11 March 2010: The UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) has launched the 2010-2011 World Disaster Reduction Campaign “Making Cities Resilient,” which focuses on raising political commitment to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation among local governments and mayors.
The campaign will include high profile media and public awareness activities, and will develop specific technical tools that cater to capacity development opportunities. It will address issues of local governance and urban risk, as well as the sustainable urbanization principles developed in the UN-Habitat World Urban Campaign 2009-2013.
UNISDR underlines that urban risk reduction provides opportunities for capital investments through infrastructure upgrades and improvements, building retrofits for energy efficiency and safety, urban renovation and renewal, cleaner energies, and slum upgrading. Many of these risk reduction measures contribute to mitigating climate change. [Campaign Website]