UNSW attends the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

The Australian Government and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) recently co-hosted the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) to provide a forum for delegates from across the Asia-Pacific region to promote coordination and cooperation on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Held on 19-22 September, the conference brought together UN Member States, intergovernmental organisations, international and national organisations and stakeholder groups including academia to accelerate progress on disaster risk reduction, supporting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 13 on Climate Action.

More than 3,500 delegates from 58 countries registered for the event, which included panel discussions, workshops, talks, talanoa and networking sessions. As the conference was hosted in Brisbane, stronger representation was achieved from across the Pacific Islands, and this was reflected in the program. During the four-day conference, these sessions encompassed a wide variety of topics, from anticipatory action to youth empowerment.

For UNSW, the conference was a great opportunity to connect and reconnect with others across the region and strengthen partnerships. UNSW was represented by Dean of Engineering Professor Steve Foster, inaugural Judith Neilson Chair in Architecture Professor David Sanderson and GWI Director Professor Greg Leslie, along with 12 other scholars. Scientia scholar Eleanor Earl said, “Having started my PhD on flood resilience in the Pacific Islands during the pandemic, it was fantastic to attend the conference to meet others working in DRR in the Asia-Pacific region. The conference enabled me to better understand Pacific Island perspectives on DRR, particularly in relation to flooding and use of nature-based solutions.”