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G20 Meetings on Disaster Risk Reduction
Road to the 2024 G20 Rio Summit

G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Ministerial Declaration:
Reducing Vulnerabilities and Addressing Inequalities

Belém, November 1, 2024
[PDF]

We, G20 Ministers met to discuss the importance of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), in Belém, Pará, Brazil, on 1st November 2024, alongside ministers from invited countries and partner international organizations to respond to the growing challenges of disasters and enable a future where risks are reduced for all. We reaffirmed our commitment to institutionalize inclusive approaches to disaster risk reduction; to enhance collaborative eLorts to explore opportunities to increase financing; to exchange knowledge and best practices; and to address the urgent need to reduce inequalities, particularly those faced by people in vulnerable situations, in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked developing countries and African countries, as well as middle income countries facing specific challenges.

1. We reaffrm the 2015-2030 Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) and its intrinsic connections to sustainable development and climate change adaptation. We acknowledge the strong synergies between the SFDRR, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. In light of the outcomes of the Midterm Review of the SFDRR, we underscore the importance of advancing the recommendations of the Political Declaration (A/RES/77/289).

2. Building on the disaster risk reduction priorities emerging from the Indian G20 Presidency, we fully support the Brazilian G20 Presidency in placing the combat of inequality at the center of the Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group’s (DRRWG) agenda, underscoring the need for inclusive, whole of society, multi-stakeholder engagement using a multi-sectoral approach to tackle the root causes of disaster risk and enhance global sustainable resilience within and across sectors. We stress the importance of early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, disaster risk reduction financing, and nature-based solutions, ensuring comprehensive recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction eLorts that leave no one behind, consistent with the appeal of the Midterm Review of the SFDRR.

3. We prioritize addressing inequalities through inclusive, country-specific, gender-responsive, disability-inclusive, whole-of-society approaches, as well as empowering the leadership of local communities, Indigenous Peoples, women and youth to reduce risk and build resilience.

4. We reaffirm the need for accessible and inclusive Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) and to enable early and anticipatory action, placing people's lives and livelihoods at its core. We highlight the importance of the United Nations Secretary General’s "Early Warnings for All" initiative, aiming to deliver people-centered, end-to-end multi-hazard early warning systems ensuring every person on Earth is protected by early warning systems by 2027. In this regard, we also stress the importance of exploring investment in research and development, supported by eLective data sharing and collaborative partnerships. We recommend that these systems be nationally and locally led, adopt a multistakeholder approach, and incorporate localized risk assessments, inclusive communication strategies, and culturally sensitive response protocols to support greater inclusion.

   5. While acknowledging the progress in reducing risk, we recognize that emerging threats and risks – whether induced by natural hazards, human-made or exacerbated by climate change – continue to outpace these eLorts. Deeply concerned that the most exposed people, especially those in vulnerable situations, are disproportionately impacted by disasters, we stress the need for enhanced international and domestic, public and private investment in resilient, inclusive, accessible, sustainable and quality infrastructure to reduce disaster risks, mitigate losses, build adaptive capacity, safeguard sustainable development, and manage residual risks eLectively in line with national circumstances, priorities and needs.

   6. We acknowledge the need for mobilized financial resources, including private sector investment, to support disaster risk reduction, while also highlighting the importance of domestic financing mechanisms and financial technical assistance in an inclusive and whole-of-society approach to respond to the needs of communities.

5. We commit to promoting and pursuing, accessible, inclusive, locally led, and equitable recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction phases after a disaster to increase the resilience of nations and communities through integrating disaster risk reduction measures into the restoration of physical infrastructure and societal systems, and into the revitalization of livelihoods, economies and the environment,[1] addressing inequalities through regular readiness assessments and sustainable post-disaster outcomes. We emphasize the importance of learning from past events and of promoting science and evidence-based solutions, enhanced by coordination across all relevant sectors, while addressing environmental and climate change impacts and associated risks.

6. We acknowledge that nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches can contribute to disaster risk reduction and encourage their adoption in land-use planning and climate adaptation eLorts, where applicable. By doing so, we aim to strengthen environmental resilience in our approach to disaster risk management.

7. We reaffirm the G20’s essential role in enhancing international and regional cooperation in disaster risk reduction and fostering partnerships to promote inclusive and eLective governance, mutual learning, and early warning systems for all. To address inequality and protect people in vulnerable situations, we intend to prioritize capacity-building, knowledge and data sharing, and voluntary technology transfer on mutually agreed terms to support resilient infrastructure, as well as accessible and inclusive recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction processes.

8. We recognize the significant role of Multilateral Development Banks in disaster risk reduction and their crucial role in providing financial support and technical knowledge.

Call for Action

11. We stress the need to advancing disaster risk reduction as a global priority in the implementation of the SFDRR, with a forward-looking vision that extends beyond 2030. We encourage the development of innovative tools, and the leveraging of research, science, and technology to enhance access to disaster risk reduction resources. These eLorts aim to combat poverty and inequality while empowering people in vulnerable situations to better prepare for and respond to disasters.

12. We intend to promote comprehensive risk and disaster management, considering innovative financing solutions and developing national financial strategies, including pre-arranged financing mechanisms, adaptive social protection, disaster risk financing, early and anticipatory action, and risk-informed policies. These strategies and incentives can address the rising disaster risks and the compounding eLects of poverty and inequality on people in vulnerable situations, while taking into account national circumstances, needs, and priorities.

13. We reaffirm our commitment to lead by example in strengthening disaster risk governance, enhancing preparedness, and promoting inclusive recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction. We urge G20 members to boost international cooperation for integrating disaster risk-informed approaches into sustainable development, as well as into social equality and cohesion putting people in need at the center of all disaster risk reduction initiatives and policies. We call on the DRRWG to continue to share best practices in these areas.

14. We commit to foster partnerships and collaboration across sectors, with a particular emphasis on engaging people disproportionately impacted by disasters, in shaping and monitoring risk-informed policies to reduce risks and support recovery eLorts.

15. We acknowledge the role local communities including women, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities, as well as Indigenous Peoples, can play in disaster risk reduction eLorts. We commit to increase, as appropriate, practices such as community engagement, local leadership and participation in disaster risk governance that reduce vulnerabilities and support sustainable recovery.

16. We invite the DRRWG along with the knowledge partners to explore the development of voluntary high-level principles in support of and building upon priority 3 of the Sendai Framework for the consideration of the G20 in 2025.

17. We welcome the consensus reached by the G20 on the creation of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, which took place on the 24th of July 2024, look forward to its launch at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in November 2024, and stress the importance of investing in disaster risk reduction as a mechanism to combat hunger, poverty and inequality at all levels, and foster resilience.

18. We acknowledge the collaboration among G20 Member States, Invited Countries, and Knowledge Partners, with a special recognition to the United Nations OJce for Disaster Risk Reduction, as the leading knowledge partner. We would also like to recognize the contribution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) in coordinating the compendiums on nature-based solutions and on resilient infrastructure. Finally, we would also commend the cooperation received by all others that provided technical contributions to the work of the DRRWG.[2]

19. We look forward to the Republic of South Africa’s G20 Presidency in 2025 to continue advancing the collective agenda of the G20 DRRWG.

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[1] This is taken from Priority 4 of Sendai Framework: Enhancing disaster preparedness for e;ective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction. ↩

[2] Centre for Disaster Protection (CDP), Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS), Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), International Energy Agency (IEA), International Recovery Platform (IRP), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Risk-Informed Early Action Partnership (REAP), United Nations Department for Economic and Social AKairs (UN-DESA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO). ↩

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Source: Official website of Brazil's 2024 G20 presidency