Bad situations get worse without disaster risk governance, says UN chief - Global Times

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Tuesday that without good disaster risk governance, bad situations only get worse.

"Bad situations only get worse without good disaster risk governance," the UN chief said in a message commemorating the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, which falls on Oct. 13.

With nations facing multiple crises simultaneously and a dramatic rise in extreme weather events in recent decades, the secretary-general called for strengthening disaster risk governance, to build a safer, more resilient world.

Noting that disaster risk isn't the "sole responsibility" of local and national authorities, Guterres highlighted the need for political commitment at the highest level to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

"Good disaster risk governance means acting on science and evidence," he added.