Planning for Disasters, International

Planning for disasters has proven to save lives and strengthen response. Adequate planning enhances every phase and each activity within the risk (disaster or emergency) management cycle. Although a necessary first step at all levels and by all actors, multi-level planning alone is not sufficient. Plans need to be updated, tested, accompanied by appropriate financial and trained human resources, and systematically applied in order to have an impact on reduced risk and lives saved. At the international level, planning for disasters is a main feature of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) toward substantial reduction in losses worldwide.

The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR)'s Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) was signed in 2005 by 168 member countries, essentially making it a 10-year international blueprint, or plan, for disaster reduction by 2015. With the goal of “substantial reduction of disaster losses in lives and [Page 476]in the social, economic and environmental losses of communities and countries,” the HFA has five priorities for action. To measure international progress against the priorities, indicators have been developed and a Global Assessment Report, launched every two years at the Global Platform for Risk Reduction, is produced. Global Platforms were held in 2007 and 2009. The five priorities and their planning components are as follows:

HFA Priority 1: to ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national and local priority with a strong institutional basis. Planning is essential as strategies, legislation, and institutions need to be created or strengthened, and disaster risk reduction plans developed and tested at each level.

HFA Priority 2: to identify, assess, and monitor risks. This priority requires planning for knowledge and information management that builds baseline understanding of risk and helps to target prevention, mitigation, and preparedness interventions. Early warning is a key element of this priority, and contributes strongly to efficient disaster planning.

HFA Priority 3: build a culture of safety and resilience through knowledge management and innovation. Knowledge is used to stimulate ownership, participation, and creative agency in planning processes.

HFA Priority 4: to reduce underlying risk factors of nations and communities. Planning is mentioned as a critical centerpiece in four of the six monitoring indicators. Planning tasks include climate adaptation, ecosystem management, protection of critical facilities, partnerships, land use planning, and rural development.

HFA Priority 5: to strengthen preparedness for effective response. Planning is vital to preparedness, especially as it focuses on capacity building, pre-positioning supplies, coordination, and community participation.