Current approaches to disaster risk reduction are being challenged in a world of more frequent and compounding hazards. As the population and economy continue to grow, increasing exposure is creating complex interdependencies that are leading to more systemic vulnerabilities.
The Systemic Disaster Risk Handbook presents principles for systemic disaster risk reduction, inclusive governance and decision-making to support resilience and sustainability. It is for leaders in government, business and communities who are affected by disaster risk and extends beyond those traditionally responsible for emergency management.
This handbook goes beyond hazard-by-hazard approaches to assessing risk. It guides leaders and decision makers from all sectors to adopt a mindset focused on systemic risks, to know why that is important to disaster risk reduction and resilience, and how to apply that thinking to their work.
It has been developed to promote and guide consideration of systemic risk and resilience analysis as part of any decision, review, update or development of contemporary practical instruction or risk assessment processes.
Supporting the implementation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework (Australian Government 2018) and the United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR 2015), this handbook draws on contemporary international and national research.