21 January 2009: The UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) has released a revised 2009 Terminology Report, which aims to promote common understanding and common usage of disaster risk reduction concepts and to assist the disaster risk reduction efforts of authorities, practitioners and the public.

The 2009 version is the result of a process of ongoing review by UNISDR and consultations with a broad range of experts and practitioners in various international venues, regional discussions and national settings. The terms are now defined by a single sentence, followed by a longer explanation. Revised climate-related terms include adaptation, climate change, El Niño-Southern Oscillation phenomenon, mitigation and vulnerability. [UN Press Release]