THE REDUCTION OF NATURAL DISASTERS

Disasters take about 250,000 lives and cause US$40 billion in damage each year. Human suffering and economic losses have been rising during the last two decades. Humankind is becoming increasingly vulnerable because development concentrates population, infrastructure, and economic resources. By its resolution 44/236, of December 22, 1989, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed the Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, beginning January 1, 1990. The International Framework of Action sets goals, policy measures to be taken at the national level, and action to be taken by the United Nations system. The organizational arrangements include a Special High-Level Council, a Scientific and Technical Committee, and a Secretariat, with financing from extrabudgetary resources through a trust fund. There is a considerable level of national participation-seventy-two national committees or focal points have been established. The overall objective of the Decade is to prevent-or mitigate-natural disasters worldwide. Global and regional efforts must be mobilized to bring to bear the latest understandings and advancements in science and technology on natural disaster prevention. Strategies to mitigate natural hazards require planning and building to withstand a hazard, identifying and avoiding the sites where hazards are likely, predicting the occurrence of hazards, and preventing or altering a hazard's characteristics. Effective measures require understanding of the fundamental causes of disasters, of the nature of their effects, and of techniques for coping with the effects. Encouraging research and development and bringing to bear its results are integral aspects of the decade. Coupled with this objective is the absolute necessity for education and training of scientists and engineers who must carry out this work. (Ed.)