At the 3^rd Huangshan Dialogue on UNESCO Sites and Sustainable Development, UNESCO HIST and IRDR co-organised the session Disaster Risk Assessment and Mitigation for UNESCO Sites.

The session was chaired by Dr. Hans Thulstrup, the Senior Programme Specialist of Water and Environment Sciences of UNESCO Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific.  The session had five presentations containing the DRR strategies, activities and studies from UNESCO and other institutes/organisations. Dr. Noeline Raondry Rakotoarisoa from UNESCO MAB Secretariat Paris introduced the Relevance of DRR Related Activities in Biosphere Reserves. Dr Irina Pavlova from on UNESCO DRR team informed the participants about the Overview of Disaster Risk Reduction Activities at Natural UNESCO Designated Sites. Dr. LEI Yu from IMHE CAS illustrated the Treatment of Natural Hazard at UNESCO World Heritage Site specially their work at Jiuzhaigou. Dr. CHEN Fu from RADI CAS presented the Remote Sensing Monitoring of Natural Disaster and showed its advantages for the DRR of UNESCO Sites. Mr. Surya Bhakta Sangachhe from National Society for Earthquake Technology – Nepal (NSET) introduced the Disaster Risk Assessment and Mitigation for WHS and Heritages Settlements in Nepal.

The panel discussion was substaintial and effective. An outcome document was drafted after the session and now was officially finalized. In the outcome document, UNESCO and IRDR proposed several recommendation actions including establishing an international task group on DRR for IDAs and promote the DRR for IDAs to 2019 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. IRDR would continue its attention and contributions to the DRR for UNESCO sites.

Download:  Outcome document of DRR session in 2018 Huangshan Dialogue