In the last 30 years, remarkable progress has been made in managing disasters and risks of disasters. Disaster-related mortality has largely been contained, preparedness measures advanced, and communities are much more aware of actions in advance of disasters than ever before. Adoption of global frameworks like the Sendai Framework, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Paris Agreement, have strengthen the policy landscape for action.

However, disaster risk, exacerbated by climate change and a range of socio-economic factors, continues to rise and risks profiles at several geographic levels continues to alter with an aggressive pace. Frequency and intensity of extreme events are increasing and economic losses galloping. This puts to question the resilience of communities and threatens development gains.

Addressing such a complex challenge requires a multi-disciplinary approach as can be offered by the discipline of Geography. The talk will trace the evolution of the concept and practice of disaster risk reduction over years and showcase the new and changing paradigms, including the current discourse on systemic nature of risk and a strong call for integration between disaster risk reduction and climate action. The importance of embedding disaster risk reduction into development, and the role of geographers in ensuring this, will be highlighted.