the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre (RCRCCC) found that many countries now cover disaster risk-reduction (DRR) in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This linkage highlights the importance of the collaboration with the Partnership, which provided guidance on climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies related to disaster risk-reduction and preparedness.

After the RCRCCC’s analysis of DRR-related requests submitted to the Partnership through the Climate Action Enhancement Package, the report focused on 19 countries with full Partnership Plans and 26 countries aiming to catalyze transformational change towards resilient, sustainable, and low-emission development. According to the RCRCCC, “NDCs are an important vehicle to communicate countries’ plans on adaptation and mitigation and to illustrate how links to DRR are articulated and implemented."  

The majority of the DRR-related requests reviewed for the report focused on adaptation rather than mitigation, or a combination of the two.  While requests included support for developing risk maps and building capacity in health and disaster management, the most commonly supported requests were those for conducting studies and analyses, and enacting and revising national strategies. Agencies that provided support for these requests included: the World Bank, the European Commission, the Global Environmental Facility, the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Habitat, the African Union, the African Development Bank, and the governments of Germany and The Netherlands.  
  
“This report is the first time DRR-related requests have been analyzed to provide insights into the many ways in which the Partnership supports adaptation requests,” the report says. “Recommendations focus on how the partnership can respond to them, given the growing number of countries including disaster risk reduction in their NDCs.”  

This blog has been edited from its original form. Please find the full blog post from the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre here. Read the full Insight Brief on Disaster Risk Reduction here.