PARIS DECLARATION
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CONFERENCE ON "NATURAL
DISASTER PREVENTION, LAND-USE PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT"
(Paris, 17-19 June 1999)
The participants of the Paris Conference on "Natural Disaster Prevention, Land-Use Planning and
Sustainable Development" held in Paris from 17 to 19 June 1999,
REFERRING TO
1. UN General Assembly Resolution 44/236 (22 December 1989) on the International Decade for
Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) to curb growth in the number of human, material and economic
losses caused by natural disasters.
2. UN General Assembly Resolution 46/162 (19 December 1991), which recommends an integral
approach to natural disaster management.
3. The Report on the UN Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio from 3 to 14 June
1992, which underscores the need for greater co-operation with the countries exposed to natural
disasters and other crises liable to affect the environment.
4. The "Yokohama Strategy and the Plan of Action for a Safer World" and the guide for the
prevention, preparation and reduction of vulnerability adopted by the World Conference on
Disaster Reduction held in Yokohama in May 1994.
5. The "Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements" (Habitat II) drafted on 14 June 1996, which
underscores the right for everyone to adequate housing and the universal goal to provide safer,
healthier and sustainable human settlements.
6. The Declarations and Recommendations of the 1998 and 1999 international
conferences organised for the close of the Decade:
- Regional conferences: for the Central and East European countries (Yerevan, September 1998),
IDNDR/ESCAP Regional Meeting for Asia (Bangkok, February 1999), Natural Disaster Prevention
and Reduction in the Mediterranean (Valencia, May 1999), Regional IDNDR/UNEP Meeting for Africa
(Nairobi, May 1999), Hemispheric Conference for Latin America
and the Caribbean (San José, June 1999).
- Subject conferences: Intergovernmental Conference on Emergency Telecommunications
(Tempere, June 1998), International Conference on Early Warning Systems (Potsdam,
September 1998), First Intergovernmental Seminar of Experts on El Niño (Guayaquil, November
1998), International Conference on Natural Hazards in the Mountains (Grenoble, April 1999).
CONSIDERING THAT
7. The end of this millennium is experiencing upheavals in the form of huge technological changes,
strong geopolitical developments, new economic constraints, unprecedented demographic
pressure and urban concentration, and an increase in ecological threats. This is seen in the greater
exposure of human settlements and populations to natural disasters, but also in new ways of
tackling them and limiting their effects.
8. Growing economic globalisation has provoked difficulties in transition economies with
social exclusion that is affecting even the advanced countries. Increasing market interdependency
is making societies more fragile. Impoverishment is spreading, bringing with it social exposure to
natural disasters. Migration is increasing with a rise in complex situations and conflicts. Global
disasters (natural, technological and social) are increasing.
9. Demographic pressure is causing faster environmental deterioration: deforestation, soil, water and
air pollution, depletion of natural resources, climatic fluctuations and a rise in extreme phenomena, etc.
It is also causing the growing occupation of precarious areas and areas exposed to natural hazards and
the disregard of rational land-use planning. All this is cultivating new instabilities, the
intensification of natural hazards and the growing vulnerability of people and goods. It is reflected by
an increase in natural disasters.
10 Urbanization , which accelerated in the second half of the 20th century, is one of the major
problems of coming decades. Half of the world's population is already concentrated in urban areas. There
are 25 huge conurbations with over 10 million inhabitants; 18 are in developing countries
and their size doubles every 15 years. In Africa, 500 million people will move into the urban areas over
the next twenty years. The damage to an environment subjected to growing urban pressure is a cause for
concern. Plains prone to flooding and unstable hillsides are often inhabited illicitly or in an uncontrolled
manner. The major problem is the protection of hundreds of millions of people living in zones at risk and
in fragile structures. The growing vulnerability of modern societies to natural disasters is, to a
large extent, a consequence of urbanization.
11. Nevertheless, understanding of the problems and practices and means for taking action are
growing fast . This decade has seen, in particular, a greater contribution by social
sciences and the assessment of human aspects in issues of vulnerability, risk, disasters,
prevention and appropriate development. The development of the Internet has revolutionized
communication and exchange systems. Advances in computers, which have become more powerful,
smaller and cheaper, provide access to data processing and management and the use of information
systems and scientific models as decision-making aids. Planetary observation technologies to ensure
environmental security and climatic, oceanic and continental monitoring systems are booming.
Engineering Earth and Climate Sciences have developed significantly. Appropriate and sustainable
land-use planning and crisis management in real time are now accessible.
12. Natural disasters are real brakes on economic and social development. There can be
no sustainable development if they are not taken into account.
A total of 90% of the disaster victims worldwide are in developing countries. They form the current
emergency from this point of view. The best solutions for the developing countries are not necessarily
the same as for the wealthy countries. Solutions must be adapted to local practices and defined with
all the players concerned (experts, political leaders and local and regional
authorities).
RECOMMEND
That the following considerations are made fundamental goals for the coming decade:
13. Combination of prevention, sustainable development and land-use planning :
We recommend that prevention measures be combined with land-use planning and
development measures for sustainable management of human settlements and environments, taking
into account their growing vulnerability and the interdependence of territories. We recommend, in
particular, that sustainable development instruments such as the local Agenda 21s, impact studies and
environmental assessments of projects systematically incorporate natural risks.
