Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Programme

A Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Roadmap for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Last updated: 16 August 2018

The WMO Executive Council, at its sixty-sixth session (EC-66) in June 2014 requested the WMO Secretariat, “in consultation with Members, to develop a WMO DRR roadmap of prioritized and realistically achievable activities and deliverables that are consistent with the WMO Strategic and Operating Plans as well as the work plans for relevant WMO programmes and projects”. In addition, EC called for a clear identification of the role of NMHSs and WMO, working with their partners, in the implementation of international frameworks and planning processes, such as the Sendai Framework for DRR 2015-2030. First ideas were discussed with Members at the RA I & II sessions and IBCS-2 in 2014 and at WCDRR in March 2015.

A first version of the Roadmap was circulated among Members prior to Cg-17 for their feedback (comments were received from Czech Republic, Japan, Italy, Netherlands, UK, and USA), and further comments were elicited during a Cg-17 side event on the WMO DRR Roadmap. An updated version was developed after incorporating the feedback received and shared with the DRR Focal Points of WMO Regional Associations, Technical Commissions and Technical Programmes (DRR FP RA-TC-TP) in November 2015, with the DRR User-Interface Expert Advisory Group on Hazard and Risk Assessment (UI-EAG HRA, now UI-WG HRA), and with the Presidents of Technical Commissions and Regional Associations (PTC/PRA) in January 2016 for their feedback. Based on the comments received, Version 1.2 of the Roadmap was developed in February 2016 and circulated within the Secretariat and presented to the EC Working Group on DRR (EC WG/DRR) and the UI-WG MHEWS meetings (both in April 2016) for further comments. The resulting Version 1.3 was then translated into all WMO languages and once again circulated among Members. Subsequently, feedback was received from Armenia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Netherlands, UK, and USA.

This version was again discussed during the meeting of the DRR FP RA-TC-TP in December 2016, along with ideas for the Roadmap’s implementation plan. In line with Decision 3 (EC-68) through which the EC requested the Secretary-General to "update the current draft of the DRR Roadmap on the basis of the input and comments from Members, to submit it to the Chairperson of the EC WG/DRR for its consideration and to forward its recommendation to the President of WMO for his/her approval on behalf of the Council as per WMO General Regulation 44", but in the absence of co-chairpersons of the EC WG/DRR, the DRR FP RA-TC-TP recommended to circulate the updated Version 2.0 to the members of both groups prior to EC-69, which was done in early March 2017. Their recommendations and further comments, also from Secretariat colleagues, have been incorporated and the final Version 2.1 of the WMO DRR Roadmap was approved by the President of the WMO, Mr David Grimes, on 26 April 2017. Translations into all WMO languages as well as the final editing, design and publication will be done directly after EC-69.

To ensure that the Roadmap is a coordinated, up-to-date organization-wide plan of action that will guide WMO activities in support of all components of disaster risk management as well as their further enhancement and coordination across WMO constituent bodies and programmes, the Roadmap will be subject to regular updates and consultations. All comments received are being archived in a change record.