Tomorrow sees the start of the Global Platform for Disaster Reduction 2011, in Geneva, and hosted by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR). The biennial conference will gather policymakers, stakeholders, reconstruction experts from a wide range of fields including the public and private sectors, NGOs and academia. Over the next few days, as the conference takes place in Geneva, this blog will focus on this important theme. It's a theme in which geologists play a crucial role, and have a huge responsibility for ensuring the information they gather is effectively communicated to other stakeholders. At a time in which we've seen devastating earthquakes, from Haiti to Japan, Chile to New Zealand, the importance of building resilience to natural hazards and reducing vulnerability is more stark than ever.
The video below is a trailer produced by the UNISDR, highlighting the conference starting tomorrow, you can download the key discussion material here.
