Role Played by Science and Technology in Disaster Risk Reduction: From Framework Planning to Implementation

The Hyogo Framework for Action, which was adopted in 2005, promotes the creation and strengthening of national platforms designated as national integrated disaster risk reduction (DRR) mechanisms. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 (the Sendai Framework) emphasizes the role played by science and technology in DRR decision-making and the importance of the support provided by the international scientific and technological community in DRR. The Global Forum on Science and Technology for Disaster Resilience 2017 (Tokyo Forum 2017) agreed to formulate guidelines supporting national platforms for DRR by efficiently utilizing scientific and technological tools and producing a synthesis report on disaster science and technology. Since each country is attributed the primary responsibility for implementing the aforementioned agreement according to its national needs and conditions, it should develop a mechanism that allows all stakeholders to share information on science and technology for DRR in their own language. Each national platform should review the status and issues of ongoing DRR efforts based on scientific and technological knowledge, enhance multi-sectoral discussion among various stakeholders about how DRR should be implemented in the country, and achieve consensus on the practical measures to be designed and implemented from a macro perspective. This paper defines a series of actions to be performed by the national platform of each country as the “Nation’s Synthesis” and proposes the relevant functions and international cooperation frameworks to be established.