2nd World Conference on Disaster Reduction
Kobe, Japan
18-22 January 2005

On 18-22 January 2005, Canada participated in the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR) in Kobe, Japan, which brought together Member States, United Nations entities, non-governmental organizations, academics and other actors involved in disaster reduction. The Conference was hosted by the Government of Japan in partnership with the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR). The event coincided with the tenth anniversary of the Kobe earthquake, which resulted in the death of 6,400 people and the injury of more than 40,000.

• Canada Applauds Outcome of World Conference on Disaster Reduction
• Canada's Statement at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction
• Fact Sheet: Canada and the World Conference on Disaster Reduction
• Canada's National Report for the ISDR
• Canada's National Report for the ISDR (Addendum)

Impact of disasters

In 1989, 155 UN Member States co-sponsored a UN Resolution declaring 1991-2001 as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR). IDNDR helped to raise awareness about risk reduction needs, but despite efforts at the local, national and international levels, human and economic losses resulting from natural disasters continue to increase. In 2003, reinsurance companies reported that the approximately 700 disasters for the year left over 50,000 people dead and economic losses amounting to US $ 60 billion. The recent devastating impact of the earthquake and tsunami in South and Southeast Asia, where some 153,000 people have died, hundreds of thousands are displaced and billions of dollars of economic losses sustained, only reinforces the destruction and loss of life that natural disasters can cause. While all countries are affected by disasters, losses often can reverse years of hard-won and desperately needed economic and social development in developing countries.

Origins of the Conference

The Kobe Conference constitutes a follow-up to the 1994 UN World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction and the resulting Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action, which served as the international blueprint for disaster reduction during the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. Kobe also builds on and provides further impetus for the implementation of the disaster-related elements of recent international conferences, including the Johannesburg Plan of Action adopted at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. An assessment of the implementation of the Yokohama Strategy was completed recently. For more information, please consult the evaluation.

Goals of the Conference

The WCDR is an important opportunity to increase the profile of disaster risk reduction, to promote strategic and systematic approaches to address vulnerabilities, as well as to reduce risk to natural hazards. The Conference will emphasize development planning and practice by facilitating the development of networks and the sharing of best practices among actors working on disaster reduction.

The Kobe Conference has four main objectives: to increase awareness about and implementation of disaster reduction policies at the local, national, regional and international levels; to identify gaps related to vulnerability, risk assessment and disaster management; to agree on goals and policy actions, including with respect to resources, to aid with the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, the relevant objectives of the Johannesburg Plan of Action and the Millennium Development Goals; and to share best practices and lessons learned to further disaster reduction efforts within the context of sustainable development.

There will also be a thematic session entitled "The promotion of tsunami disaster mitigation in the Indian Ocean", in addition to a special plenary session devoted to discussing the establishment of a tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean region.

Outcomes of the Conference

A Declaration and Framework of Action will be negotiated and adopted at the Conference. The outline of these documents will mirror the five thematic challenges identified by participants

1. Governance;
2. Risk identification, assessment, monitoring and early warning;
3. Knowledge management and education;
4. Reducing underlying risk factors; and
5. Preparedness for effective response and recovery

Canadian objectives for Kobe

Canada has been an active participant throughout the preparatory process leading up to the Conference. Six federal departments have collaborated in the development of a coherent and action-oriented approach reflecting Canadian domestic and international expertise and interests.

Canadian participation in Kobe will demonstrate Canada's strong commitment to disaster reduction. Our goal is to develop an international framework for action that will contribute to reducing the vulnerability of countries to the impact of natural disasters around the world. The Conference and its follow-up process are also a key opportunity to strengthen Canada's relationship with international organizations and other countries in the field of disaster reduction. In addition, the Conference provides a platform to inform on-going domestic efforts to develop and implement a Canadian National Disaster Mitigation Strategy.

For more information on Canada's disaster reduction efforts at the domestic level, please visit www.psepc-sppcc.gc.ca.

For more information on Canada's work on international development and humanitarian assistance, please visit the Canadian International Development Agency.

The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

The International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction forged vital links among the political, scientific and technological communities involved in disaster reduction. To build on this success, the United Nations created the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction as a body of coordinated action programmes to carry on its disaster reduction work.

The ISDR takes a global approach to disaster reduction by seeking to involve all individuals and communities to work toward the goal of reducing the loss of lives, the socio-economic setbacks and the environmental damages caused by natural hazards, all of which impact negatively on sustainable development. In order to achieve these goals, the ISDR promotes four objectives as tools for reaching disaster reduction:

1. Increase public awareness to understand risk, vulnerability and disaster reduction globally;
2. Obtain commitment from public authorities to implement disaster reduction policies and actions;
3. Stimulate interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral partnerships, including the expansion of risk reduction networks; and
4. Improve scientific knowledge about disaster reduction.

For more information on the ISDR, please visit www.unisdr.org.