A webinar on Science and Technology (S&T) at the Third World Conference on DRR (3rd WCDRR) was held last 20 February in Paris, France which was chaired by IRDR Executive Director Rudiger Klein. The agenda included presentation from ICSU and IRDR, introduction to the S&T major group, its involvement in the preparatory phase, the overall programme of the Sendai conference and discussion on expectations towards the conference and the organization within the Major Group.

IRDR has been integrally involved in the consultations towards the 3rd WCDRR. ICSU, one of IRDR’s three Co-Sponsors, is acting as the Organising Partner for the Science and Technology (S&T) Community Major Group for the 3rd WCDRR, which has about 400 members in its delegation.

The Scientific and Technological Community Major Group is one of nine ‘Major Groups’ (stakeholder groups) that were identified in Agenda 21 at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992: women; children and youth; indigenous peoples; non-governmental organizations; local authorities; workers and trade unions; business and industry; farmers; and the scientific and technological community. The Major Groups system is used by the UN to organise the inclusion of stakeholders in UN processes.

IRDR led the S&T Community Major Group on behalf of ICSU at PrepCom1, 14-15 July 2014, and has been part of the Major Group discussions ever since.