Governance and institutional knowledge

Disaster risk reduction is not the exclusive domain of a few experts or officials. It is the collective responsibility of disciplines and programs in the emergency sector, as well as a remarkable tool or gateway for collaboration with other sectors.

Learning from the past and predicting the future is difficult, especially when it comes to managing risk. Few decision-makers have experience of major disasters because they occur infrequently, there is inherent uncertainty, the science can be complex, and staff turnover and other factors ensure that myths and clichés are not sufficiently challenged. These projects aim to provide a foundation for ensuring that responsibility for risk can be understood and shared transparently amongst all stakeholders.