Build Forward Better Brief - Risk Governance

Recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore, requires the determined commitment by governments, civil society, and private sector actors alike to avoid lock-in effects of unsustainable technologies and practices, re-evaluate their disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies, and strengthen their risk governance. 

 

In order to ensure that recovery stimulus flowing into the economy, including investments in homes, roads, hospitals, schools, and other critical infrastructure is sustainable and climate-resilient, sound disaster risk assessments need to be undertaken. This includes acknowledging the impacts of climate change in the first place and deriving adaptation measures accordingly. To build proper resilience, communities and other actors particularly at risk of a pandemic or any natural hazard must be included in making decisions relevant to their lives and livelihoods. Equally important are stringent policy and regulatory frameworks, adequate resource allocation as well as political commitment and concrete measures to deliver on the SDGs and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

 

This brief focuses on COVID-19 responses targeted at strengthening risk governance – although comprehensive risk management is (or should be) the very foundation of any “green” stimulus measure and proposition by governments, multilateral organisations, academia, civil society, and other actors at the national and international level in order to achieve a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient recovery from the pandemic. The compilation shows that, to date, it is mainly international and civil society organisations pointing out the link to DRR, but some governments are highlighting the necessity to strengthen their risk governance to build forward better and prepare themselves for future shocks.