Urban Law and Sustainable Cities: Disaster Risk Reduction

This article is a part of the Sustainable Cities series under the SDG – 11 of the United Nations, targeting “Sustainable cities and human settlements" in light of the continuous process of urbanization. This article continues the study of climate change, and focuses on the empowerment of crisis-prone regions’ capacity to deal with the increasing risk of natural hazards. 

Climate Change and Extreme Weather Conditions

Climate change is widely acknowledged as the major factor responsible for the disruption of weather patterns. As the Earth’s temperature continues to rise, it leads to changes in atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns, whereby it increases the frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, heatwaves, droughts, and floods. These events, in turn, can have significant consequences such as deaths and injuries, as well as the spread of debilitating and fatal communicable diseases.

The Asia-Pacific region is often regarded as the most disaster-prone area of the world. Between 2000 and 2019, 1.7 billion people have been exposed to hydro-meteorological hazards – recording the highest number of disaster events worldwide during this period. Outside the Asia-Pacific region, in the recent analysis by World Weather Attribution, researchers also determined that the record-breaking UK heatwave of 18-19 July 2022 was made ‘at least 10 times more likely’ by human-caused climate change. While some extreme weather events may have resulted in mere discomfort and inconvenience, others pose a significant threat to the population’s safety, warranting greater attention from international organisations. 

Implementation of Projects

Established in 1999 and based in Geneva, Switzerland, the United Nations for Disaster Risk Reduction (“UNDRR”) is a specialized agency of the UN that focuses on reducing the risk of disasters and building resilience to their impacts. The UN has long acknowledged that disaster risk reduction is an integral part of social and economic development, as evidenced by the formulation of key global agreements such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which works hand in hand with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

To put disaster risk reduction into practice, the UN has also co-created the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (“MCR2030”) initiative with UN-HABITAT, which seeks to assist particularly vulnerable cities and local governments in building resilience to disasters and other hazards by the year 2030. By promoting inclusivity, safety, resilience, and sustainability, MCR2030 aims to facilitate the implementation of SDG – 11, with the ultimate objective of putting disaster risk reduction into action. 

Promoting Human Settlements Planning and Management in Disaster-prone areas

On the occasion of World Water Day 2020 , the theme was ‘Water and Climate Change’, with a focus on the impacts of climate change on freshwater resources, which are becoming more frequent and severe due to droughts and floods. Besides promoting sustainable, affordable, and scalable water solutions, the UN has also put disaster risk reduction into action by working with many countries and cities. For instance, in the Comprehensive Disaster Management Program (“CDMP”) Phase II, the UN worked with the Government of Bangladesh in reducing the impact of cyclones and floods by enhancing early warning response through the Cyclone Preparedness Program (“CPP”). UN-HABITAT also launched the City Resilience Profiling Program (“CRPP”) in less developed countries (“LDCs”) such as Uganda, Ecuador and Sri Lanka, where efforts have been made to upgrade drainage systems, improve water management practices, and reinforce building codes and standards.

In addition, low-lying island nations such as Tuvalu and the Maldives are particularly susceptible to the negative effects of extreme weather conditions, which could result in coastal erosion and flooding, leading to damage of the islands’ infrastructure and communities. To assist them in adapting to the effects of climate change, the UN has supported various initiatives. Among these initiatives are the establishment of the Green Climate Fund, which provides de-risking investment to mobilize finance in LDCs, and the observation of the Climate Vulnerable Forum’s (“CVF”) efforts in advocating the needs and concerns of vulnerable countries to ensure that they have access to funding for climate change adaptation and mitigation measures.

From promoting disaster risk reduction to supporting vulnerable countries and communities financially, the UN has always been at the forefront of efforts to tackle extreme weather conditions caused by climate change. While much work remains to be done, international organisations’ efforts serve as an important reminder of the urgent need for global action to protect our planet and its people from the devastating impacts of climate change. 

By Emma Lau