The world will experience 1.5 medium to large-scale disasters every day through the end of the decade, unless countries ramp up action on prevention and risk reduction, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said in Bali, Indonesia, on Wednesday.
Ms. Mohammed was speaking at the opening of the Seventh Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction – the first international forum on the issue since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic – bringing together governments, the UN and key stakeholders.
During the three-day meeting, participants will take stock of implementation of a 2015 agreement known as the Sendai Framework, which aims to protect development gains from the risk of disaster.
The UN deputy chief told participants that the world is looking to the forum for leadership, wisdom, and expertise.
“The decisions you take can play a significant part in preventing another calamity like the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. “We can – and we must – put our efforts firmly behind prevention and risk reduction, and build a safe, sustainable, resilient and equitable future for all.”
Disasters are already hampering global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).