1. A TIME FOR RE-ENERGIZED DISASTER RISK REDUCTION ACTIONS 2015-2020 AND BEYOND Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, Vienna, Virginia, USA Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, Vienna, Virginia, USA

2. MARCH 15, 2015: THE SECOND WORLD CONFERENCE ON DISASTER RISK REDUCTION CONVENED IN SENDAI, JAPAN WILL RE-INVIGORATE THE HISTORIC GLOBAL ENDEAVOR STARTED IN 1990 BY THE UNITED NATIONS

3. FACT:THE WORLD CONFERENCE WILL CALL FOR RENEWED ACTION Each country will be asked to play a major role in the post-con- ference call for a “Global Tsunami of Action”

4. FACT: THE GOAL IS CLEAR AND STILL THE SAME: REDUCTION OF GLOBAL VULNERABILITIES AND ACCELERATION OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF “THE BEST POLICIES AND BEST PRACTICES”

5. A DISASTER is still--- --- the set of failures that occur when the continuums of: 1) people, 2) community (i.e., a set of habitats, livelihoods, and social constructs), and 3) recurring events (e.g., floods, earthquakes,...,) intersect at a point in space and time, when and where the people and community are not ready.

6. FACT:NATURAL HAZARDS STILL CAUSE MEGA-DISASTERS FLOODS SEVERE WINDSTORMS EARTHQUAKES DROUGHTS VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS ETC.

7. FACT:THE PEOPLE CONTINUUM IS GROWING WITH TIME 7 + BILLION distributed throughout the world; many in vulnerable, high-risk com- munities

8. FACT:MANY COMMUNITIES ARE PARA- LYZED BY FOUR WEAKNESSES IGNORANCE APATHY DISCIPLINARY BOUNDARIES LACK OF POLITICAL WILL

9. INTERSECTION OF THESE CONTINUUMS IS INEVITABLE MOST FUTURE INTERSECTIONS WILL CAUSE A DISASTER, OR A MEGA- DISASTER, UNLESS - - -

10. DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IS THE WAY FORWARD 200 NATIONS AND 7+ BILLION PEOPLE 200 NATIONS AND 7+ BILLION PEOPLE NORTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA CARIBBEAN BASIN CARIBBEAN BASIN SUB-SAHARA AFRICA SUB-SAHARA AFRICA MEDITER- RANEAN MEDITER- RANEAN ISLAND NATIONS ISLAND NATIONS ASIA SOUTH AMERICA SOUTH AMERICA EUROPE

11. FACT: EVERY COMMUNITY CAN REDUCE THE VULNERABILITIES TO - - - GOVERNMENT CENTERS DWELLINGS SCHOOLS HEALTH CARE FACILITIES BUSINESSES INFRA-STRUCTURE ETC

12. THE GOAL: ADOPT BEST POLICIES AND BEST PRACTICES INNOVATIVE ACTIONS: CREATE, ADJUST, AND REALIGN PROGRAMS, PARTNERS AND PEOPLE UNTIL YOU HAVE CREATED THE PARADIGM SHIFTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO MOVE TOWARDS DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

13. YOUR COMMUNITY DATA BASES AND INFORMATION HAZARDS: GROUND SHAKING GROUND FAILURE SURFACE FAULTING TECTONIC DEFORMATION TSUNAMI RUN UP AFTERSHOCKS FLOODS SEVERE WIND STORMS EARTHQUAKES …ETC A DISASTER CAUSES FAILURES IN POLICIES FAILURES IN PRACTICES BEST POLICIES AND PRACTICES ADOPTION IMPLEMENTATION DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

14. BEST POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION Anticipatory Preparedness Adoption and Implementation of Modern Engineering Building Codes & Standards Timely Early Warning and Evacuation Timely Emergency Response (including Emergency Medical Services) Cost-Effective Recovery/Reconstruction

15. LIKE A CHAIN: A COMMUNITY HAS WEAK LINKS TO STRENGTHEN

18. BEST POLICIES AND BEST PRACTICES WILL IDENTIFY/CLOSE KNOWLEDGE DIVIDES AND GAPS, AND IDENTIFY/FIX WEAK LINKS IN THE PEOPLE/COMMUNITY CONTINUUMS

19. BEST POLICIES AND BEST PRACTICES WILL CALL FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING AND INNOVATIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

20. LIKE AN INFINITE SERIES: A CONTINUUM OF INNOVATION NEVER ENDS