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SDC-specialist website on the reduction of risks from natural disasters
 www.sdc-drr.net

Prevention - To reduce the extent of catastrophes

Prävention und VorsorgeNatural disasters are causing human suffering and hampering economic growth at an increasing rate around the world. Since least-developed countries and countries in transition are hit particularly hard by these disasters, an efficient and effective disaster risk reduction plan is urgently required. Disaster prevention and the reduction of climate-related risk are core concerns in our commitment to the adjustment to climate change.

Worth Knowing

  • The figures from the last five decades indicate a significant increase in economic damages caused by natural disasters (nearly 150 billion USD per year). Moreover, the loss of livelihoods for affected population has reached a considerable volume (on average ca. USD 250Mio.per year).

  • Climate change is leading to a shift in the frequency, the intensity, the geographical extent, the duration and the time of extreme meteorological phenomenon.

Current Challenges
Natural disasters have negative long-term implications for all of the basic elements of life. There is a close link between poverty and vulnerability to natural disasters, with the poor affected to a greater degree than the rest of the world's population. At the same time, disasters can also be traced back to an increasing vulnerability, a lack of political will, and the near-absence of resources. There is often a lack of awareness that local events may precipitate disaster. The population that is at risk, the companies that are exposed, and the institutions that are responsible are insufficiently prepared.

The SDC focus: The reduction of the risks related to natural disasters
SDC seeks to minimize the effects of natural disasters through humanitarian aid and the appropriate use of natural resources, a safe environment as well as improved coping mechanisms, thus contributing to poverty reduction. SDC has been active for many years in the field of disaster reduction, in the context of bilateral cooperation with partner countries. SDC will have to integrate newly emerging trends into its own work with these partners. SDC focuses its disaster mitigation activities on areas where the risk is high and where coping mechanisms are insufficient. It applies an integrated approach to the management of risks and disasters. Strengthening capacities of governmental and non governmental organizations in disaster response is a common preparedness activity of Swiss humanitarian aid.

Humanitarian aid becomes involved in "Disaster Risk Reduction" (DRR) by supporting multilateral partners and bilateral regional programmes in Central Asia, Central and South America, the South Caucasus, the Middle East, Morocco and Bangladesh.

Additional Information and Documents

Documents
  • SDC Guidelines on Disaster Risk Reduction
    Download (PDF, 870 KB) :  [en]   [fr]   [es]   [ru]  
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  • Effectiveness report - Disaster Risk Reduction in International Cooperation:
    Switzerland’s contribution to the protection of lives and livelihoods
    Download (PDF, 3673 KB) :  [de]   [en]   [fr]   [es]  
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  • Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Concept
    of the Humanitarian Aid of the Swiss Confederation and the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit
    Download (PDF, 1246 KB) :  [de]   [en]  
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  • Climate, Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction Integration Guidance: Part I Aim, Concept and Suppo
    Download (PDF, 1070 KB) :  [en]   [fr]   [es]  
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  • Guidance to improve resilience and reduce impacts in development cooperation and humanitarian aid
    Part II: Practical handbook
    Download (PDF, 2499 KB) :  [en]   [fr]   [es]  
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