Scaling up vulnerability reduction

The socio-economic gains from growth across the region have been dramatic, despite their having been uneven. Consequently, considerable progress has been achieved in implementing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA). Yet human casualties and economic losses from disasters have continued to increase, with negative effects on the growth potential of affected countries and the human development capacities of their populations. This suggests that people’s vulnerabilities to hazards continue to rise, and economic and social vulnerabilities are closely interlinked. There is now an urgency to manage disaster risks within an overarching sustainable development framework.

Related Subject(s): Environment and Climate Change