Curbing disaster risk is ‘everybody’s business,’ Ban says on International Day

(October 14, 2010) With the world’s cities never having been so at risk of disruption by disasters as they are now, the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday underscored the need for wide participation in bolstering the resilience of urban areas to hazards. Words such as “biggest, deadliest, and worst ever” have been prevalent in headlines this year on earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and other disasters, Mr. Ban said in his message on the International Day for Disaster Reduction. “Those words are likely to be heard for years to come, as the climate changes and hazards multiply,” he added. The United Nations has dedicated October 13^th as the International Day for Disaster Reduction. This year's theme is: My City is Getting Ready. According to figures cited by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), more than 236,000 people have been killed by disasters, with more than 250 million others affected by earthquakes, floods, tropical storms and landslides. All have caused huge human suffering and economic damage. Mr Ban pointed out that many of the world’s cities lie along coasts, making them vulnerable to storms, inundation and sea level rise. “On the positive side, we are learning to cope,” he said, with the International Day providing an opportunity to recognize the efforts made by local governments and communities to protect themselves while simultaneously building more sustainable towns and cities. “Reducing disaster risk is everybody’s business, and needs everyone’s participation and investment – civil society, professional networks as well as municipal and national governments,” the Secretary-General said, commending those cities that are acting to bolster their resilience to disaster.