The 2011 Global Assessment Report (GAR) on Disaster Risk Reduction was prepared while
disasters have continued to wipe out the lives and livelihoods of millions. The impacts of the
catastrophic earthquake in Haiti in January 2010 and floods in Pakistan in July 2010 show how
disaster risk and poverty are closely interlinked. Meanwhile, in 2011, floods in Australia, the
earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, and the earthquake and tsunami disaster wreaking havoc in
north-eastern Japan as this report goes to press are a stark reminder that developed countries are also
very exposed. Less visible internationally, hundreds of smaller disasters associated with climate
variability have caused enormous damage in Benin, Brazil, Colombia, the Philippines and other
countries. These events reveal how risks are continuously constructed through existing development
gaps and growth in economic and population exposure.
This second edition, building on the first edition published in 2009, provides a current
resource for understanding and analysing global disaster risk. Drawing on a large volume of new and
enhanced data, it explores trends and patterns in disaster risk globally, regionally and nationally. In
parallel, more than 130 governments are engaged in self-assessments of their progress in
implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), contributing to what is now the most complete
global overview of national efforts to reduce disaster risk. The ISDR, launched in 2000, provides a
framework to coordinate actions to address disaster risks at the local, national, regional and
international levels. The HFA, adopted by 168 UN member states at the World Conference on Disaster
Reduction, Kobe, Japan in 2005, obliges all countries to make major efforts to reduce their disaster
risk by 2015. The GAR is expected to help focus international attention on the problems of disaster
risk and consolidate political and economic support and commitment to disaster risk reduction.
The production of this report was coordinated by the United Nations International Strategy
for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) secretariat, in collaboration with many global partners from the UN
agencies, regional and technical institutions, national governments, civil society networks, academic
institutions and many other ISDR system partners. Financial resources were contributed by, inter alia,
the Governments of Japan, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States of America, and the European
Commission.
The 2011 GAR was presented by the UN Secretary General to the Third Session of the Global
Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction to be held in 8-13 May in Geneva.
(http://www.preventionweb.net/globalplatform/2011/).
The GAR launchings at international and regional level will be held by UNISDR outreach
offices all over the world after the Global Platform in May. As one of these events, the launching in
Japan is co-organized by UNISDR Hyogo Office and the United Nations University (UNU), with the
support of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, on 25 May at the UNU in Tokyo. It will provide an
important opportunity to gain attention to the disaster risk reduction agenda in Japan and update on the
issues and challenges to a number of stakeholders in Japan. The 2011 GAR will be presented by the
UNISDR Coordinator of the GAR process, which will be followed by the presentation of “Tangible
Earth” and a panel discussion among high level panelists and eminent experts.
UNISDR Hyogo Office