10 things you should know about disaster risk reduction

Main Ideas, Concepts, and Lessons

1. Disasters are frequent and costly

   • Between 2001 and 2010, disasters caused nearly $1 trillion in damage.
   • 28 million people lost their homes (compared to the population of Australia).
   • 1.1 million lives were lost total, averaging ~300 deaths per day.

2. “Natural disasters” aren’t purely natural

   • There’s no such thing as a “natural disaster”; instead, there are natural hazards (floods, earthquakes, tsunamis) and man-made hazards (riots, conflicts).
   • The impact depends on vulnerability.
   • Core equation: Disaster risk = hazard × vulnerability

3. Disasters reveal and worsen inequality

   • More vulnerable populations experience greater harm (more deaths and economic losses).
   • In both wealthy and poor countries, the most vulnerable and excluded are most affected.

4. DRR = managing disaster risk with both “hard” and “soft” measures

   • DRR uses tools to manage risk, including:
     • Hard interventions: protect buildings and infrastructure
     • Soft interventions: education and training
   • Together, these support broader community resilience, strengthening the ability to cope with threats ranging from environmental to socioeconomic.

5. Solutions for one problem can unintentionally create new risks

   • Example: increasing rice production may reduce malnutrition, but it can require heavy irrigation.
   • Standing water can increase mosquito breeding, leading to more malaria cases.

6. Local people must be involved

   • Communities have important skills and knowledge.
   • Collaboration helps people build capacity for future disaster-related tasks such as:
     • Rebuilding homes
     • Search and rescue

7. DRR enables positive long-term development

   • DRR can improve safety and security, supporting long-term goals like:
     • building hospitals
     • training teachers

8. DRR is closely linked to climate change

   • More unpredictable weather creates new challenges, including:
     • higher crop prices
     • conflict over natural resources
   • Addressing climate-related issues helps reduce how destructive/disruptive disasters become.

9. DRR must consider changing patterns of human life

   • More people are living in cities, increasing exposure to multiple hazards, such as:
     • diseases
     • gang violence
     • floods

10. Disaster risk is everyone’s responsibility (and needs coordination)

    • Development and aid actors must consider disaster risk to avoid unintentionally increasing danger.
    • Collaboration is essential:
      • organizations working with each other
      • partnerships with civil society groups
    • Reference: www.goodpracticereview.org/drr

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Methodology / Instruction-Style Content

• Use DRR to reduce harm even if disasters can’t always be prevented.
• Treat risk as hazard × vulnerability.
• Design DRR with both categories of interventions:
  • Hard interventions: protect buildings and infrastructure
  • Soft interventions: provide education and training
• Involve local communities in planning and implementation:
  • leverage local skills for future tasks (e.g., rebuilding, search and rescue)
• Assess unintended consequences of disaster-related solutions:
  • example: agricultural changes can increase disease risk via irrigation and mosquitoes
• Integrate climate change considerations into DRR:
  • anticipate challenges like food price increases and resource-based conflict
• Account for demographic shifts and urbanization:
  • plan for risks in cities, including disease, violence, and floods
• Ensure everyone involved in development/aid considers disaster risk.
• Collaborate across organizations and with civil society.
• Consult additional resources via www.goodpracticereview.org/drr.

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Speakers / Sources Featured

• No specific individual speakers are named in the subtitles.
• Source referenced: www.goodpracticereview.org/drr (Good Practice Review page on DRR)