10 May 2010: The UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) Secretariat has released the Second External Evaluation of the UN/ISDR, initiated by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and major UN/ISDR donors, as well a Management Response to the evaluation.
The evaluation concludes that DRR and the Hyogo Framework of Action are recognized as core features of policies and programmes for climate change, and that UN/ISDR has strongly contributed to mainstreaming DRR into the climate change debate. It states, however, that UN/ISDR has yet to establish its specific comparative advantages within climate change adaptation and better communicate its contributions. The evaluation also finds that UN/ISDR has not clarified to partners what it can offer to them in the area of climate change.
In its Management Response, the UN/ISDR highlights efforts to address the concerns of the evaluation. Responses include mobilizing expertise, including the team of Sir Nicholas Stern at the London School of Economics to review the Study on the Economics of Disaster Reduction, to ensure that it provides effective economic rationale for promoting DRR as a means of climate change adaptation. In addition, it notes a continuing focus on mainstreaming DRR into climate change is reflected by the first strategic objective of the Biennial Work Plan 2010/11, which recognizes the comparative advantages of the UN/ISDR in the field of provision of DRR expertise for climate change adaptation. [Second External Evaluation] [Management Response]