Identifying and addressing the risks faced in Europe
Natural and human-induced hazards threaten the safety of people and damage property, natural environment and cultural heritage. Disaster prevention and risk management aims to tackle these risks through better prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. This includes increasing the resilience of infrastructure, ecosystems (terrestrial and aquatic) and society to disasters.
Improved understanding of disaster risks in Europe
The European Commission publishes the EU overview of natural and man-made disaster risks that the EU may face, to examine trends in the ever-evolving disaster risk landscape, discuss the major drivers shaping it, with a particular look at disaster risks impacting Europe (2014, 2017 and 2020 editions are available).
One of the main sources for the EU overview of risks are the national disaster risk assessments of EU Civil Protection Mechanism member and participating states, that reflect on a region or country’s readiness to cope with natural and man-made hazards. In addition to information from national authorities, the overview uses the latest available evidence from the Commission’s cross-sectoral policy, operational and scientific work on disaster risk. The purpose is to foster a sound understanding of disaster risks facing Europe’s population and to inform decision makers on risk management to prevent loss of life and economic, environmental and social impacts.

Economics for Disaster Prevention and Preparedness

Funding for Disaster Risk Management

UCPM Peer Review Programme
International cooperation
A number of frameworks support international cooperation on disaster reduction, prevention and resilience. These are, for example, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which defines targets and priorities areas that aim to reduce disaster risk and losses over the next 15 years, or the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which call on countries to work together in a global partnership for people and the planet.
The EU-funded PPRD Programmes - Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Natural and Man-Made Disasters - enhance disaster risk management, enhance cooperation between the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and civil protection actors and strengthen ties between EU neighbourhood countries.
There are two regional PPRD Programmes:
- PPRD Med (Mediterranean) – Prevention, Preparedness and Response to natural and human-made disasters in the EU Southern Neighbourhood countries – PPRD Mediterranean.
- PPRD East 3 - Prevention, Preparedness and Response to natural and man-made disasters in Eastern Partnership countries.

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