In April 2022, NPC Commissioner Professor Liz Varga updated us on a set of principles for resilient infrastructure being developed by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), in collaboration with UCL. Following a period of consultation UNDRR has now published a handbook for implementing the principles. By using this handbook and implementing the principles, countries can make progress toward the targets of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG9, on resilient infrastructure.
Improving infrastructure resilience at a system level requires a multi-stakeholder approach. Key actions under each of the principles are detailed in the handbook with explanations, proposed interventions, examples, and indicators to facilitate their implementation. The handbook also provides a governance framework to incorporate these key actions into an implementation plan that considers the country’s priorities, context, and available funding.