UN Economic and Social Development
Division for Sustainable Development

The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, 2002) includes commitments related to disaster and vulnerability reduction under chapter IV: Protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development.

The 11th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (2003) adopted the themes of disaster management and vulnerability to be reviewed in its fifth cycle (2014-2015) in the CSD's multi-year programme of work.  Risk management and vulnerability would also be examined in the context of other thematic clusters of CSD, such as water, sanitation and human settlements (2004-2005) and drought and desertification (2006-2007). 

On the occasion of World Water Day 2004, Guidelines for Reducing Flood Losses was launched. This inter-agency publication, led by DESA aims at providing decision-makers with a range of options to consider for reducing losses associated with flooding. 

For further information, please visit the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction website.