Supporting the implementation of the Sendai Framework

Working in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), a team based at the UCL Infrastructure Systems Institute (ISI) and led by UKCRIC Principal Investigator Prof. Liz Varga and including UKCRIC Senior Research Fellow Dr Tom Dolan, have been acknowledged for their work providing technical support and expertise in the design and development of the recently published Principles for Resilient Infrastructure UNDRR report and the UNDRR Handbook for implementing the principles for resilient infrastructure.

The Principles for Resilient Infrastructure are already having an impact. Most notably, they were recently cited in the Sendai Framework Midterm Review. As an action Member States must take:

The resilience of infrastructure systems has been recognised as a key area of action to support the implementation of the Sendai Framework. As such, Member States and stakeholders must place the Principles for Resilient Infrastructure at the heart of developing infrastructure systems, both in upgrading existing systems and integrating risk assessments and data into future projects.
(source: p104: Sendai Framework Midterm Review)

It is anticipated that they are likely to be discussed in the context of the Sendai Framework next month at the UN High-Level Meeting on the Midterm Review of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Additionally:

• The principles and net resilience gain will be the focus of an International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure (ICSI) led, UNDRR Risk Reduction Hub workshop, on Accelerating implementation of DRR and resilience in infrastructure
• Following the report, the term Systemic Resilience has been added to the CDRI (Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure) Disaster Resilient Infrastructure Lexicon (DRI Lexicon). (A resource focused on developing Shared Understanding of Terms that Matter for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.)
• The Net Resilience Gain (NRG) concept was adopted by UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction Mami Mizutori in November 21 (see UNDRR story "Net Resilience Gain" concept proposed)
• An entry into the DRI Lexicon for the Net Resilience Gain (NRG) concept developed as part of the Resilient Infrastructure Principles project is expected to follow shortly.
  
  

You can find out more about the UNDRR Principles for Resilient Infrastructure and their implementation In the UNDRR report: Principles for Resilient Infrastructure; and in the UNDRR Handbook for implementing the principles for resilient infrastructure.

Alternatively, an ICE blog championing the principles for resilient infrastructure provides a succinct overview.