New Sendai Framework Strengthens Focus on Reducing Disaster Risk

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 aims to protect lives, health, livelihoods, ecosystems, cultural heritage, and critical infrastructure from natural and human-caused hazards over the next 15 years. It seeks to bring about ''the substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries'' (UNISDR 2015, p. 6). To achieve this major ambition, the UN General Assembly has endorsed the Sendai Framework and its set of seven clear targets and four priorities for action, which were adopted by the UN Member States at the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan, in March 2015.