14. Disaster reduction special fund :
We recommend setting up a special fund , alongside the global environment facility,
according to the same principles, to support the preventive component of certain investments,
particularly during reconstruction after disasters. This recommendation would meet a pressing
need particularly in developing countries, and should be explored in depth with international
agencies, NGOs and the private sector, particularly insurance companies
15. International, national, regional, local and citizen responsibilities :
We recommend that the natural risk prevention policies be harmoniously integrated into a continuum
of responsibility among governmental entities, economic interests, communities and
citizens.
These policies should be regularly assessed, especially in regard to cooperation between the
different institutions, the mobilization of stakeholders, central-level support to local leaders and
grass-roots initiatives. Scientists, political leaders and local players should cooperate more closely to
encourage initiatives and the local ownership of prevention projects.
We also recommend that these measures:
- Take into account relatively rare events, with their potentially serious consequences ;
- Disseminate acquired knowledge of the risks and their possible prevention to the populations ;
- Provide appropriate funds to facilitate preventive actions.
13. Risk reduction and the sustainable development of urban areas (towns, cities and large conurbations) :
Based on the "look, assess, act, monitor" concept, we recommend that complementary urban
prevention actions should be undertaken, notably :
- Draw up an inventory of specific physical features, hazards and land use;
- Develop forward-looking growth scenarios by mobilizing urban players and the population;
- Reduce the vulnerability of what is already in place (habitat, infrastructure, essential and strategic
services, and cultural heritage) as part of medium- and long-term land policies and urban development
measures;
- Provide citizens with information and education, and familiarize decision-makers and stakeholders on
natural risks and prevention, as well as appropriate conduct in times of crisis;
- Continue and extend the cooperation programmes between towns (such as the Earthquake
and Megacities, RADIUS and GEMITIS initiatives) so as to overcome local obstacles and promote
further exchanges of experience and co-operation between towns.
17. Rural environments, environments at risk and protected environments :
We recommend that natural hazard risk be taken into account in environmental and rural
management, and to this end :
- Asserting that vulnerability reduction of urban areas needs to be integrated with the territorial
management of natural and rural environments ;
- Defining appropriate land-use (production, protection and leisure) in the natural and
rural environments, based on topography, soils, hazards, etc. ;
- Developing management adapted to the sustainability of the functions of these environments
and attaining the means to fund the implementation of this approach;
- Identifying, at all levels, the responsible financial institutions (local, regional,
national and international);
- Guaranteeing the necessary upkeep of the environment by means of regulations and suitable taxation;
- Creating a network of practitioners providing the link between the relevant parties (politicians,
administrators, researchers, educators and citizens).
18. International cooperation based on balanced exchange and solidarity networks :
We recommend strengthening existing and setting up new international natural disaster reduction
networks fostering exchanges of experiences and joint initiatives; a new form of solidarity respecting
cultural differences. These future networks should take into account regional initiatives already
undertaken at international level
19. Continuity of emergency, development and community reconstruction action. The role of the NGOs
and insurance :
We recommend that parallel to humanitarian action and emergency assistance, prevention
programmes should be set up to work closely with sustainable development assistance programmes.
To this end, NGO intervention should be more diverse, better prepared and also
developed.
Reconstruction assistance from the international community or insurance in the wake of natural disasters
should avoid absolving the authorities and populations of their responsibility in this
matter.
We recommend that the relevant communities and donors be encouraged to embark on reconstruction
from the standpoint of prevention. The partnership with economic interests, in particular
insurance firms, should be developed.
20. History, feedback on experience and outlook :
We recommend that the memory of disasters should be maintained at all levels and taken into account
during elaboration of management plans.
We also recommend the establishment of international cooperation to build easily accessible data
bases to be as comprehensive as possible.
21. Science, technology and education working for prevention policies :
In order to solve the issue of natural hazards reduction there is a need to insure that all fields of
knowledge are appropriately applied, the keystone to a " risk culture ".
We recommend to maintain this mobilization in all fields of education, science and technology for
the next decades, and especially to increasingly involve social sciences while carrying out
efforts to better understand risk-generating physical phenomena and their effects.
We recommend to take advantage of new information and communication technologies, so as to
disseminate more user friendly information.
22. The framework for action after the Decade :
Continued action is required to further prevention initiatives and exchanges and to educate,
inform and raise the awareness of all the prevention and development players.
We recommend maintaining the national focal points after the International Decade for
Natural Disaster Reduction. It is equally important on the international level to maintain a UN
inter-agency mechanism to encourage international co-operation and the definition of global natural
disaster prevention policies. This structure should be supported by external partners
(scientists, NGOs, etc.);
The post-IDNDR organization should be dedicated not only to natural disasters, but also to
technological disasters since both are closely interconnected.
ASK THAT
The International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction Secretariat bring this Paris Declaration
to the attention of the international community, in particular at the coming IDNDR International
Forum in Geneva from 5 to 9 July 1999.
Paris, 19 June 1999
