UN Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction
Geology for Global Development, in collaboration with the Society and others, submitted a statement to the UN calling for sustained support for geoscience
© Misbahul Aulia
Endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction aims to reduce disaster-related losses and risks across all sectors and scales. A decade on, the global disaster risk reduction (DRR) community convened in Geneva, Switzerland, in June 2025 to assess progress, identify challenges, and propose strategies to accelerate implementation. The 8th Session of the Global Platform on DRR brought together member states, intergovernmental agencies, and a range of other groups including the science and technology community. Key themes explored were managing risks in the context of rapid change, inclusive DRR, and the need for locally designed risk management interventions.
In the run up to the Global Platform, Geology for Global Development collaborated with other geoscience bodies (Geological Society of London, American Geophysical Union, European Geosciences Union, Global Volcano Risk Alliance, and International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics) to prepare a joint statement, submitted to inform the proceedings. This statement articulated the need for sustained support for scientific institutions and operational services involved in geoscience data collection, management, integration, and analysis (e.g., volcano observatories, seismic networks, geological surveys). It suggested an urgent need for accelerated support to scientific institutions in low-income and least-developed countries, often facing multiple, interconnected hazards, but lacking essential equipment and access to training. Finally, it reminded stakeholders that embedding geoscience in formal and informal educational settings provides knowledge that can empower communities and inform their advocacy for and delivery of effective risk management solutions.
The importance of science to effective DRR has been emphasised repeatedly since 2015. The need for science-based information to inform decision making is embedded into the Sendai Framework. At the Global Platform, conversations advanced on how we improve the flow of knowledge between the geological hazard community and others contributing to DRR. Geology for Global Development will continue to engage with relevant intergovernmental processes to support this conversation.
To read the full statement, visit: gfgd.org/news-events/2025/5/28/gp2025
Joel Gill Co-Chief Executive Officer, Geology for Global Development
