18 November 2014: The Second Preparatory Committee (PrepCom 2) for the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) met to continue negotiations on the revision of the ‘Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015) – Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters’ (HFA). Negotiators ended the session by agreeing to hold open-ended negotiations on the first draft, based on proposals put forward during the two-day meeting and anticipated amendments to be submitted by 20 November 2014.

The negotiations, held from 17-18 November 2014, in Geneva, Switzerland, were attended by approximately 150 UN Member States, who aimed at finalizing the text of the post-2015 framework for DRR. In opening statement delivered by Michael Möller, Acting Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG), UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Ban Ki-moon warned that “natural hazards and climate risk can take a potentially enormous toll on our societies if countries do not agree on wise, action-oriented measures to save lives, preserve livelihoods and reduce economic losses.”

The meeting was chaired by Päivi Kairamo (Finland) and Thanio Thongphakdi (Thailand). An informal Working Group on Targets and Indicators for the post-2015 framework for DRR, formed at the request of the Co-Chairs, presented seven targets under consideration by the Working Group. As two of the targets were not included in the zero draft of the text, these were the primary subject of debate by the plenary.

To supplement their negotiations, delegates heard presentations from several disaster risk experts, who detailed the economic benefits of: incorporating risk into financial accounting, including marginalized countries in a financial system where they can access insurance; and constructing buildings to a standard that will withstand disasters.

During the meeting, an agreement was signed between the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the Nippon Foundation to ensure the Third WCDRR is disability-inclusive. Accommodations for language, venue, transport and lodging will be made to ensure all people have equal access to the proceedings.

Additional meetings are planned before the second draft of the text is released in January 2015. The text is expected to be adopted at the World Conference, scheduled to take place from 14-18 March 2015, in Sendai, Japan. PrepCom 3 will meet on 13 March 2015. Negotiations on the revised text, which draws on ten years of experience in trying to reduce disaster losses, have been underway for two years. [UNISDR Press Release on Seven Targets, 18 November 2014] [UNISDR Press Release on Disability-Inclusive, 18 November 2014] [UNISDR Press Release on Financial Accounting, 18 November 2014] [UNOG Press Release] [UNISDR Press Release on PrepCom 2 Opening, 17 November 2014] [UNISDR Press Release on UNSG, 17 November 2014] [PrepCom 2 Website]