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Local leaders share Sendai recommendations

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World
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UNDRR
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LOCAL governments have shared a series of policy recommendations to support the scaling up of action to prevent and reduce disaster risk.

Municipal leaders came together at two major conferences in Asia Pacific to ensure that the voice and experience of local governments is captured to positively influence the Midterm Review of the Sendai Framework.

At the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Brisbane, Australia, the Local Authorities Stakeholders Group issued a ‘Statement of Actions’ that called for a ‘Think Resilience’ approach to all investments and development related decisions. The statement also emphasized the importance of creating ‘an enabling environment through national legislation and policies to accelerate the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic’.

It highlighted other opportunities to transform risk-resilient development, including greater inclusion of marginalized communities in local governance processes and increased access to and the capacity to manage financial resources for resilience.

Local government officials and technical experts also met at the 2022 International Disaster Resilience Leaders Forum, in Incheon, Republic of Korea, where they made a series of recommendations to the Midterm Review. The document called for scaled up partnership with the private sector and academia. It also highlighted the important role of international networks, such as the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative.

‘National, local, and international stakeholders engaging in disaster risk reduction should continue efforts to support further capacity development of local governments to prepare bankable projects,’ the report said. It also highlighted the increasing need ‘to access a variety of financial instruments, including thematic-labelled bonds and other funding mechanisms that support disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.’

MCR2030 is a United Nations-led global network that has mobilized 1,365 local governments, representing more than 386 million people, committed to strengthening their disaster and climate resilience. MCR2030 has also convened national governments, municipality associations, service providers, as well as 12 core partners that are a ‘who’s who’ of international organizations active on urban resilience.

The UN General Assembly has called for the Midterm Review, which marks the midpoint in the implementation of the Sendai Framework. The review is also an important milestone for other UN frameworks, including the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. The Midterm Review is working to take stock, identify emerging issues, uncover context shifts, and build coherence with other frameworks. It is aiming to better address the systemic nature of risk and thus support regenerative and sustainable development. The review will conclude in 2023 at a high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly.