Integrated Risk Governance

Global Focal Points

UNDP's Work on Disaster and Climate Risk Governance

The social, economic and political decisions of a society play a key role in the configuration of disaster and climate risks by influencing exposure and vulnerability to natural hazards. Climate change, rapid urbanization, and weak governance are putting people and development at risk. The political and economic imperatives for disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation are often overlooked in the face of competing priorities. In contexts that are characterized by inequality, discrimination and marginalization, strengthening disaster and climate risk governance fosters risk-informed development planning and budgeting across levels of governance and sectors.

This provides the entry point for UNDP’s work on Disaster & Climate Risk Governance. In support of national and local governments, UNDP provides technical support to strengthen harmonized policy, legal and institutional arrangements that foster greater accountability and integrated solutions for disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation. Particular emphasis is placed on fostering the principles of good governance in disaster risk reduction, i.e. transparency, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness, participation, responsiveness, equity and inclusion. The approach is marked by a participatory, inclusive and multi-stakeholder engagement to ensure responsive and accountable governance build resilience at national, sectoral, local and community level. Key areas of work are:

Analysis: Country-specific analysis of disaster and climate risks, political economy analysis, including stakeholder roles and decision-making processes, as well as analysis of governance arrangements (policies, legislation, plans, and institutions).
Integrated Institutional Capacities: Ensuring institutional arrangements for disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation are strengthened to pursue coherent approaches and horizontal and vertical integration across sectors and administrative layers.
Policy Coherence: Aligning national/local DRR strategies and action plans with sustainable development, climate change and other sectoral priorities. Supporting legislative frameworks that ensure accountability and set incentives for risk reducing practices.
Risk-Informed Development: Mainstreaming risks into development policy, planning, budgeting and implementation at all levels and across sectors, with a focus on application of risk information and assessments.
Risk Financing: Increasing risk informed public and private investments through public expenditure reviews and guidance on how to access local and international finance.
Local Level Risk Management: Strengthening risk governance at local, municipality and community level to build resilience, including through mainstreaming of risk in local development planning, gender and youth empowerment, and fostering the inclusion of persons with disabilities in participation in decision-making and representation in government.