Environment and sustainable development : International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction

ABSTRACT

In response to the request of the general assembly in its resolution 51/185 of 16 December 1996, the present report contains information on the final phase of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (1998-1999). The report provides an overview of the status of implementation of decade activities, an elaboration of the action plan for the period 1998-1999 as well as options for disaster reduction in the twenty-first century. The report addresses the issue of the preparatory phase for the final event of the decade and also attempts to provide a forward-looking overview or the status of the synergies with other major strategic concerns of the United Nations systems. A review of regional and global activities of the IDNDR ids provided in the report, as well as a summary of activities of organizations of the United Nations systems. Financial support from governments and relevants United Nations organizations for the IDNDR secretariat;s activities in the next two years was also identifiel as crucial to the success of the final phase of the Decade. The report concludes that Member status must agree on the form of the final event for the Decade and cities in this respect the proposal by the Scientific and Technical Committee of IDNDR to devote the high-level segment of the summer session of the Economic and Social Council in 1999 to the issue of disaster reduction and future institutional arrangements for the twenty-first century (AU)