On June 25, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched the most comprehensive comparative study of legislation for disaster risk reduction undertaken to date. The first launch events took place simultaneously at the United Nations Economic and Social Council in New York and the Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) in Bangkok, followed by a Washington launch hosted by the American Red Cross on June 26.
The study, entitled Effective law and regulation for disaster risk reduction, analyzed the laws of 31 countries in various parts of the world to explore which elements were most successful, where there are major gaps, and how implementation of key rules has fared in a number of contexts. The study was undertaken jointly by IFRC and the UNDP over a two year period, with the collaboration of dozens of legal experts, volunteers, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the governments of the countries involved.
“We found a lot of good news,” noted principal author Mary Picard, “the majority of our study countries have assigned at least a medium priority to risk reduction in their national disaster risk management acts and there is greater visibility of prevention as a principle than in the past. But there were also gaps – particularly in ensuring resources for implementation of key rules at the local level and the implementation of vague provisions on the participation of communities and civil society.”
“The dedicated national disaster management acts we find in many countries are positive developments – but they are only one entry point for strengthening disaster risk reduction,” noted Angelika Planitz, UNDP’s Disaster and Governance Advisor, at the release of the report in New York, where representatives of Mexico, Switzerland, IFRC, Oxfam and UNDP, also emphasized the necessity of strong legal frameworks in support of disaster risk management. “Sectoral laws and regulations, such as building codes, land use and development planning laws, as well as environmental management and climate change laws, are equally, if not more, important.”
“We have learned through the research into the Christchurch earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 that disaster risk reduction legislation is really important to saving lives,” noted AMCDRR panelist Elizabeth McNaughton, Principal Advisor to the Secretary General of the New Zealand Red Cross, “our legislation helped to reduce building failure and to keep our people safe.” “You need a law to make and implement a DRR plan,” agreed AMCDRR panelist Congressman Rufus Rodriguez of the Philippines, “a country without an effective DRR law will not be able to reduce the loss of lives and property from disasters.”
The synthesis report as well as the various case study and desk research from the study are all available online at www.drr-law.org. Additional launch/discussion events will be carried out in the coming months.